Hydrangea paniculata 'HPOPR013’ CANDLELIGHT® - Panicle hydrangea, Peegee hydrangea

The Hydrangea paniculata Candlelight® is an ideal panicle hydrangea for creating a small hedge or a shrub border. Its sturdy and branched stems, in a dark red hue, consistently bear large conical panicles that gradually shift from creamy white to dark pink. The combination of this red wood and the changing bloom is remarkable. It is a hardy, generous, and undemanding shrub, easy to grow in many gardens. Its moderate growth also suits container cultivation.

The Hydrangea paniculata, also known as Panicled Hydrangea, is a species of hydrangea belonging to the Hydrangeaceae family, originating from deciduous forests in China and Japan, particularly hardy. It thrives without particular difficulty in any good garden soil that is not too dry in summer.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Candlelight' ('HPOPR013’) displays an upright and branched habit, with strong, dark red main branches that remain straight under the weight of the flowers. At maturity, this variety will reach around 1.50 m in height by 1 m in spread. The flowering starts between mid-June and early July, depending on the climate. The shrub produces, on the current year's branches, numerous dense, conical flower panicles, 25 to 30 cm long, typical of H. paniculata. They consist mostly of sterile, single florets, evolving from a creamy shade to a soft pink, then to a deeper pink over the weeks. The branches bear oval leaves in spring, fairly light green and finely toothed. They turn dark green in summer, then more or less yellow, orange, and purple, before disappearing in winter. Panicled hydrangeas are less sensitive to late frosts, as they bloom mostly on the current year's growth. This variety will withstand -20°C, and even lower temperatures.

The 'Hydrangea paniculata 'Candlelight' stands out from the "ball" hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) due to its good tolerance to sunlight, sea spray, and less humid, even slightly chalky soils. Planted in rich, loose garden soil, 'Candlelight' forms a well-groomed shrub in a few seasons, adorned with colourful flowers for 3 months. Use it in a small free hedge or shrub border. Pair it with repeat-flowering roses, sacred bamboos (Nandina), weigelias, and medium-sized mock oranges to play with contrasts and shapes. Its manageable size allows it to be grown without issues in a large terrace container, where it will thrive for many years with regular fertilising and watering.