Porter__
The pink-flowering H. radiata that I have came from Don Jacobs' ECO Gardens, Stone Mountain, GA and was a cutting from a plant that he found and named 'ECO Pink Puff'.

At one time, he propagated the plant and offered it for sale, plus he offered and provided plants to breeders/hybridizers for use in possibly developing a new pink-flowering, mophead type H. arborescens cultivar.

If it was the pollen parent of H. arborescens 'NCHA1' (PP20765) (Invincibelle Spirit), no mention of that was made in the Patent application, instead it is claimed that this cultivar arose as a chance seedling in a group of isolated H. arborescens 'numbered' cultivars. Yea, sure!

I would contact Don, (ecogardens@bellsouth.net), to determine if he has any available. That would be the quickest way to obtain a specimen and your nearest source. If you were able to pick one up from him, you would also have an opportunity to see some plants that you have likely never seen or heard of and probably will not see again, except possibly in a Botanical Garden.

Be patient for a response, as he spends most of his time in the garden.

Oh!
Don's an old friend of the family :) We have quite a few Eco Pink Puffs, and actually have it for sale (with his blessing). What a tremendously beautiful plant! Much less showy than a run-of-the-mill mophead, but spectacular in a natural, woodland setting.

We've always had it listed as Hyd. arborescens 'Eco Pink Puff' though, rather than as a cultivar of radiata, which it may well be. (We've certainly misread our fair share of tags through the years :) ) I was picturing a pink-blooming native with silver-backed leaves when I read your post, and was antsy to see it. Glad to know I haven't missed out!

And I'm as skeptical as you about Invincibelle Spirit's origins... We actually discovered a pink blooming native years ago, very similar to 'Eco Pink Puff' in the woods on our property in South Fulton. We released it a year or so before we got wind of Don's introduction, and now carry them both (though I have to say I like his a bit more, after comparing them). All sorts of enterprising collectors came snooping around when we did, from as far away as Japan- and we knew it wouldn't be too long before somebody came out with a sterile pink like Invincibelle Spirit. But such is the way of the plant world now... (don't even get me started on "Endless Summer"...)

Anyway, thanks for the info- I'm always happy to encounter another admirer of native hydrangeas!