Solved ID please.

Hi all, I bought this last year and can't find the huge label that was in the pot amongst my labels





Thanks in advance

 

Hi @Jasmine star - it's a hydrangea but I'm afraid I wouldn't know the specific one

 

Thanks @CarolineL yes I think so too but the flowers coming from long stems is throwing me

 

This type of bloom form is called a lacecap form. They open with fertile flowers in the center and special sepals in the outer edges of the bloom. Looks like the fertile flowers were pollinated and have since faded. With the large leaves in the pics, you can get these blooms from hydrangea macrophyllas, hydrangea serratas and a few rare others. Serratas are very similar to macrophyllas but they tend to have lacecap bloom forms most of the time, awaken from dormancy later and are not as large as macrophyllas tend to be. Their care is the same as that for macrophyllas: maintain the soil as evenly moist as you can; likes well draining, acidic (or neutral/low alkaline) soils; provide 5-10 cms of organic mulch; morning sun until 10-11am.

 

Thank you so much @luis_pr that's really helpful. it was from the clearance section of the GC so want to try my best to get it going. I repotted with mpc and it's looking sad. By that I mean only a couple of leaves left and tiny. I have ericacous compost so maybe I'd be better potting it up again in that? It's in mainly shade with a little morning sun in a pot and kept fairly moist. Would you mind if I tagged you in a photo tomorrow. See what you think. Thanks again.

 

If you change the current potting mix to use an ericaceous potting mix, be careful with the tiny, shallow, fibrous roots as best as you can. That may disturb the roots but it cannot be avoided completely, only minimized. Any changes/symptoms that you detect after changing the potting mix or after transplanting may be due to the roots being disturbed. Not always 100% of the time of course, but at least, consider that as a possible cause if within a month or so.

Sure, no problem with the photo. You're welcome.

 

Thanks @luis_pr I'll take care.
This is what I have now.

 

Reminds me of some hydrangeas that a friend mailed me several years ago. It looks somewhat healthy. The foliage is a tad on the light green or yellowish side. Not sure if that is due to the camera (happens to me too sometimes), chlorosis, not enough nitrogen, root disturbances or too much sun. Since the leaf veins are not displaying a dark green color, it is probably not iron chlorosis. There are some nursery kits that can be used to check nitrogen levels in the soil. Since it is getting morning sun only, I doubt it is getting sun scald. That would be more noticeable in the summer, if it gets afternoon or evening sun and in places where the sun is harsh. Newly purchased ones can also have that light green/yellowing due to transplant shock, basically sunlight amounts that they are not accustomed to because they were being kept in bright shade instead by the plant wholesaler and the plant nursery (I then acclimate them slowly to outside sunlight in stages of several days each until they end getting morning sun until 10-11am).

I hope it opens at least one flower bud but root disturbances and early/late frosts tend to make them abort flower buds if too cold and also dry. Due to its small size, I would not worry about getting flowers and let it work on developing a bigger root system by watering it adequately and fertilizing properly. Add a little mulch as temps get hot. As it gets bigger, I would transplant it to the ground. Water when a finger inserted to a depth of 10 cm feels dry or almost dry (that is where most hydrangea roots reside).

 

Brilliant @luis_pr thank you so much for explaining in such detail. This will help massively with my other hydrangea too
I shall do as directed and see how I go. I'm really willing it to do well.