This gorgeous hydrangea variety puts on a spectacular show with its abundant flowers.
Berry White hydrangea is a variety ofpanicle hydrangea(Hydrangea paniculata)with pink and white flowers.
The shrub starts blooming in midsummer and lasts into the fall.
Credit: Courtesy of First Editions Shrubs & Trees
At the end of the summer, all the blooms will change to deep pink (almost red).
Its deep, rich fall color will add interest to your landscape even when summer is over.
Hydrangea is toxic to humans and pets.
Credit: Courtesy of First Editions Shrubs & Trees
It is an excellent choice for creating a hedge or living screen in a garden.
It can also beused in a cutting garden.
The clusters of blooms are so large that three or four stems easily fill a vase.
Berry White is also suitable for growing in containers.
After filling in soil around the root ball, water deeply to eliminate any air pockets.
Space the plants 5 feet apart.
Morning to midday sunlight and dappled afternoon shade produce the best blooms.
Soil and Water
If the soil is poor,add compostbefore planting.
The soil should bewell-drained, with a soil pH nearneutral or slightly acidic (6.0 to 7.0).
In this hydrangea, the flower color is not affected by soil pH.
verify the plant receives consistent moisture.
Water enough so the soil never dries out andmulch around the baseto preserve soil moisture.
Lack of water is especially detrimental to the plant when the flower buds start to develop.
Water the plant slowly and deeply at the base, not from overhead.
Temperature and Humidity
Berry White is extremely winter-hardy and survives frigid temperatures.
In terms of summer temperatures, it is not suitable to grow inUSDA Zoneswarmer than Zone 8.
In high humidity, the foliage issusceptible to powdery mildew, especially if air circulation is poor.
Keep in mind thatover-fertilizing hydrangeasproduces a profusion of leaves instead of more blooms.
Pruning
Generally, this hydrangea needs little pruning other than to remove any dead or broken branches.
To control the size of the shrub or to rejuvenate an older shrub.
cut the plant back by about one-third.
Panicle hydrangeas bloom on new wood, so pruning encourages the plant to produce new stems and more flowers.
Like all container plants, it needs more frequent watering than plants in garden soil.
Move the container to a sheltered location, such as an unheated garage or shed.
Watch for roots growing out of the drainage holes to indicate it is outgrowing its pot.
Pests and Problems
Berry White hydrangea are susceptible toaphidsandJapanese beetles.
Hand-pick larger pests like beetles from the plant and drop them into soapy water.
A strong blast of water dislodges most pests.
If that doesnt take care of the issue, use insecticidal soap.
Zone 3-11
Boxwood
Boxwoodcan be pruned and shaped in geometric designs, whether round or square.
In winter, when hydrangeas go dormant, evergreen boxwood provides interest to the landscape.
There are many types of hostas to choose from, ranging from blue-green leaves to bright yellow-striped ones.
The blossoms of theVanilla Strawberry hydrangeaturn strawberry red, whereas those of Berry White turn a dark pink.
Another difference is that Vanilla Strawberry has red stems.
There are several possible reasons why a hydrangea isnt blooming.
“Hydrangea.“ASPCA.
“North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension.
