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Hydrangea ‘Preziosa’
mophead hydrangea
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Image © Richie Steffen/Great Plant Picks |
Printer-friendly Fact Sheet
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| Outstanding Qualities |
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From late June and throughout the summer, Hydrangea ‘Preziosa’ provides a spectacular floral show. Small, rounded, mophead flowers are borne in a profusion of soft shades of pale-lavender, blue or pink. As the season progresses, the colors of the flowers intensify to rich rose, royal purple, and shades of burgundy. The leaves also transform, from early summer’s bright green, the foliage becomes suffused in shades of burgundy-red by early fall. Hydrangea ‘Preziosa’ is an excellent choice for late season garden color. It provides a medley of colors but not in an overpowering fashion. Plant with spring blooming evergreens such as rhododendrons and azaleas to extend the season of color. Other shade loving plants like hosta, epimedium, and ferns have great foliage to frame this compact grower. |
| Culture |
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Hydrangea ‘Preziosa’ grows best in partial to bright shade. Avoiding a hot sun location will keep this Hydrangea’s foliage and flowers from prematurely fading or scorching. A fertile, organic soil with good drainage and plenty of organic matter produces the best growth and flowering. Hydrangeas are not drought tolerant and grow and flower more prolifically with regular summer watering. The typically acidic soils of the Pacific Northwest will cause the variable flowers to bloom in the pale blue and lilac shades. For pink flowers, add lime to raise the pH and sweeten the soil. But regardless of soil types, as the flowers of Hydrangea ‘Preziosa’ age, they will consistently become a brilliant red burgundy. Changing young flowers’ color from blue to pink shades can often take a few years to accomplish, and usually require more than one application of lime. To determine the actual quantity of lime needed to alter flower color, a soil test should be done. Hydrangeas will bloom heaviest on one year old branches, and to a lesser extent, on new growth. Prune only to remove a few old twiggy branches to the ground yearly or lightly tip back rangy growth to improve the shrub’s overall shape. Heavy pruning can ruin the flowering for the following year. |
| Growing Habit |
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Hydrangea ‘Preziosa’ is a compact, medium sized deciduous shrub growing to about five feet tall and wide in ten years. Branches will often show a strong upright habit with mature shrubs having a rounded appearance over time. |
| Hardiness |
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USDA zones 6 to 9 |
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© 2009 Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden
Funded by the Pendleton and Elisabeth Carey Miller Charitable Foundation
Administered by the Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden