Menu
Both varieties bloom at approximately the same time each season, and their flowers start out green. However, as the season progresses, Little Lime Punch flowers develop dramatic pink and red coloration, which persists through the first frost. Though Little Lime also develops good color, it’s not as vivid or varied as that of Little Lime Punch. Little Lime Punch hydrangea also stays a bit smaller than Little Lime hydrangea.
Generally speaking, panicle hydrangeas like Little Lime Punch are the most sun-tolerant of all hydrangeas. They can easily grow in full sun in cool climates, but benefit from shade during the hottest part of the day in hot climates. We recommend at least four hours of bright sun each day for strongest stems, most flowers, and best color.
We recommend that you prune panicle hydrangeas back by about one-third their height each spring. This ensures that the growth for the season comes from the bigger, thicker buds lower down on the stems, and helps build a strong base while also encouraging new growth for abundant flowers.
We recommend spring pruning because the dried flowers provide some nice winter interest in the landscape, but if you wish, you may prune in the same manner in late fall, once the plant has gone completely dormant.
The flower color of panicle hydrangeas like Little Lime Punch is not impacted by soil pH, and the colors that they turn are a natural genetic trait. If your panicle hydrangea flowers are turning brown instead of aging to pink/red, this indicates that they’ve experienced water stress – either too much or too little – or that night time temperatures are too high for the color change to occur.
Yes, please do! It’s a great way to get even more enjoyment out of the plant. You can safely remove up to one-third of the flowers during the growing season to use in arrangements if you wish. Panicle hydrangea flowers also dry well, so you can get double use out of any blooms you cut.