In the Spotlight: Little Lime Hydrangea (hydrangea paniculata Little Lime)

Little Lime sits on my front porch prior to planting

Little Lime Hydrangea is a compact hardy plant that grows approximately 3-4 feet tall and wide in the prairie region of Canada.  Limelight hydrangea is Little Lime's "sibling."  Little Lime looks like Limelight in a slightly more diminutive form.

The blooms open a lime green colour in short panicles on strong stems in the summer then turn a shade between beige and pink/burgundy for late summer and autumn.

Extremely hardy, Little Lime is hardy zones 3-8. This hydrangea grows best in part sun to sun and blooms on new wood.

A light trim to Little Lime in late winter to early spring is all the pruning necessary. Fertilize with a slow release balanced fertilizer once new growth is evident.  Supplemental feedings of a fertilizer with a higher middle number, phosphorus, is beneficial until the second week in August.  

Little Lime's flowers make terrific long-lasting cut flowers which can be dried indoors if desired.

In the Spotlight: Incrediball Hydrangea Arborescens (hydrangea arborescens incrediball)

Incrediball® Hydrangea arborescens 'Abetwo' 

Incrediball hydrangea is an improved Annabelle hydrangea.  It looks almost identical but the stems are extremely sturdy and won't flop over like the Annabelle hydrangea.

Very hardy, zones 3-8

Height:  4 - 5 feet

Width:  4 - 5 feet (space 4 to 6 feet apart)

Blooms:  early summer to fall

Dimension of blooms:  as much as 12" across

Foliage:  dark green, serrated edges

Growth habit:  mounded

Soil:  moist, well-drained

Incrediball blooms on new wood and benefits from pruning in early spring.  Flowers open green, turn white before maturing to green again.  

This would be my choice for a white mophead hydrangea as it is sturdy enough to hold the blooms erect while providing masses of balls of white clustered flowers.  It is similar in height and width to Annabelle as well.