I live near the Washington State border and am in a 6 zone, with typical Pacific Northwest weather patterns. This plant does like frequent watering (my soil dries out quickly) and a spring slow release fertilizer is a good idea. My more established plant gets solid morning sun and seems happy with that the newer plant I put in last year is getting noon to mid-afternoon sun and isn't as happy, so I will probably move it. The flowers seem to be a cross of lace-cap and panicle - not really strong in either category. Overall, this seems to be relatively hardy plant but be aware it's quite twiggy - a quick clean up is all that is needed.
I really like the initial creamy white flowers but am not too excited about the duller pinkish hue. These flowers do not deliver a focal point appeal with intense colors, but offer more of an overall blending. I'm happy with the size, but the flowers are verging on being just ok.
I don't have room for a large, showier snowball and I was drawn to "Little Quick Fire" with the white flowers turning pink as summer progresses. My first one was planted 4 years ago as I wanted a smaller, dwarf hydrangea with white flowers. The mulch will help to retain soil moisture and protect the roots during winter.I have 2 of these purchased from a local, independent garden center. Spread some mulch around the base of the plant, taking care to keep it from touching the plant’s stems. Lastly, water the plant again to help the soil settle. Press it down with your hand firmly to eliminate any big air pockets around the roots. Then backfill the hole with the soil you dug out. Set the plant in the hole, making sure that the top of the roo tball is level with the top of the surrounding soil. This will encourage them to grow outward instead of continuing to grow in a circular pattern. If the roots are densely circled around when you take the plant out of the pot, loosen them up a bit to break the “root memory”. When planting, dig the hole about twice as wide but just as deep as the container it is growing in. When watering, aim to get the soil moist down to a depth of 8' after you have watered. While many types of hydrangeas prefer acidic soil (pH less than 7.0), panicle hydrangeas can live in acidic and neutral (pH 7.0) soils. They may need 1.5-2 gallons of water per plant in the Summer (varies based on soil type temps, weather, etc). This plant doesn’t grow well in soggy soil so if that sounds like yours, you may need to improve the drainage before planting. Panicle hydrangeas will tolerate most soil types as long as they are well-drained. No matter where you live, your hydrangea will benefit from a 2-3 inch layer of mulch to keep the roots cool and moist. Each panicle contains abundant showy sterile florets which emerge white but change to pink and finally reddish-purple as the summer progresses. Bloom is on new wood and continues throughout summer into fall. It is particularly noted for its early summer bloom in upright panicles.
In warmer zones, some afternoon shade is preferable to prevent the flowers from burning. A miniature version of Hydrangea paniculata Quick Fire.
#Quickfire hydrangeas full
In USDA zones 3-7, Little Quick Fire hydrangea will be the most vigorous and produce the most flowers if it is grown in full sun. Think of them like any other shrub in your landscape-undemanding and easy to grow. Panicle hydrangeas are far less fussy about where they will grow than some types.