2007 ASCFG Fresh Cut Flower of the Year
While hydrangeas have always been used as cut flowers, their popularity has soared in recent years. Certainly, one of the best is Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’. This cultivar produces long, strong, straight stems. The plants are fast growing and harvesting can start the year after planting. The number of harvestable stems will continue to increase each year as the plants mature. Young shoots can be pinched in the spring to increase stem number and decrease head size. Without pinching or pruning, the flower heads can be very large. After the last stems are harvested, trim back the rest of the shoots to encourage long, strong stems the next year. Plantings can be established with liners or with container grown plants, if not very many are needed. Propagation of this patented plant is prohibited. This durable plant is cold hardy to Zone 3. Flowers can be harvested at three different stages: 1. immature heads with some green showing, 2. fully mature heads with all bracts white, and 3. past mature with rosy pink bracts. Unlike most other cut species the postharvest life gets longer as the heads mature and the bracts age. The vase life of the immature heads showing some green will be 8 to 12 days, the older heads should be 10 to 14 days. This great plant is a “must have” for any cut woody grower.
Contact ASCFG at 440-774-2887 or www.ascfg.org for more information.