Hydrangea paniculata FRAISE MELBA® 'Renba' – 'Fraise Melba' Panicle Hydrangea

The 'Fraise Melba' hydrangea represents a spectacular improvement on the famous 'Vanille Fraise' variety. This shrub stands out for its exceptionally sturdy stems that effortlessly support its enormous flowers, even after a summer rain. It offers a fascinating, evolving colour show, making it a striking focal point for any garden seeking long-lasting summer and fall blooms.

Characteristics

• Foliage: The plant develops beautiful deciduous foliage that is dark green and heavily veined. In the fall, the leaves take on a magnificent purple hue that extends the season of interest.
• Flowering: Starting in late July, it produces impressive panicles of dense, conical flowers measuring 20 to 25 cm. The flowers emerge an ivory white, progressively tinge with pink, then turn a deep raspberry red as the nights grow cooler, creating a superb bicolour effect during the transition.
• Light: It thrives in full sun, which intensifies the colour of its flowers, but it also adapts very well to partial shade.
• Habit: It forms a shrub with a bushy, upright, and well-branched habit.
• Growth: Fast. It reaches a height of about 2 m with a spread of 1.5 m.
• Moisture: It prefers soil that remains cool and moist.
• Soil: It grows well in rich, moist, and well-drained soil. It demonstrates better tolerance for slightly calcareous soils than traditional macrophylla hydrangeas.
• Hardiness: Very hardy, it faces Zone 4 winters (down to -29°C) without any problem.
• Watering: It requires regular watering to keep the soil moist, especially during dry periods.
• Resistance: Its sturdy stems are its greatest strength, as they do not flop under the weight of water-soaked flowers.

Uses

• Types of Use: Its size and presence make it an excellent choice as a standalone specimen. It also integrates magnificently into large shrub borders or at the back of a flower bed.
• Ornamental Features: The main attraction lies in its flowers that evolve from white to red, offering a changing colour show over several months. Its cut flowers make superb bouquets, both fresh and dried.

Care

• Fertilizing: Apply a fertilizer for flowering shrubs in early spring to support its vigorous growth and abundant flowering.
• Pruning: Pruning is not essential for its survival. However, to encourage even stronger stems and larger flowers, prune the shrub by about one-third in early spring, before new leaves appear.
• Planting: The best time to plant it is in the spring or fall, in rich, well-drained soil.