Hydrangea arborescens "Ruby Annabelle", 3 l pot
Seller: ALLIKASILM
About this product
Smooth hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens 'Ruby Annabelle' is Ruby Annabelle® ('NCHA3'), bred at North Carolina State University (the programme of Dr Thomas Ranney) – a “ruby” version of the classic Annabelle. Buy Hydrangea 'Ruby Annabelle' in Estonia from the ALLIKASILM nursery – we sell it as a potted plant.
The flower heads are rounded, 12–17 cm across, rich pink with a purple tint, deepening to ruby shades as they open and fading to paler, greenish tones at the end. The main flush runs from mid-June to July, and after deadheading a second flush into autumn is possible.
The shrub grows 0.8–1.2 m tall and as wide. The stems are stronger than the old Annabelle and usually hold the heads without staking. It flowers on the current year's shoots, so it is pruned in early spring and still blooms reliably after a hard winter. It is hardy to USDA 3–4 (−34 to −40 °C), so in Estonia (zones 5–6) established plants overwinter without protection. Use: mixed borders, part-shade corners, edging, groups, cutting.
Specifications
- Type: smooth hydrangea, deciduous shrub
- Botanical name: Hydrangea arborescens 'Ruby Annabelle' — Ruby Annabelle® ('NCHA3')
- Breeding: T. Ranney, NC State University, USA
- Height and spread: 0.8–1.2 m / 0.8–1.2 m
- Flowering: mid-June–July, repeating into autumn; rounded heads 12–17 cm, ruby pink
- Light: part shade, or sun if the soil stays moist
- Soil: fertile, moist, slightly acidic, free-draining
- Pruning: flowers on current-year shoots; cut back by two-thirds in spring
- Hardiness: USDA 3–4 (−34 to −40 °C); no winter cover needed in Estonia
- Use: mixed borders, part-shade corners, edging, groups, cutting
- Size: potted plant
Advice from our agronomist
Planting. Plant in spring or early autumn in part shade, or in sun where the soil stays moist, sheltered from strong wind. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and use fertile, slightly acidic soil (pH 5–6.5); add acidic peat or conifer compost. Do not bury the root collar. Spacing: 1–1.2 m.
Watering and feeding. Hydrangeas love moisture: in hot weather water 1–2 times a week with 10–15 L per plant and mulch the root area with bark or pine needles. Feed with a nitrogen fertiliser in spring and a complete hydrangea fertiliser in June–July; stop nitrogen from August so the shoots can ripen.
Care. Smooth hydrangea flowers on the current year's shoots. In early spring cut all stems back hard to 20–30 cm (about two-thirds) and remove weak ones: the stems will be sturdier and the heads larger. It needs no winter cover; even if the shoots are frosted, the plant regrows quickly and flowers the same summer.
Gardener's tip. For a second flush, cut off the spent heads with part of the stem right after the first bloom and feed the shrub.
Codes and attributes
| Size | 3 l pot |
|---|---|
| Category | Hydrangeas |
Delivery and timing
- Parcel locker — €2.99–3.99, free from 59,00 €
- Courier to the door — €7.99–8.99, free from 99,00 €
- Dispatched within 2 working days