Phantom Hydrangea is a beautiful plant known for its thick, conical blooms that can grow up to fifteen inches long. Its foliage adds texture and volume to the plant. The plant’s bloom time depends on the type of hydrangea being grown. Hydrangea varieties that bloom on old wood typically flower in spring or summer, while those that bloom in late spring or early summer and last for several weeks are preferred.
The Phantom Hydrangea has large, cone-shaped flower clusters that are white or pale pink in color. The flowers bloom from late summer to early fall, with dark green leaves turning red or purple in the fall. The fruit is a small, black fruit.
Bloom occurs on the current season’s growth, so pruning as needed in late winter to early spring. Larger flower panicles can be obtained by thinning the plants to 5-10 primary shoots. The Phantom Hydrangea loves full sun and can tolerate partial shade. The flowers emerge white with a green tint in July, turn pink as they mature, and continue to bloom until fall. The color of the flowers is not affected by the pH of the soil.
Phantom Hydrangeas bloom on new growth, making them not susceptible to late spring frosts. They typically bloom normally even if the twigs have been killed back by frost. To care for the plant, trim back about 1/3 of the overall size of the shrub each year in early spring before the plant begins to bloom.
The Phantom Hydrangea blooms year after year with little maintenance, and it should be planted in a sunny, well-draining location. The florets turn soft to deep pink as fall approaches, and the blossoms stand out against the surrounding foliage.
📹 Why Isn’t My Hydrangea Blooming? // Garden Answer
Here are the top 5 reasons your hydrangea might not be blooming. Watch more informational gardening videos: …
How can I encourage my hydrangea to bloom?
To maintain the plant, it is sufficient to cut back to the green and remove any winter-resistant plants.
Why is my phantom hydrangea not blooming?
Hydrangeas may not be blooming as much as they once did due to various factors such as extreme heat, drought, or excessive sun exposure. Pruning is also crucial. However, many common issues that prevent hydrangeas from flowering can be addressed with simple fixes. Justin Hancock, director of R and D and horticultural content at Costa Farms, offers advice on how to address these issues and ensure your hydrangeas continue to produce their beautiful blooms.
When should I see buds on my hydrangea?
Big leaf and mountain hydrangeas bloom at the tip of their last year’s stems (old wood), sides of those same stems (new wood), or on stems produced in the current year (new wood). Old wood plants start producing buds around August 1 and need to hold on to them for nearly nine months. Cutting stems after August 1 risks losing the following year’s flowers. Pruning should only be done when buds emerge, sometimes as late as June, to determine which stems and buds met their seasonal challenges. If a shrub isn’t flowering, it’s important to check when to cut them, as most plants don’t need pruning except to remove damaged, diseased, or dead stems.
Where should I plant a phantom hydrangea?
Phantom is a medium-sized shrub, 6 ft. high and 6 ft. wide, with large flowerheads measuring up to 15 inches. It produces white, green, and pink flowers that bloom until fall. The plant is a hybrid of Hydrangea paniculata and native to Japan, China, and Korea. It grows at altitudes up to 4, 000 ft and is moderately drought-tolerant. The flowers are not affected by soil pH and bloom on the current season’s wood, making it resistant to late spring frosts. In 2008, Phantom received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
How do you encourage hydrangeas to bloom?
To maximize the number of bright hydrangea flowers in your garden, ensure your plants receive the right amount of sunlight and soil, use a fertilizer designed to increase bloom quantity, and follow a pruning and deadheading routine. Experts like Venelin Dimitrov, Amy Enfield, and David Becker recommend the following tips:
- Provide the right amount of water: Properly water your hydrangeas several times per week to encourage deep root growth and keep the leaves and flowers dry. Apply water at the base of the plant to keep the leaves and flowers dry, and water in the morning to reduce wilting during the heat of the day.
When should phantom hydrangeas be pruned?
Regularly water your plants, especially in spring, to encourage big flower heads. Provide a thick layer of mulch over the root system to keep the soil moist and cool. Prune back hard in early spring to enjoy fresh new flowering growth later in the season. Don’t prune once new growth appears, as it may cut off the blooms for the year. Trim the overall size back by about a third before shrubs start growing in early spring, keeping a rounded shape and making cuts at a 45-degree angle just above a fat leaf bud. This helps maintain the overall size from 5 to 10 feet tall.
Do phantom hydrangeas like sun or shade?
Hydrangea paniculata, a fast-growing deciduous shrub, has won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. It grows up to 6-10 feet tall and wide, and thrives in rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils. It can tolerate heat and urban environments, and is easy to grow. Hydrangea paniculata is native to southern and eastern China, Korea, Japan, and Russia. It can be grown in mixed shrub borders for dramatic summer blooms, in front of walls, fences, taller shrubs, and trees.
It is best pruned back in late winter or early spring. However, the foliage can aggravate skin allergies and cause mild stomach upset if ingested. Hydrangea is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Cultivating hydrangea requires attention and finesse.
What month do hydrangeas start blooming?
The hydrangeas bloom around June through September, similar to French hydrangeas. They don’t affect soil pH and require more light than French hydrangeas. In the South, morning sun and light afternoon shade are recommended. In hotter climates or full sun, provide more shade and moisture. Hydrangeas prefer moist soil but don’t need as much water as French hydrangeas. Grown in full sun, they require more water.
When to prune a phantom hydrangea?
Regularly water your plants, especially in spring, to encourage big flower heads. Provide a thick layer of mulch over the root system to keep the soil moist and cool. Prune back hard in early spring to enjoy fresh new flowering growth later in the season. Don’t prune once new growth appears, as it may cut off the blooms for the year. Trim the overall size back by about a third before shrubs start growing in early spring, keeping a rounded shape and making cuts at a 45-degree angle just above a fat leaf bud. This helps maintain the overall size from 5 to 10 feet tall.
Why has my hydrangea got lots of leaves but no flowers?
To ensure healthy hydrangea growth, avoid using high-nitrogen fertilizers, as they can promote deep green leaves but few flowers. Instead, use a product high in phosphorus to encourage flower production. Late freezes in spring can kill developing flower buds, especially if the hydrangea is actively growing and has mild growing days. Avoid using lawn fertilizer, which can also be affected by nitrogen, as it can wash into the soil around hydrangeas.
Does phantom hydrangea bloom on old or new wood?
The Phantom Hydrangea tree’s blooms appear on new growth, so pruning should be done in late winter or early spring. Hard pruning, which involves removing about 50 of the growth, is crucial for maintaining the tree’s well-behaved behavior and providing a solid structure for future blooms. Bower and Branch Trees offer large trees, sizes XL and bigger, which require expert delivery and care. These trees are shipped on Bower and Branch trucks, and they are the only ones who know how to ship these trees with tender care. They also offer planting services and installation assistance. Seasonal shipping timelines and policies are available for big trees and shrubs.
📹 Planting a Hedge of ‘Phantom’ Hydrangeas | Gardening with Creekside
Hydrangeas are synonymous with gardening, and today we are planting a massive, double row of ‘Phantom’ panicle hydrangeas …
Your articles just get better and better. You’re already the king and queen of content. So educational. You definitely keep it real. A landscape takes time. It evolves. One may want it to be instantaneous, but reality is that rarely can we afford to do everything in one fell swoop. That purple sunset was so beautiful. Stunning. Jerry was dwarfed by that wall of evergreens. Cute.
Jenny, you looked so tired at the end of the article, but it was a good tiredness at the end of a successful, hard working day. What a beautiful sunset – if I had painted that with my oil paints people wouldn’t have believed it was based on a real sunset. Unrealistic color, they’d say. But we know it was real and so beautiful! Breathtaking.
Looks awesome! I am jealous of all your equipment. That edger is amazing. I drool over your privacy hedge every time I see it. We just had 17 ginormous pine and hemlock trees taken down – about 40-50 feet tall – for safety reasons. If they came down in a windstorm, they would take out our house, our neighbors house and/or our pool. Now I will be searching for some fast growing shrubs for a privacy fence. Next year’s project! If you (or anyone) have any suggestions, please throw them out there 😊 I am in Central MA, zone 5. I would like something 20 feet or less so the sun isn’t blocked. TIA 💖 (PS – the drone footage never gets old – such gorgeous scenery. And that sunset – oh my word! Makes my heart happy)
Loved the article and it’s so good to see that NC “red dirt” because I’m in NC also and you prove that it does support and grow pretty things. But man don’t know which is harder to work with, the dirt or all the rocks we have here. I am old now but still have beautiful flowers and love our state. Just might ask for one of those edgers it looks amazing.
so many projects – yee haw !!!! y’all are working hard to create a garden that’s not only functional but beautiful as well. Looking forward already to a Spring explosion of blossoms & blooms !!! thanks for sharing your vision and – the planning & planting of it all – your inspiration and encouragement is infectious. God Bless !!
Hiya…Jenny,, Jerry (and Heather),, We also say “NEKKID” around our family and friends. I’m thinking it might be a farmer thing. It’s generational also. Don’tcha just love it? Great to have Heather helping out. She is a work-horse like I use to be, in my younger days. I too have been a dirt kicker my entire life. From age 3, I was in the fields messing around helping plant stuff and my dad made me a little kid hoe for weeding back in the day. That’s before companies made kids garden equipment. I have done every job known to mankind in farming and gardening. I worked at a nursery/greenhouses/floral shop while going to University studying Plant Pathology & horticulture. So that versatility really comes in handy. You are lucky to have Heather around. I am wondering why you didn’t put a curvy line in there instead of being so straight and uniform? Jerry looks like he is filled with joy having this new slick toy. It is fantastic. When we first got our ditch-witch… I was on that thing for ages .. (for footings) for building fence walls and anything I could get my hands on. We’ve finished our projects, so now we just rent it out to whoever needs to use it. Jerry’s background trees for privacy looks fantastic. They are so huge. The future plans sound really great. Can’t wait to see it all come together. Personally I would have established the dahlia garden beds in,, on the other side of the trees and little garden area where the bird feeders are. Then the humming birds and so on,, could have a feast in the same area.
Jenny, those are going to be gorgeous and make quite a huge statement against those massive evergreens. It will be like the huge swaths of hydrangeas that you saw at the gardens that you visited this past summer. What are the evergreens that Jerry was planting to the right? The have a nice loose feathery look to them.
Good Morning Jenny! I think you’ve convinced me to give hydrangeas another try. Tried one back in the 80s and another a few years ago. Know what I did wrong back in the 80s but the more recent one, I have no clue. I need to figure it out, because I absolutely love hydrangeas, especially the newer varieties.
Love your rolling hills. Here on the NC coast (Emerald Isle) it is all sand and very flat. My poor stepdaughter planted a bunch of phantom hydrangeas. She went away for the weekend and came home to deer stripped shrubs. She was heartbroken. And deer don’t forget so she is likely to always have “nekkid” shrubs. 😫
Look at that! So beautiful! I like all the plans you have going. Question, did you not mix in the black gold in tat area because it’s not going to be irrigated and you want the clay soil to hold some water for the plants? I’m about to enlarge a flowerbed in my yard (7a) so I’m learning how to grow beautiful plants and shrubs as you do. Now my bed is actually on drip irrigation so would I add the black gold in that case or skip it?
Winters do NOT start January in NC. IF ANYTHING we are 1 month ahead of the the north getting hard winter over with BY MID FEB we have daffodils.. .Spring. Plus P Allen Smith and others stated if do not put bulbs in the ground by Thanksgiving for fall, the stems will be short and need time in the ground to begin to grow. We have had 26 degree nights weeks now…a hard frost.