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echinaceamaniac

Loving my 'Vanilla Strawberry' hedge

echinaceamaniac
9 years ago

I planted a hedge of these and love them. They just need a little pruning from time to time. This is my favorite Hydrangea paniculata!

Comments (42)

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    9 years ago

    Absolutely beautiful! How long ago did you plant yours? I have 3 I planted this summer and I love them even without the blooms but I sure will be excited to see them look like that :o)

  • echinaceamaniac
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    These were planted last Summer.

  • BungalowMonkeys
    9 years ago

    Love how delicate and sweet the blooms look. Such a beautiful hydrangea.

  • starlight99
    9 years ago

    Absolutely beautiful! I have been eyeing my neighbour's VS across the street since last year when it it was planted. The blooms are very showy from afar....but much better close up. No flops at all since they get full sun.

    Just got one myself today at Sheridan in Unionville (Toronto, Ontario) for $13 (2 gal)....their one day sale! Cannot wait for it to look like yours!

  • Prettypetals_GA_7-8
    9 years ago

    Gorgeous. I love mine too. I ordered three online about 4 yrs ago and they were tiny twigs but didn't take long to get huge. This yr I bought 5 more at our lowes. I've also bought about 5 vanilla sundaes this year. Suppose to be a smaller version of vanilla strawberry. Just hoping it's just as gorgeous. My pic is of the one growing kinda funny after storm hit it last yr and I didn't prune to shape it. Would love to see a pic of the whole hedge of them. Judy

  • rakin
    9 years ago

    These are beautiful! I've been wanting to plant a row of these. Can anyone tell me if they will do well in full sun for zone 7b?

  • echinaceamaniac
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I'm in Tennessee and they are doing ok here.

  • Prettypetals_GA_7-8
    9 years ago

    I'm in north Ga and they're in full sun and do great!!!

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    9 years ago

    Here's my Vanilla Strawberry flourishing in the middle of a rosebed. VS is about 4 years old now.

    Vanilla Strawberry and the Perfumed Rose Path:
    {{gwi:291533}}


    This is an even prettier picture, although only part of Vanilla Strawberry shows.
    {{gwi:291304}}


    I think VS is one of the absolute best hydrangeas anyone could grow!

    Kate

  • echinaceamaniac
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Beautiful!

  • rakin
    9 years ago

    Great! I just got back from the nursery with 6 large VS and 8 red knockout Roses.

    echinaceamaniac, I believe you commented on another post about pruning these back. The nursery has suggested that I prune mine as soon as the current blooms start to die off. However, I am at a loss as to how far down to prune. Mine are about 5' high now, and I can see the previous cut was made at about halfway down the plant. Should I cut all the way back to this location or do I leave some of the new growth that has grown since then? Do I cut back to a leaf bud for each stem or will it grow regardless. I want mine strong so they will stay upright, but I certainly don't want to damage them. If they end up looking half as good as yours, I will be happy.

  • Ruth_MI
    9 years ago

    Beautiful VS's everyone! My VS hedge is in too much shade and hardly blooms, so it's extra nice to see yours! I do have one VS I've trained into a (lopsided) tree form, and it's in a little more sun, so I'll post pictures once the blooms open a little more.

  • Prettypetals_GA_7-8
    9 years ago

    Kate your VS looks so stinkin pretty. Mine is huge and yours looks so manicured. I need to shape mine up this yr. They're growing funny with tons of stems but smaller flowers except for the top!! Interested to learn the right way to prune it.

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    9 years ago

    prettypetals, I'm not sure how or why my VS looks so "manicured" cuz I have never pruned it. I occasionally water it and when it was younger I had to prop up some of the drooping canes (it stands firmly on its own now), but that is all I do to take care of it. Whatever shape it has is entirely due to Mother Nature.

    Love to see a picture of yours when they all burst into bloom. Should be a wonderful sight.

    Kate

  • Prettypetals_GA_7-8
    9 years ago

    Thanks Kate! We had a tornado come thru a yr and a half ago ago and I had canes laying over so I let them go so therefore it shot out all kinds of canes on those leaning but it produced a flower on each one so I left it. I'm a flower snob and want all I can get. Lol. Anyways I think if I go in there this fall and prune it some it would prob look much nicer like yours. Love the roses. I grow lots of roses too and VS looks great with them.

    Ruth I'd love to see a pic of yours once it starts turning. I bet it's gorgeous!

    Echinacea sorry I hijacked your thread. Hope you can post a pic of your hedge. How many did you plant? I bet it's awesome!!!!

  • starlight99
    9 years ago

    Hi everyone....attached is my newly planted VS. The flowers are just about to open in my zone. My question to all of you experienced VS owners is....how far do I trim after the flowers have finished blooming? Or do I cut the flowers off now for stronger root/stem growth? So confused.....because I'm so looking forward to seeing the flowers now and would like to keep them. Thx.

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    9 years ago

    I never trimmed off the new flowers on my VS -- never, ever. And in the fall when they are finally done blooming, I still do not trim off the flowers. The dead flowers fall off on their own during the winter. If by chance one or two remain when spring comes around, I snap them off directly under the bloom.

    That's all the "pruning" I ever do. VS doesn't need pruning--though I suppose you could do it if you wanted to keep it smaller, but I don't know why anyone would want to keep it smaller. On the other hand, it is a fairly BIG plant, so maybe some people need to move their VS to a spot where it can naturally grow its natural larger size--would be my recommendation.

    Kate

  • starlight99
    9 years ago

    Thank you for your advice. The label says it grows 6-7 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide. I will have to move some plants around it out once it gets any bigger than the space I have got for it now.

    I have a Bobo close to it as well. Do you think that your advice with regards to the faded flowers on VS would also work on the Bobo? Thx. I'm a newbie that just got into gardening.

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    9 years ago

    I know nothing about Bobo, but I follow the same basic procedure with all my hydrangeas--some are macrophylls and a couple Annabelles, plus my 2 paniculatas (VS and Pinky Winky).

    Occasionally Annabelle's old blooms look a bit ratty, and so I snap them off directly under the bloom. I think that would work for any hydrangea, and if it doesn't look attractive to you, just snap it off.

    Good luck.

    Kate

  • Prettypetals_GA_7-8
    9 years ago

    I have one VS probably 10 ft wide. The other two with it aren't as wide bc they're constricted by other bushes. Wish I'd spaced them out better but just going to leave them be. I did as Kate said. Whatever was still on bush in spring you can just snip right off. I would leave what's on there now to enjoy this year. Your gonna love it. I have Bobo too and it's staying under three ft but this is only my second yr with it. Did the same with its blooms this past spring too. Enjoy your new treasures!! Judy

  • starlight99
    9 years ago

    Oh my...10 wide? Did they mislabel the proper size of the plant or what? I have about 3-4 feet width max! I really love this plant....I read about its smaller Strawberrry Sundae version but it is not available here in Toronto Canada yet.

  • echinaceamaniac
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The cool thing about these is you can prune them to any size you want. It blooms on new growth each year. Even a small plant can bloom. You can make these into tree shapes too. No need to worry about how big it gets.

  • Prettypetals_GA_7-8
    9 years ago

    I don't know why mine are so big. It's crazy but maybe it's my long growing season. I don't think it's mislabeled since it's blooms are identicle to my new ones I bought at Lowes. My husband says he thinks everything is so big on that side of my yard bc of our septic tank. Lol and ewwwww!! I have the Vanilla Sundae too but this is my first yr with them. Sure it's gonna be as beautiful as VS. Judy

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    9 years ago

    If my VS isn't approaching 10 ft wide already, then I predict it will in another year or two. No matter how you measure it, VS is a WIDE bush.

    Back to pruning. Someone earlier mentioned buying a bunch of Knock Out roses. Although I don't prune my hydrangeas, just the opposite is true of roses. After Knock Out finishes a bloom cycle, snip or snap off those ugly brown DEAD blooms--just because they look awful. Snip/snap directly under the bloom--or if you want to control the overall size of the bush a bit, prune back a foot or so all around the bush. Use electric shears if you want. Knock Out can take it all. (But don't electric shear your other roses--that might be devastating!) Of course, if you take a lot of cane off in the pruning process, you may slow down the re-blooming.

    Kate

  • starlight99
    9 years ago

    I would love to get a hold of a Strawberry Sundae if they have here! You are so lucky! Where I live Fire and Ice and Quickfire are in...they are selling everywhere I go.

    Judy, I have 2 Bobos one from this year is blooming quite well and my other one planted last year has no blooms on it. This one was eaten to the ground by rabbits last winter and it is growing quite well but no blooms... do you think it will bloom late because it had to start growing from the base?

    This post was edited by starlight99 on Mon, Jul 21, 14 at 16:24

  • Prettypetals_GA_7-8
    9 years ago

    Starlight I have no clue if Bobo will bloom but it seems like it's tough so hopefully it will. This is just my second year with Bobo and mines been kinda slow to bud up but it finally has so there's still hope for yours. We have a lot of super nurseries within an hour from me so you better believe I'm a regular (sort of) customer! Good luck!!

  • PattyW16
    9 years ago

    I have two VS that are in their third year. They have beautiful white blooms that turn slightly pink, but never get any darker. They just turn from the pink to brown. Right now I have a few that are green. I am in zone eight where we usually get some very hot 100+ temps in summer. This summer we haven't had but one day over 95 and many days with highs in the 80s. That is very mild for us. It has also rained A LOT! Are we just too hot for the color change? They are gorgeous while white, but I would love to see them change color!

  • macgyver2009
    9 years ago

    My VS is beautiful right now, just in it's second year in the ground.

  • sungod123
    8 years ago

    Hi My zone is also 7b. Can i plant vanilla strawberry hydrangea in afternoon full sun place? . since u r also living in same 7 zone. i think u know better about this plant care in this zone.Pls help me

  • sungod123
    8 years ago

    Hi luis_pr! I have some afternoon shade area in backyard. I am dreaming to grow some hydrangea in frontyard which gets full afternoon sun. Since i came to know that paniculata tolerates heat, i am curious to know if i can grow in full sunny frontyard. or is there anyother hydrangea which can tolerate afternoon full sun of zone 7b ?

  • sungod123
    8 years ago

    Hi everyone! is there any hydrangea which can tolerate afternoon full sun of

    zone 7b?

  • luis_pr
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Hydrangeas are normally understory shrubs so their leaves and-or blooms can have difficulty during the summer months if planted in those conditions. Some of the most sun tolerant are paniculatas and arborescens. But I have had problems with them in my zone 7b/8a sunny areas. You can try them in a pot and see how they do during a typical summer in the location that you are testing but, be ready to move them if the leaves or blooms show signs of sunscorch. Be ready to provide extra water.

  • NHBabs z4b-5a NH
    8 years ago

    sungod123, it may depend some on where you are, since zone only refers to coldest winter temperature which isn't the issue in this case. I can grow H. paniculatas in full sun here in central NH with little to no supplemental water, but they are well mulched, our nighttime temperatures get into the 60's even when daytime temperatures are quite hot, and we get regular rain. Luis is in a much drier area that most likely doesn't have nighttime temperature relief. If you are somewhere like WA or OR, I think full sun would be fine, but I am not sure about how it would work in the SE US.

  • sungod123
    8 years ago

    I am in North Carolina 7b

  • luis_pr
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    You can try those two hydrangeas in full sun but, in full sun in the summer, be ready to provide much more water in the summer months. With afternoon shade in the summer, you will probably end up using less water.

    http://gardeningcarolina.com/shrubs/hydrangea.html

    From Gardening Carolina's Master Gardener Volunteers: Hydrangea arborescens and paniculata can grow well in full
    sun and may become leggy if grown in dense shade. However, both use
    large quantities of water when grown in full sun and should not be
    allowed to wilt. As a result, some growers produce these plants in
    light shade or in areas where plants will receive natural afternoon
    shade.

  • sungod123
    8 years ago

    Thank u very much luis_pr!


  • sungod123
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I think its better to go with afternoon shade place after reading all of ur comments

  • rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I always like showing these photos of what 'Luis' told me is a stand of VS outside a small local business near our home:

    Photo taken mid August 2014:

    Taken mid October the same year

    I was looking forward to seeing such a showy display this past season but much to my dismay the property management company did a severe prune in early July and so there was almost nothing to show last summer :(.

  • PRO
    Select Landscapes of Iowa
    8 years ago

    Here in Iowa Vanilla Strawberry is also exceptional. The color transition takes a couple seasons but after that really puts the "wow factor" into the landscape.

  • tranny
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I dead head my Vanilla Strawberry in march i am in zone 5. When i shape dead head mine I trim right above a outward facing bud on the stem makes it a fuller bush. I have a duplex this is my tenants yard the middle one is Vanilla Strawberry this was the 3rd year they get about 3 hrs of sun a day. the out side ones are pinky winky. They were bought in October at 75 % off 1 gallon pots. they will be 6 yrs old this fall.

  • tranny
    8 years ago

    here is another Vanilla Strawberry in my tenants yard its getting crowded out


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