Fire Light® Hydrangea

A Panicle Hydrangea with Pizzazz

Panicle hydrangeas have pyramidal cone-shaped flowers that are produced on deciduous, upright plants. Fire Light Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata 'SMHPFL' FIRE LIGHT®) is covered with panicle flowers that actually change color over the growing season! Starting as creamy-white in summer, the individual florets that make up each panicle cluster transition to a rich rose-pink and finish as a deep pinkish-red by autumn!

Multi-Use Flowers
• Long bloom season. Unlike some perennial shrubs, which bloom for only a short period, Fire Light Hydrangea has a long bloom season. Its flowers typically begin in summer and last through autumn. Even the dried flower heads add interest to a winter landscape.

• Exceptional cold-tolerance. This is not a delicate plant; it withstands winter's cold and freezing temperatures to USDA plant hardiness zone 3. Even late-spring frosts won't kill the developing flower buds because Fire Light Hydrangea blooms on the "new wood" that's produced during the current growing season.

• Cut flowers or dried flowers. The large flower panicles are stunning in any fresh-flower arrangement, but you can also dry the flowers to use in everlasting arrangements. Cut flowers at the peak of their bloom, tie the stems together loosely and hang them upside-down in a cool, dark area (such as a closet).

A Tall Hydrangea
Unlike shorter hydrangea species, Fire Light Hydrangea is a tall, stately shrub that grows proportionately to 6 feet tall and wide. Its growth is dense; it is not a gangly shrub, so it forms a beautiful, full specimen plant to feature in your garden. Multiple Fire Light Hydrangeas are dramatic as a tall mass planting -- planted in a row for a flowering, deciduous hedge or planted in clusters for a back-of-the-border accent.

Simple Needs
If you want to grow beautiful flowers in your garden, but you don't have the time or inclination to "fuss over" a plant, choose Fire Light Hydrangea! It's not finicky about the type of soil in your yard, and it responds to a sunny or part-shade site. You don't have to be precise about pruning individual branches; simply cut Fire Light Hydrangea back by about one-third its overall size in early spring.