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Shooting star hydrangea

Filed under: — admin @ 6:59 am


I just purchased two Shooting Star hydrangeas, also known as Fiji Waterfalls, or Fireworks.We live in zone 7. Should I plant these in a large pot outdoors and bring them inside during the winter? Or can I plant them in my flower garden? If I do plant them outdoors and cover them during the winter, will it survive and bloom the next year? Which is best? Partial Sun? Will this plant ever need pruning? Thanks!

Shooting Star Hydrangea belongs to H. macrophylla-Lacecap. The flattened flowerhead has white double petaled “stars” (flowers) that shoot from the flower like fireworks.The flowers stay white for 4-6 weeks and then mature to a light green hue. Quite impressive! It is hardy in zones 7-9, (20-50F in dormant state) therefore, it would be ok to plant it in the garden in morning sun and afternoon shade. Another option is to repot it in a larger container, let it develop a good root system and plant it in the fall. If you get an unusual freeze cover it with a blanket to protect the flower buds. It blooms on old wood so care must to taken when pruning. Prune (deadhead) after bloom to maintain size and thin out old branches to reduce size when needed.

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5 Comments on Shooting star hydrangea»

  1. Zone 10 in July - can I put a shooting star hydrangea outside? If so, what are the optimum conditions for givng it the best chance of thriving?

    “Shooting Star” hydrangea is hardy zone 7-9. The climate may be too hot for a hydrangea to thrive. Plant it in the shade where cooler temperatures prevail (cool microclimate) and keep it well watered in the hot summer. The other option is to plant it in a container and move it to a cooler environment when it gets really hot. Observe your plant and see how it responds to different sites. If this was a potted gift hydrangea, much of their energy was used to force large flowers , therefore may not grow well when planted outdoors. Some consider it a short term decor plant.

    Comment by Kris — 10/3/2008 @ 7:35 am

  2. I have a Shooting Star Hydrangea and I need to know if it is a hardy perennial that I can plant outside. I live in Ohio, and some winters get very cold. Thank You!

    Hi
    Lace Cap Hydrangea “Shooting Star” belongs to H. macrophylla species. It is hardy to zone 7 ( O degrees F). The best you can do is to plant it in a container, leave it outdoors for the summer (morning sun/aft. shade) and then bring it indoors/garage for the winter.

    Comment by Kris — 10/3/2008 @ 7:38 am

  3. Patti ( pattijomcd@insightbb.com / )
    I bought a hydrangea plant in a Publix grocery store in Florida. It was called Shooting Star Lacecap white flowers with side shooting white starlike blooms around the edge. I brought it home to Illinois, potted it in a larger pot. It has round white powdery spots on the leaves, maybe mildew? The pics of powdery mildew I’ve seen dust the whole leaf. These are spots on top of leaf between 1/4 and 3/8 inch in diameter. I bought the only plant that didn’t have a tag on it, dang it.

    Lacecap hydrangea is not hardy in Illinois and should be grown as a container plant. Powdery mildew starts as spots and then the mycelium sends out threadlike organs that eventually spread and cover the leaf.

    Comment by Kris — 10/3/2008 @ 7:41 am

  4. I bought an expensive shooting star hydrangea. it was rootbound, so transplanted. i think that i may have overwatered, so i replanted again. still has some previos flowers but the buds have all turned brown. please help. my husbands fav and think i ruined it thank you i advance

    Give your hydrangea time to recover from transplanting. Let it dry out between watering. It is best not to transplant when the plant is in bloom or producing blooms. Better to wait till it is done blooming before disturbing the plant. The buds have turned brown because the plant is stressed out and can now longer support the flowers.

    Comment by Kris — 10/3/2008 @ 7:47 am

  5. I have a shooting Star Hyrangea. I live in the costal south, some 35 miles northwest of Savannah Georgia. I don’t know my zone, but need to know if it will survive the heat here. Thank you.

    Hi Jesse
    Shooting Star Hydrangea is hardy in zone 7-9. You are in zone 8/9, it should do well in GA. Just make sure you plant it in a semi-shaded area to help keep it cool during the hot summer.

    Comment by Jesse Hilton — 10/28/2008 @ 6:52 pm

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