Ours is doing the same thing, (on hot and sunny days) regardless of the fact that we watered it the evening before. We planted ours in early summer last year and I don't remember that it wilted like this. I'll be glad to see an answer, also.

Also, I wondered why we got blooms last year but not this year. I posted this question and someone mentioned it might be putting its energy into developing a root system- is this correct? Not to question the person who answered me, just looking for verification.

Oh, and the plant is otherwise very healthy-looking.

Since this is its first year in the ground it will need a little more water. I have 6 ES's and have found that they do like to wilt in the sun. However, just becuase they are wilting does not mean they need to be watered. Just give them a little time and I think you will find that they will perk up once the sun goes down and they cool off, that's what mine always do. If they still appear to be wilty by the next morning, then give them some extra water. Just my 2 cents, but you will also probably find that you will get a variety of opinions on this board!

I had to build a sort of arbor around my Endless Summer. I had it planted in full sun and even though I watered it daily it was looking limp and shocked. The arbor is covered with a white sheet, so now my ES gets indirect light all day and it seems to like it. I'm guessing that in warmer zones ES should be planted in a mostly shady spot, say in the dappled sun under a tree. Once mine stopped scorching in the sun, it seams to be very happy, producing LOTS of HUGE mopheads.

When established, would the water amount disturb other plants near by (3-5 feet) away. I have camellias and japanese maple nearby both do not like to be boggy wet (if I continue to water my ES this way)

You don't indicate how recently it was planted, but all plants their first season in the ground will need considerably more water than those already established. And also, summer sun from 4-6pm tends to be quite intense, specially in California. Wilting of newly planted hydrangeas in the heat of summer is not uncommon, even those in a fair amount of shade. Give it a bit of time and next season the plant should be better adapted to its situation.

karmann, the information you received is quite correct. Frequently, blooming shrubs will skip a season after planting as they become established. They are indeed busy developing a root system and their energy is often focused in this direction rather than producing blooms.

Same situation here with karrman, I got 6-8 blooms last year and only 1 this year. I was starting to worry that I'm doing or not doing something right/wrong. Mine has past that wilting stage already and are very healthy this year. Maybe some superthrive might help...good luck!

Thanks! Maybe I'll continue to give it Miracid anyway in hopes that I might get a miraculous late-season blooming!

I think your plant is telling you it's in the wrong place.

Hydrangeas like morning sun and filtered shade for the rest of the day.

Sorry, it's just the formula for a healthy hydrangea. I might be wrong about your sitch. I'd move it.

I agree with lsimms. My Endless Summer hated afternoon sun. Once I moved it where it got morning sun, & shade the rest of the day, it flourished.

I agree with Isimms as well. However don't move the plant on a hot day but wait when the weather is just a bit cooler (overcast skies, rainy weather). Water well before moving any plant and try not to disturb the roots. A temporary solution may be to simply provide a small tent cover until you can move it the plant.

One more thing, in it's new location, add some (small) mulch to help retain moisture in the ground. I said, small mulch because large pieces often will harbour slugs.

I watered my west exposure ES everyday last summer due to wilting and it was a BAD move. This year I got 1 stem with a bloom. I think it rotted. My other ES's in other places with more shade did not get this treatment and they're doing great this year and still wilt every afternoon, but recovers daily.

More shade is better but when in too much shade like the one in a northern exposure it doesn't allow it to bloom much. It requires a very fine balance between sun and shade.

I'm in Z4 and the best ones from last year are the same size this year which is about 20" by 20". Hopefully they get bigger next year.

As you can tell by all the suggestions, there may be many things to consider. Specially in the case of a recently planted hydrangea.

Too much sun comment: if you had too much sun exposure then your leaves would be browning out, not wilting.

Newly planted hydrangeas can suffer from wilting problems as their root systems are in shock. After all, they were growing happy on a piece of land before someone butchered their roots and put them in a 1g pot. All things being equal, they should be able to "fix" themselves after the sun goes down and temps are cooler.

Watering suggestion: I suggest you do it the ol'e fashioned way for the first few months: insert a finger into the ground to a depth of 2-4" and water only if it feels dry. There is less of chance of overwatering and rotting roots this way.

If your weather is not hot, consider if the plant's location may be windy. Wind makes many plants wilt because they loose water faster thru the leaves than they absorb thru the small root system. Reflected heat from house walls could also be affecting them.

Mulch: 2-4 inches up to the drip line

Chemicals: Hold the Miracid. No fertilizers for the first few months or if the plant appears too stressed. Root Stimulators, Superthrive, Liquid Seaweed or Liquid Fish are ok during the first few months. Stop fertilizing by mid to late August.

Good luck, Luis

Thanks, Luis, for the thoughts. But... are you referring to an ES that was planted last year? Or this year? Or doesn't it matter?

What I do to protect my hydrangeas from wilting in the late morning in late June is I have green plastic rods in the garden to make a canopy for my hydrangeas using double sheets of burlap and then I water the base. They tell you when they are too hot like a child does! The burlap provides indirect diffused light still and so it works perfectly until I remove it at 2:45. It works very very well.

By the way they do get a lot of sun and I have so many flowers but they do want shade too but as the summer weather gets hotter earlier with stronger rays, I have discovered I have to cover them at 11:30 on some days like today in late June. I fasten the burlap with practical claw hair clips and they work great biting into the burlap and rods together! I remove all once my garden is in the full shade but they do still get tons of full sun in the am.