Looks like winter damage but gee, that was the best of the lot? It will recover for sure. I am just not impressed at the condition of the shrub this early in the growing season. I assume you got it at Lowe's, right?

Thank you for your help! I got it at the Wal-Mart here in my small town. I was impressed that they had the Forever and Ever ones, but am not too surprised by the condition. Most of the plants there look like the plants at my mom's house--they're withered and half-dead. ;)

Hee hee hee. Well, I mentioned Lowe's because Lowe's carries the F&E Hydrangea Series (HD carries the Endless Summer Series and some private ones).

The workerbees at Wallyworld probably do overhead watering on the hydrangeas (not recommended as this promotes fungal infections on leaves). Oh well...

This post was edited by luis_pr on Sat, May 25, 13 at 17:59

if they water

All of Walmart's F&E's are crap. I checked out a few different locations and they were all the same. Only worth $15 if you want to grow and overwinter in a pot for several years before planting...

For what it's worth, you'd be better off at a Kmart since theirs looked a bit better. Just make sure to get there before the employees ruin the stock themselves - I recently saw an employee use a table full of 3-gallon Summer Lace's to lay out watering equipment (on TOP of the hydrangeas!)...

I just posted a question about these in a different thread and basically the same issues!!!!!! I've added a picture of what it looks like now. I'm very, VERY new to gardening and I'm keeping my fingers crossed it isn't me killing them!

here's what they looked like when i first bought them, however, there were some questionable areas on the leaves. I bought these at Lowe's.

they are probably getting way too much sun, maybe move it somewhere it gets morning sun till about noon or 11.00 am then shade.