| Claudie Hydrangea macrophylla, ppaf, cpaf | ||
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A cool new Hydrangea from Corrine Mallet, the world famous Hydrangea expert. This beautiful new plant is a unique lace-cap with bright ring of star-like blooms.
A remarkable woman deserves a remarkable
(and beautiful) plant. Hydrangea 'Claudie' pays tribute to French
astronaut Claudie Andre-Deshays. Like ‘stars in the night’, rich blue to
mauve, starry florets with
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Share your experience: Rate how has this variety has preformed in your garden. Hardiness: Zone 5 Bloom Time: Mid-summer Bloom Color: Rich blue sterile florets surround the deep blue fertile flowers Foliage Color: Green Fall Color: Remains green Size: 3-5 feet tall and wide Exposure: Full sun to partial shade Soil: Well-drained soil Pruning: Claudie forms its flower buds in later summer and then flowers in late June. The best time to prune is it after it blooms, from mid-July to mid-August. Cease pruning in mid-august to allow time for the flower buds to form prior to winter. As a young plant it is best to prune or pinch your plant in order to build a full bodied, well branched plant. If the plant is leggy when you purchased it, shear the plant back hard by 1/3 to 1/2 its original size. Once it puts on an inch or two of growth, pinch the branch tips to remove just the growing tip. This tip controls branching. Once it is removed the buds below it will turn into stems. Once these new branches grow an inch or two, pinch the tip out again. You can repeat this throughout the first growing season as you are tending your garden. Although you will sacrifice one year of bloom, this technique results in a well branched, full bodied plant that will have more flowers in subsequent years. The second season in the ground, repeat the pinching practice (or lightly shear) up until mid-August. Cease pruning and pinching to allow the flower buds to set. Watering: High moisture. Moisture is a necessity of this plant. Wildlife: None Type: Deciduous Fertilizing: Fertilize in early spring by applying a slow release fertilizer specialized for trees & shrubs. Follow the label for recommended rate of application. Flower color is affected by pH. For blue flowers, the soil must be more acidic and for pink flowers, the soil must be more alkaline. An easy way to induce blue flowers is to add one tablespoon of Aluminum sulfate to a gallon of water and soak the roots in early spring. Treat two times. Uses: Groupings or masses, perennial or shrub borders, specimen, screens or hedges, mixed container, cut flowers. Breeder: Corinne Mallet Named for the French astronaut Claudie Andre-Deshays, hydrangea ‘Claudie’ is a fitting tribute to a woman who truly “reached the stars.” Rich blue, starry florets encircle deep blue fertile flowers. The sterile flowers are unique, well-separated sepals that float like stars in the sky. Like all Hydrangea macrophylla, ‘Claudie’ is affected by soil pH. Acidic soil is needed for the best blue color. The plant sets its flower buds in the fall, so pruning should be limited to summer. Extremely cold temperatures may kill flower buds; gardeners in northern climates may wish to protect the plant overwinter.
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