I've had these beautiful Limelight Standard Hydrangea Trees planted in my garden for the last 3 years. I've loved them but recently they had to come out. My husband was skeptical of them from the start, and he was right. Come check out this video and see why. Do you have limelight standard hydrangea trees in your garden, and what are your thoughts on them? Comment below. Thanks for watching - Steph My Amazon Store Where You Can Find Many of My Favorite Garden Items 👉 amzn.to/49F9RTU
One way to grow them is to not hard prune them in spring. Do top pruning on the flower end of the branch where the branch size is really small. That results in thinner branches and smaller flowers that hold less water in rain and tree stays upright.
I'm so glad I saw this video! We were at Lowe's tonight, showed my husband several varieties of standard hydrangeas, and told him I would like one and where I wanted to plant it. But something made me hesitate, and I didn't get one. I'm glad I didn't. We get some winds. I need to do some more homework. Thank you for this videos 😊
You did the right thing by removing, I'd be soooooo stressed out when those blooms got wet and heavy. Also, Thanks for the tip regarding the staking hose. I love all your videos. Thank you ❤
It's refreshing to see someone brave enough to say "He was right" acknowledging we sometimes lead with our romantic hearts and not looking ahead to the likely outcome of a plant choice. I appreciate your candid recall of what was wrong with the choice, walking your view through the process. I also liked your reaching out for viewer experiences and advice, so you can set yourself up for future success. Even seasoned gardeners can make mistakes. If we aren't, then we never learn from that experience. Good Video. Guess what, I made the same mistake with that same plant!
Hi Judy! Thank you. I will be honest, I don't love admitting defeat especially in the garden, because well, I want to plant what I want, and that's that. BUT I have to say sometimes my heart does get in the way, and George is more the realist and when he's right, I do have to give him credit. Just like he'll admit if I'm right and he's wrong. Goes both ways right? But in this case he was right, and I had to move on from my beautiful tree's even if I do miss seeing them when arriving home. I just know that that spot is so windy, it could never work. They canopy would continue to grow at a much faster rate than the trunk/caliper would thicken to support all the weight.Thank you so much for taking the time to write this kind and helpful comment. I'm so sorry you had a similar experience. Take care!
Pinky Winky would provide beautiful color, but Limelights are very understated and classy. It depends on what look you are going for and what you feel would go well with the rest of your yard. A note about staking trees: The wind can actually help a young tree become stronger. When the wind blows it (1) stimulates the roots of trees to grow faster and spread farther and (2) the tree starts creating cell structures that make the trunk and branches thicker and more flexible (See A. Stokes, A. H. Fitter, and M. P. Coutts, “Responses of Young Trees to Wind and Shading: Effects on Root Architecture,” Journal of Experimental Botany, vol. 46, no. 290 (Sept. 1995), 1139-46.) Staking trees is generally done for just the first year of growth and that is so the tree doesn't topple over and the roots can become established and are then an anchor for the tree.
My vote is for Pinky Winky! I have 2 growing in Northern NV (6B). We have incredibly strong winds and they stay upright and don't flop. Also love the color changes in this specimen - gorgeous!! You'll need your deer spikes though as I've had deer mow them down a few times but they come back stronger than ever! Love your channel!!
I have a pink diamond hydrangea standard that’s planted in a windy exposed area. Since the blooms are more airy than a limelight, I’ve never had problems with the branches or trunk bending. I love it! Maybe try a different variety 🤷♀️
Oh my, I have 6 limelight hydrangea standards and I’ve never had them bend over like that, and we get a lot of rain! I’m so sorry they have been troublesome for you!
I have both pinky winky and lime light prime. I can tell you that pinky winky is stronger branches and upright shape more pollinators. Lime light prime is flopped when it is rain and flowers are smaller. I love pinky winky. For the standard I also have 2 standard vanilla strawberry, I regret it now, they are flopped, the flowers are huge. This is my 3rd year, now they look like umbrella hydrangeas.
I my experience, the only Paniculata hydrangea that can withstand extreme winds and rain is Quick Fire. As a bonus, it attracts a lot more pollinators than other hydrangeas like Lime Light, Little Lime, Pinky Winky, Strawberry Vanilla, etc. Quick Fire takes well to hard pruning as well. I cut mine back to a few stubs every 3-5 years and it has no issues.
I love the limelight prime. It has tons of blooms and on a shorter sturdier bush. It needs to be lightly pruned in early spring to get the stems stronger and stronger.
It's such a drawback for such gorgeous beauty with these panicle hydrangeas - their blooms are so heavy - even if they aren't standards. I use fish tubing from the pet store to stake my plants - but same difference - your idea is great. I'm sorry for your loss Steph but atleast they are going to a good home♥
My fav is the White Wedding Hydrangea. Start light green and go to brilliant white. Upright and very sturdy stems that the rain and wind doesn’t affect the panicles. Southern Living
This is good to know. I only got one sheperd hook for each of some of the trees I got. It sounds like I need to get a couple shepherd hooks to keep each of these stabalized for windy weather. Thank you dor the tips about the weight of the flowers. ❤️
I have had a quick fire standard for about six years. It has developed a strong trunk and beautiful branch structure. It stands up to the strong winds that come off Lake Erie here in Western NY (6a). It survived the brutal snow and ice storm we had last winter with minor damage and has since recovered. In comparison several of my viburnums did not survive that storm. The blooms are large but not as dense as the limelight. These blooms start off white, change to pink and continue to darken to burgundy in the fall. They are a beautiful deep pink color as I write this note. This might be a good option for you.
I’m growing both Limelight and Pinky Winky in Western Mass and although I Love them both I’d DEFINITELY go with Pinky Winky…. your first choice is usually best 😊 Good luck
I learned so much in this video! I have to say the pinky winky is my favorite hydrangea. I think it would be a great option. It’s very sturdy and tall enough to see from both sides of the wall. The blooms are striking and the pollinators love it. I get butterflies every day. The limelight prime is a little shorter I think 4-6 feet. The other suggestion I was thinking is quickfire standards if you miss having a tree form. I’m my experience the blooms aren’t nearly as heavy. Mine is super sturdy 🌸
Hi Catherine! The Pinky is a beauty! I have a quickfire over by my shed and it also gorgeous! I would love to see a photo of your quickfire standard 😍 I totally see your point about the blooms being more airy so they wouldn't weigh as much. Thank you!! 💚
Ouch, that had to hurt! I think that a large tree on each side of your driveway would be gorgeous and create a dramatic sense of entry. You could underplant them with hydrangeas and boxwoods for winter interest.
Interesting....I have 2 which I believe are Quick Fires that have been in since 2018 and I have never had an issue. We had 3 tropical storms in 2021 and they fared better than most other plants for me. We do have them fairly well staked.
Great video. I've been looking at hydrangeas and see a few of the tree varieties around our town and especially this summer they look ridiculous with their skinny stem, loaded with huge blooms. The limelight that have been allowed to grow as the shrubs they were meant to be are also loaded with huge blooms but they're strong and creating beautiful bushy displays. I vote shrub variety vs. skinny tree trunk 100%. You gave some great advice for those of us who have never grown hydrangeas yet. Thank you!
I'm sorry they didn't work out. The trunk just doesn't have the diameter for their weight. I'm in Mass too and you've probably seen the limelight in shrub form. Wow are they doing magnificent this year! 12 ft tall! I didn't notice any droop on the shrub version. I pass by a few on my commute and what a beautiful sight!
I have had pinky’s for a few years, never floppy! First year for prime and they are slightly floppy. I’m not crazy about the fall color of quick fire but mine are huge and never flop either. Both are great pollinator plants. Best of luck!
Great teamwork, I have a limelight on standard ,too. I planted it in 2020 and it’s a monster, It was laying on the ground just recently after some rain and light wind but that was not the cause , come to find out I have voles in my yard and they were in that particular garden bed and took out a bunch of a ground cover plant and probably nibbled on the roots of the Hydrangea standard, now I have a big bucket full of dirt leaning against the trunk so it can root itself in again. Voles are terrible pests
Steph, it was sad that you had to get rid of your beautiful limelights, but like you said, they were going to a good home :) My friend has her front yard using the bobo hydrangeas mixed in with the pinky winkies, and they look beautiful. I believe they are at least 5-6 years old. Looking forward to your next video when you share your new additions! 😇😇
I initially had a similar problem but the trunk didn't bend, but instead just leaned over. I tried to stake it straight and tried partially replanting it straighter but it just kept going back to leaning.. Years later and the trunk still leans a bit, but the Limelight on the top grows huge and vigorous every year and is so beautiful. The trunk and the roots and the grafted limbs of the hydrangea are now strong enough to support the giant top even after wind and rain. I was checking it out today: the hydrangea on top of the trunk must be 7 feet tall and similar in diameter and is full of huge blooms. I was patient enough with it and now about a decade later it is still paying off. No guarantee it would ever last in tornado-like conditions though.
I have a Pinkie Winkie planted at the end of my driveway. The spot is full sun (KY) and gets hit with a lot of wind. The first year there were no blooms at all. Year two the blooms are just stunning, I love the dark pink morphing into white blooms. I have several hydrangea and I do have to say that Pinkie Winkie is my all time favorite. A sturdy showy plant and it even withstood the artic blast that hit our area last winter. These aren't easy to find in my area, I have my eye on a standard at a local nursery.
Whatever you pick will be beautiful. For some reason I envisioned multi trunk birches there. They have pretty winter interest too with the peeling bark. Im so excited to see what you pick. 💚💚
Thanks for the video showing your wind blown standards. I don’t need that kind of worry and they are expensive so you saved me! I grow both Limelight Primes (the bottom stems are on the ground in their first full year so may not be the best example) and Pinky Winky whose stems are very sturdy and upright with even larger panicles.
I grow little lime hydrangea (I have seven) they look beautiful so pretty and fluffy, when the rains come they flop - this is the third year they are somewhat sturdier but they still flop🤷I prune 1/3 back in early spring🤷I still love them but wish they didn't flop!
I’m so glad I saw this video I’ve had my eye on a standard for a long time and cost was keeping me away. I didn’t even think of rain, wind and the weight of wet blooms. Thanks for the heads up.
I’m going through a similar issue going on with my quick fire standard in the front yard. Here in KS we have up to 70 mph straight line winds sometimes, had a few storms this summer and the tree was curved all the way over. Looked uprooted sometimes. We braced with a thick wooden stake at the trunk but after seeing this, it might need a relocation as well. I’ll give it another year to see since we just planted it last year but what a bummer bc these standard hydrangeas are so cool looking. I have a pinky winky in a front garden bed it gets partial shade late afternoon. Seems to be doing well. We have the prime limelight’s in the backyard. It’s a hard decision they’re both beautiful. If you’re location is full all day sun, probably the primes would be best for not getting as crispy. The pinky winky will burn in late afternoon sun but that’s here where we get triple digit heat off and on through summer. 😊
Thank you so much for your helpful comment. I'm sorry about yours. Hopefully, it acclimates/roots well over time, and the staking helps. A location sheltered from too much wind is idea for these types of trees in my opinion. Mine is a full sun location so I appreciate that insight. Thank you!
Oh good I'm so glad you have yours in a protected spot. That should help alot. I'm a bit sad about the loss of them to be honest. I'm mouring them being gone. But the logical side of me knows that they weren't a good fit for that spot.
I’ve had a lime light standard for about 10 years. The truck gets strong enough to support the plant. We’ve never had it flop over and it really is an amazing statement piece.
I have had a similar wind problem with mine this year on my 2 yr old lime light standard. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to remove it because it really is a beautiful tree. Thank you George and Steph for the staking hack!
Well... I have a pinky winky "standard!!" We did have to stake it because I didn't realize the amount of wind that goes through from my neighbors after they cleared out the wooded section between our houses. Having said that, they don't hold the amount of water of a limelight since they're more like a lace cap hydrangea. Mine is probably not in as much sun as it would like, but it blooms nicely and does get a dusty rose color. I saw Jenny from Creekside at the trial gardens in Michigan, and she showed a limelight prime with the sturdiest stems. So even though I have the pinky winky, I vote limelight prime.
Thanks so much for sharing this video, it is heart wrenching when this happens to a tree or bush. The little lime hydrangeas have the same problem. I have three and the flower heads are too heavy for the branches when wet with rain, and the branches bend and do break off sometimes. I started pruning them this year to a shorter size bush and keep the sturdiest branches for more support. Hope you find the perfect flowering bush or tree for your yard.
Hi Stef 🌺 I wish the hydrangeas were kept in the ground and put along round iron support it help the hydrangeas from the wind .Stef you can plant crepe myratle or magnolia or dogwood or Japanese Mple or red bud in place the two hydrangeas that you removed and plant these pretty hydrangeas near the trees . Have awonderful day . 🌺🌻🌺
I have a pinky pinky and it can easily stand up to any wind that we get here in SE Wisconsin. I live in a bedroom community of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and its right in town near the high school. Its beautiful but it does take a little time for it to start blooming for the season. I have it next to my cone flower garden. But I like that I can trim it in spring, put down the espoma holly tone designed specifically for hydrangeas and when it finally blooms it's terrific. I have a bloom on each stem. Ive had this bush since 2018 and because it does get a fair amount of dappled sun, its not the full height that the tag says it will get but performs wonderful just as well. I also have 3 other varieties in different gardens, bobo petite, little quick fire and invincible mini mauvette.. And Im very happy with all of them as well. They all receive morning sun and afternoon shade. Good luck with your choices my friend.
J’ai PinkyWinky, VanilleFraise et PinkDiamond. La variété PinkDiamond est vraiment superbe et très fort, ses branches sont plus grosses, les fleurs sont sublimes. Il donne un effet très spécial.
I’m buying a QuickFire standard soon for this reason - I think the smaller, airy panicles will be lighter and less likely to droop. That is the hope, anyway. 🤞
I have 2 of these and I live where it is very windy and they have been through 2 hurricanes. Both still standing straight and tall and have massive canopies.
I have an Pinky Winky standard (!) and it is beautiful. By pure chance, I put it in a crook of our house where two walls meet so it is protected from wind (no doubt) and probably heavy rains.
This is a great video Steph! I swear I have tried multiple times with these and experienced the exact same as you, and ended up selling too cheap on fb. 😂 Never again! It is totally not worth it!
Hi Laura! Right?! I so wish they would have worked out. I'm really mourning their loss and look up there. But I know it was the right decision for us, and for that area. Onto something different, a new opportunity for planting, and a new look.
I have lime light prime ; it’s not floppy ; mine s pretty windy area ; I have little lime light as well - that s actually full of blooms and drooping when t s raining ; but prime s good. Thank you for sharing your experience; I had an idea of buying this standard- but my plan Changed 😊
Good Evening. I grow the Pinky winky in my garden and love how it grows. I have only had it in my garden for 3 seasons but each season it grows a little bit more bigger and more stunning. I say go with the pinky winky.
Had two of these. Took one out because it was just too close to the house and got way too big. Kept one and replanted it in another part of my yard. It is now about eight years old and the trunk is sturdy enough to stay upright all of the time. I believe this worked for me because I severely pruned it every year, and continue to do so. I only leave about two and a half feet of limb above the trunk. I also prune those branches so they don’t have any spindly branches leading off them. I have done this for years and just watched another gardener on uTube give the same advice for Little Lime hydrangea, so it too doesn’t flop over in rain. Did the same thing on three of them, also about 8 years old, and only one did any flopping and that wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been. The other two were completely upright.
Great video. Thanks for sharing. To me, your removed tree does look like a young standard hydrangea tree, though. How old was your removed tree? Maybe around 5 years old? But I do agree it was a good idea to remove it. With that kind of wind, I think it will be hard to grow the trunk to 2~3 inches.
I just wish my hydrangeas would grow and be beautiful like that.. IDK what happened one is just dropping leaves like crazy and the stems are turning brown then black.. 😢 .. but weirdly there is new growth on the bottom! And the other one is just staying like it is..and no new blooms! It's just so hot here in N TX! Been a brutal summer! But maybe they will be ok... and do good next year! I love your beautiful garden and hydrangeas! I vote pinky windy for added color.. 🎉
I have a Limelight standard I just planted in the ground this spring. I tried to keep it in a pot but it was too top heavy and I always had to prop it back up. I also have a Phantom paniculata standard that I planted in the ground this year and it is holding up very well so far. It’s blooms aren’t as heavy and the branches are stiffer. I think it might be OK to plant Limelight standards in an area that is protected from the wind.
I have one large Limelight standard that is 9 years old and just now it stopped flopping and looks good. Mine is in a protected location with a really sturdy trunk, so I am keeping it. But I have other newer Limelight shrubs that flop after first rain when they are in bloom. I stopped severely pruning them so they push more smaller blooms and it seems that they are better. I do have Limelight Primes that are 3 years old and they do not and never have flopped. Also I grew Little Limes and they were the worst! Pulled them this spring and am very happy they are gone. Did not like their off white colour too.
I like both limelight prime and pinky winky. Being that prime is new time will tell if it’s a winner in the landscape. With our light light topiaries i always pinch them a bunch of times throughout the spring and summer. I can tell from your branches you didn’t. It’s important to do with a variety that gets so large.
It's a shame, those are gorgeous! I have pinky winky standard (year 2 in the ground only) but it's starting to lean, even though the canopy isn't very big. I'm planning on getting a limelight prime shrub later this month. I think if you want the same look, go with prime. Pinky winky is very airy, and while better for pollinators, I don't feel like it has the same impact as limelight
I had a vanilla strawberry do the same thing, looked just like yours 😢. It was so gorgeous before. I went ahead and removed all the blooms. It was so painful to do. I do have new growth starting to emerge. This happened about 6 weeks ago. Another sad thing was a beautiful bird built a nest inside and all the eggs fell too. It was a beautiful copper bird almost look like a cardinal but a little bigger
I had three pinky winkys along a fence in a part sun area of my backyard. They were gorgeous! Unfortunately they grew so big I had to have them taken out. It looks like you would have more than enough room for them.
I found this video because we have (3) phantom hydrangea trees, a type of hydrangeas with much bigger flowers. They finally got to great size 3 years of growth, were fantastic looking until we had the first significant rain fall; what a disaster that breaks my heart every time I look at them. I think these need a lot of pruning to prevent getting about 50% of the flowers as about every branch needs support. Perhaps until the main branches get strong enough. The tree leaning is just the first problem; the flowers dropping 3-4 ft toward the ground is pretty much an unsolvable problem.
Yes, in theory these Hydrangea standards are a wonderful idea, until heavy rain and wind. The size & weight of the blooms is typically too much for the trunk to handle in a rain/wind event. As you mentioned, pruning could be done to size control the canopy and planting in a protected location could also help, but for me it just didn't workout.
@@HookedandRooted Thanks for the response! I will give a try to pruning after I suffer looking at them this summer, or figure out an elaborate staking solution :)
I was so worried as I didn't want these beautiful trees to break. I'm just glad they get to live on in someone else's garden. It was a tough loss for me because I do love them. They would just always suffer with the amount of wind they get in our yard.
Envious on the blooms that were cut off. Please tell me you plan to dry these and either sell them or make an arrangement. Staking the trees idea was extremely helpful. Once again, you are rocking it!! Thanks Steph from the gardener on the west side zone 6 Idaho!
Hi Wendy! I did stick them in a vase. They make gorgeous floral displays. Thank you so much!! I'm glad to share what I know may help others. Hope it comes in use for you sometime. 💚
I love both pinky winky and limelight prime but maybe go for quick fire or fire light instead? Those give more of a show from a distance, pinky winky IMO blooms kind of blend into its surroundings and limelight is still a later bloomer. Quick fire or fire light will give you some flower power early on and for longer thru the season.
Maybe try QuickFire Fab? I have planted three of those recently, and by all accounts they should be great plants: strong stems, early bloom, and a little smaller than QuickFire.
@@HookedandRooted I recently bought Torch (similar to Quick Fire blooms) and Flare (similar to pinky winky blooms just shorter) Blooming Easy Hydrangeas from Walmart and I was shocked at the cheaper price tag on their shrub size and how tall they were loaded with blooms. They are new to me but their stems are very sturdy and thick. That could be an option to try as well vs PWs.
Wow someone got a great deal! And you even balled and burlaped them! I have a pinky wonky standard and I think as it’s blooms are more airy, it will be ok.
I think so too, it was really hard to let them go. I had burlap laying around so it worked out great to send them with some of the native soil. My plants are like my babies. I even sent them with some biotone to include in new planting hole 😬🌱💚 I think you're right about the pinky winky blooms, they are more airy and more lightweight.
Hi I have bothe varieties in my garden and I live in a very windy area too I think you you would love the limelight prime I grew a hedge of them And I Love them to me you are getting the the look of the standerd in bush form with out the worry good luck👍
We had the same problem with ours and we ended up getting rid of ours. The thing is a friend to[k ours. Well 6yrs later they are gorgeous at our friends home
I've had these beautiful Limelight Standard Hydrangea Trees planted in my garden for the last 3 years. I've loved them but recently they had to come out. My husband was skeptical of them from the start, and he was right. Come check out this video and see why. Do you have limelight standard hydrangea trees in your garden, and what are your thoughts on them? Comment below. Thanks for watching - Steph
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One way to grow them is to not hard prune them in spring. Do top pruning on the flower end of the branch where the branch size is really small. That results in thinner branches and smaller flowers that hold less water in rain and tree stays upright.
I'm so glad I saw this video! We were at Lowe's tonight, showed my husband several varieties of standard hydrangeas, and told him I would like one and where I wanted to plant it. But something made me hesitate, and I didn't get one. I'm glad I didn't. We get some winds. I need to do some more homework. Thank you for this videos 😊
You did the right thing by removing, I'd be soooooo stressed out when those blooms got wet and heavy. Also, Thanks for the tip regarding the staking hose. I love all your videos. Thank you ❤
It's refreshing to see someone brave enough to say "He was right" acknowledging we sometimes lead with our romantic hearts and not looking ahead to the likely outcome of a plant choice. I appreciate your candid recall of what was wrong with the choice, walking your view through the process. I also liked your reaching out for viewer experiences and advice, so you can set yourself up for future success. Even seasoned gardeners can make mistakes. If we aren't, then we never learn from that experience. Good Video. Guess what, I made the same mistake with that same plant!
Hi Judy! Thank you. I will be honest, I don't love admitting defeat especially in the garden, because well, I want to plant what I want, and that's that. BUT I have to say sometimes my heart does get in the way, and George is more the realist and when he's right, I do have to give him credit. Just like he'll admit if I'm right and he's wrong. Goes both ways right? But in this case he was right, and I had to move on from my beautiful tree's even if I do miss seeing them when arriving home. I just know that that spot is so windy, it could never work. They canopy would continue to grow at a much faster rate than the trunk/caliper would thicken to support all the weight.Thank you so much for taking the time to write this kind and helpful comment. I'm so sorry you had a similar experience. Take care!
Pinky Winky would provide beautiful color, but Limelights are very understated and classy. It depends on what look you are going for and what you feel would go well with the rest of your yard.
A note about staking trees: The wind can actually help a young tree become stronger. When the wind blows it (1) stimulates the roots of trees to grow faster and spread farther and (2) the tree starts creating cell structures that make the trunk and branches thicker and more flexible (See A. Stokes, A. H. Fitter, and M. P. Coutts, “Responses of Young Trees to Wind and Shading: Effects on Root Architecture,” Journal of Experimental Botany, vol. 46, no. 290 (Sept. 1995), 1139-46.) Staking trees is generally done for just the first year of growth and that is so the tree doesn't topple over and the roots can become established and are then an anchor for the tree.
My vote is for Pinky Winky! I have 2 growing in Northern NV (6B). We have incredibly strong winds and they stay upright and don't flop. Also love the color changes in this specimen - gorgeous!! You'll need your deer spikes though as I've had deer mow them down a few times but they come back stronger than ever! Love your channel!!
I have a pink diamond hydrangea standard that’s planted in a windy exposed area. Since the blooms are more airy than a limelight, I’ve never had problems with the branches or trunk bending. I love it! Maybe try a different variety 🤷♀️
I have a standard in this variety…no problems yet!
I have this variety in standard form too!
Oh my, I have 6 limelight hydrangea standards and I’ve never had them bend over like that, and we get a lot of rain! I’m so sorry they have been troublesome for you!
I have both pinky winky and lime light prime. I can tell you that pinky winky is stronger branches and upright shape more pollinators. Lime light prime is flopped when it is rain and flowers are smaller. I love pinky winky. For the standard I also have 2 standard vanilla strawberry, I regret it now, they are flopped, the flowers are huge. This is my 3rd year, now they look like umbrella hydrangeas.
So agree as I have both as well. Thanks Steph for the great vlog.
Get a silver dollar or a phantom
I my experience, the only Paniculata hydrangea that can withstand extreme winds and rain is Quick Fire. As a bonus, it attracts a lot more pollinators than other hydrangeas like Lime Light, Little Lime, Pinky Winky, Strawberry Vanilla, etc. Quick Fire takes well to hard pruning as well. I cut mine back to a few stubs every 3-5 years and it has no issues.
I love its blooms for dried wreaths!
It was my entrance to paniculata hydrangeas after the smooth leafs not performing well 😅
I love the limelight prime. It has tons of blooms and on a shorter sturdier bush. It needs to be lightly pruned in early spring to get the stems stronger and stronger.
It's such a drawback for such gorgeous beauty with these panicle hydrangeas - their blooms are so heavy - even if they aren't standards. I use fish tubing from the pet store to stake my plants - but same difference - your idea is great. I'm sorry for your loss Steph but atleast they are going to a good home♥
My fav is the White Wedding Hydrangea. Start light green and go to brilliant white. Upright and very sturdy stems that the rain and wind doesn’t affect the panicles. Southern Living
This is good to know. I only got one sheperd hook for each of some of the trees I got. It sounds like I need to get a couple shepherd hooks to keep each of these stabalized for windy weather. Thank you dor the tips about the weight of the flowers. ❤️
I have had a quick fire standard for about six years. It has developed a strong trunk and beautiful branch structure. It stands up to the strong winds that come off Lake Erie here in Western NY (6a). It survived the brutal snow and ice storm we had last winter with minor damage and has since recovered.
In comparison several of my viburnums did not survive that storm.
The blooms are large but not as dense as the limelight. These blooms start off white, change to pink and continue to darken to burgundy in the fall. They are a beautiful deep pink color as I write this note.
This might be a good option for you.
Hello Stephanie
How are you doing today?
I’m growing both Limelight and Pinky Winky in Western Mass and although I Love them both I’d DEFINITELY go with Pinky Winky…. your first choice is usually best 😊 Good luck
Wow, I would have freaked out if I had a tree bent like that 😢. Good thing you got to it quickly.
I learned so much in this video! I have to say the pinky winky is my favorite hydrangea. I think it would be a great option. It’s very sturdy and tall enough to see from both sides of the wall. The blooms are striking and the pollinators love it. I get butterflies every day. The limelight prime is a little shorter I think 4-6 feet. The other suggestion I was thinking is quickfire standards if you miss having a tree form. I’m my experience the blooms aren’t nearly as heavy. Mine is super sturdy 🌸
Hi Catherine! The Pinky is a beauty! I have a quickfire over by my shed and it also gorgeous! I would love to see a photo of your quickfire standard 😍 I totally see your point about the blooms being more airy so they wouldn't weigh as much. Thank you!! 💚
Limelight is great it will get big enough to see from the other side of the wall. And it’s very sturdy.
oh wow!! I'm so sorry, and I agree with your husband. Can't wait to see what's next.
Ouch, that had to hurt!
I think that a large tree on each side of your driveway would be gorgeous and create a dramatic sense of entry. You could underplant them with hydrangeas and boxwoods for winter interest.
I love this idea!! Thank you!! 🌱
Exactly my thought! 😊
Wonderful, I can't wait to see it!@@HookedandRooted
Interesting....I have 2 which I believe are Quick Fires that have been in since 2018 and I have never had an issue. We had 3 tropical storms in 2021 and they fared better than most other plants for me. We do have them fairly well staked.
Absolutely 💯
Great video. I've been looking at hydrangeas and see a few of the tree varieties around our town and especially this summer they look ridiculous with their skinny stem, loaded with huge blooms. The limelight that have been allowed to grow as the shrubs they were meant to be are also loaded with huge blooms but they're strong and creating beautiful bushy displays. I vote shrub variety vs. skinny tree trunk 100%. You gave some great advice for those of us who have never grown hydrangeas yet. Thank you!
Hi Bev, You're very welcome, and thank you for your comment.
I'm sorry they didn't work out. The trunk just doesn't have the diameter for their weight. I'm in Mass too and you've probably seen the limelight in shrub form. Wow are they doing magnificent this year! 12 ft tall! I didn't notice any droop on the shrub version. I pass by a few on my commute and what a beautiful sight!
I would have planted those beauties on each side of your gorgeous shed..
Someone got a great deal though.🙌
I have had pinky’s for a few years, never floppy! First year for prime and they are slightly floppy.
I’m not crazy about the fall color of quick fire but mine are huge and never flop either. Both are great pollinator plants. Best of luck!
Great teamwork, I have a limelight on standard ,too. I planted it in 2020 and it’s a monster, It was laying on the ground just recently after some rain and light wind but that was not the cause , come to find out I have voles in my yard and they were in that particular garden bed and took out a bunch of a ground cover plant and probably nibbled on the roots of the Hydrangea standard, now I have a big bucket full of dirt leaning against the trunk so it can root itself in again. Voles are terrible pests
Voles are horrible as are their kin moles. They can ruin a entire yard in a night!
Steph, it was sad that you had to get rid of your beautiful limelights, but like you said, they were going to a good home :) My friend has her front yard using the bobo hydrangeas mixed in with the pinky winkies, and they look beautiful. I believe they are at least 5-6 years old. Looking forward to your next video when you share your new additions! 😇😇
I initially had a similar problem but the trunk didn't bend, but instead just leaned over. I tried to stake it straight and tried partially replanting it straighter but it just kept going back to leaning..
Years later and the trunk still leans a bit, but the Limelight on the top grows huge and vigorous every year and is so beautiful. The trunk and the roots and the grafted limbs of the hydrangea are now strong enough to support the giant top even after wind and rain. I was checking it out today: the hydrangea on top of the trunk must be 7 feet tall and similar in diameter and is full of huge blooms. I was patient enough with it and now about a decade later it is still paying off.
No guarantee it would ever last in tornado-like conditions though.
I have both Pinky Winky and Limelight Prime. I vote for Pinky Winky for your space. Sturdier and the growth shape will fill your space nicely.
Hello Teresa
How are you doing today?
I have a Pinkie Winkie planted at the end of my driveway. The spot is full sun (KY) and gets hit with a lot of wind. The first year there were no blooms at all. Year two the blooms are just stunning, I love the dark pink morphing into white blooms. I have several hydrangea and I do have to say that Pinkie Winkie is my all time favorite. A sturdy showy plant and it even withstood the artic blast that hit our area last winter. These aren't easy to find in my area, I have my eye on a standard at a local nursery.
Whatever you pick will be beautiful. For some reason I envisioned multi trunk birches there. They have pretty winter interest too with the peeling bark. Im so excited to see what you pick. 💚💚
Multi trunk birches are gorgeous! We planted a heritage river birch last year, and we just love it 💚
Thanks for the video showing your wind blown standards. I don’t need that kind of worry and they are expensive so you saved me! I grow both Limelight Primes (the bottom stems are on the ground in their first full year so may not be the best example) and Pinky Winky whose stems are very sturdy and upright with even larger panicles.
It's all in the Pruning.
I grow little lime hydrangea (I have seven) they look beautiful so pretty and fluffy, when the rains come they flop - this is the third year they are somewhat sturdier but they still flop🤷I prune 1/3 back in early spring🤷I still love them but wish they didn't flop!
I’m so glad I saw this video I’ve had my eye on a standard for a long time and cost was keeping me away. I didn’t even think of rain, wind and the weight of wet blooms. Thanks for the heads up.
I’m going through a similar issue going on with my quick fire standard in the front yard. Here in KS we have up to 70 mph straight line winds sometimes, had a few storms this summer and the tree was curved all the way over. Looked uprooted sometimes. We braced with a thick wooden stake at the trunk but after seeing this, it might need a relocation as well. I’ll give it another year to see since we just planted it last year but what a bummer bc these standard hydrangeas are so cool looking. I have a pinky winky in a front garden bed it gets partial shade late afternoon. Seems to be doing well. We have the prime limelight’s in the backyard. It’s a hard decision they’re both beautiful. If you’re location is full all day sun, probably the primes would be best for not getting as crispy. The pinky winky will burn in late afternoon sun but that’s here where we get triple digit heat off and on through summer. 😊
Thank you so much for your helpful comment. I'm sorry about yours. Hopefully, it acclimates/roots well over time, and the staking helps. A location sheltered from too much wind is idea for these types of trees in my opinion. Mine is a full sun location so I appreciate that insight. Thank you!
Wow I wish I could have them. I have mine in a more protected spot so that doesn’t happen. They’re beautiful ❤
Oh good I'm so glad you have yours in a protected spot. That should help alot. I'm a bit sad about the loss of them to be honest. I'm mouring them being gone. But the logical side of me knows that they weren't a good fit for that spot.
I have both but I prefer the pinky winky in your entrance its more inviting in lovely pinkish hue
I’ve had a lime light standard for about 10 years. The truck gets strong enough to support the plant. We’ve never had it flop over and it really is an amazing statement piece.
Did yours start as a standard or did you make it a standard after the first few years?
I have had a similar wind problem with mine this year on my 2 yr old lime light standard. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to remove it because it really is a beautiful tree. Thank you George and Steph for the staking hack!
Started as a standard. The blooms are so big that individual branches used to bend down, but that doesn’t happen anymore either.
@@RootedHomeandGarden
Well... I have a pinky winky "standard!!"
We did have to stake it because I didn't realize the amount of wind that goes through from my neighbors after they cleared out the wooded section between our houses.
Having said that, they don't hold the amount of water of a limelight since they're more like a lace cap hydrangea. Mine is probably not in as much sun as it would like, but it blooms nicely and does get a dusty rose color.
I saw Jenny from Creekside at the trial gardens in Michigan, and she showed a limelight prime with the sturdiest stems. So even though I have the pinky winky, I vote limelight prime.
Thank you for this clip - saving me the same stress since I wanted to buy some. 👍 I'm thinking the pinky winky - the colors of blooms
Thanks so much for sharing this video, it is heart wrenching when this happens to a tree or bush. The little lime hydrangeas have the same problem. I have three and the flower heads are too heavy for the branches when wet with rain, and the branches bend and do break off sometimes. I started pruning them this year to a shorter size bush and keep the sturdiest branches for more support. Hope you find the perfect flowering bush or tree for your yard.
Hi Stef 🌺 I wish the hydrangeas were kept in the ground and put along round iron support it help the hydrangeas from the wind .Stef you can plant crepe myratle or magnolia or dogwood or Japanese Mple or red bud in place the two hydrangeas that you removed and plant these pretty hydrangeas near the trees . Have awonderful day . 🌺🌻🌺
I have a pinky pinky and it can easily stand up to any wind that we get here in SE Wisconsin. I live in a bedroom community of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and its right in town near the high school. Its beautiful but it does take a little time for it to start blooming for the season. I have it next to my cone flower garden. But I like that I can trim it in spring, put down the espoma holly tone designed specifically for hydrangeas and when it finally blooms it's terrific. I have a bloom on each stem. Ive had this bush since 2018 and because it does get a fair amount of dappled sun, its not the full height that the tag says it will get but performs wonderful just as well. I also have 3 other varieties in different gardens, bobo petite, little quick fire and invincible mini mauvette.. And Im very happy with all of them as well. They all receive morning sun and afternoon shade. Good luck with your choices my friend.
I live in the northeast and I have had mine for about 7 years or so I never had any problem like this .
Hello Cathy
How are you doing today?
Love all of your videos! And so happy the hydrangea trees found a new home.❤❤❤
J’ai PinkyWinky, VanilleFraise et PinkDiamond. La variété PinkDiamond est vraiment superbe et très fort, ses branches sont plus grosses, les fleurs sont sublimes. Il donne un effet très spécial.
I’m buying a QuickFire standard soon for this reason - I think the smaller, airy panicles will be lighter and less likely to droop. That is the hope, anyway. 🤞
Quick fire blooms are a lot smaller and less dense than limelight blooms, so this will probably work.
You can trim them back, both horizonally and vertically, in early spring. This will help avoid the falling situation, as they will not get too tall.
I have 2 of these and I live where it is very windy and they have been through 2 hurricanes. Both still standing straight and tall and have massive canopies.
I would put pinky winky for the beautiful color strong stems thank u both for the staking tip & demo. Like the price too!😊👍
You are so welcome! Thank you Patricia!
My vote is for either the Limelight Prime or the White Wedding hydrangeas. Very sturdy stems on both in zone 7b (hurricane hub in NC).
I planted 6 white wedding for a hedge this year. How big have yours grown?
I have an Pinky Winky standard (!) and it is beautiful. By pure chance, I put it in a crook of our house where two walls meet so it is protected from wind (no doubt) and probably heavy rains.
This is a great video Steph! I swear I have tried multiple times with these and experienced the exact same as you, and ended up selling too cheap on fb. 😂 Never again! It is totally not worth it!
Hi Laura! Right?! I so wish they would have worked out. I'm really mourning their loss and look up there. But I know it was the right decision for us, and for that area. Onto something different, a new opportunity for planting, and a new look.
I have lime light prime ; it’s not floppy ; mine s pretty windy area ; I have little lime light as well - that s actually full of blooms and drooping when t s raining ; but prime s good. Thank you for sharing your experience; I had an idea of buying this standard- but my plan Changed 😊
I have the pinky winky in full sun and it does amazing.
Thank you Patricia!
I have 2 of these , they are 10 years old and I have never had them bend like that.
Good Evening. I grow the Pinky winky in my garden and love how it grows. I have only had it in my garden for 3 seasons but each season it grows a little bit more bigger and more stunning. I say go with the pinky winky.
Thanks for the tree staking tips! Fantastic!
Where did you buy those Pinky Winky hydrangeas, they look very healthy and big🥰🥰?
I love hydrangeas 🌺🌺
I had two to do that this year, they snapped. I just cut them back and I’m growing them as bushes. You win some you lose some!!
I'm so sorry about yours! But you are correct, we can't win em' all 🌱
I have lime light prime. They are very sturdy even though mine are only a few years old. Good luck!
Had two of these. Took one out because it was just too close to the house and got way too big. Kept one and replanted it in another part of my yard. It is now about eight years old and the trunk is sturdy enough to stay upright all of the time. I believe this worked for me because I severely pruned it every year, and continue to do so. I only leave about two and a half feet of limb above the trunk. I also prune those branches so they don’t have any spindly branches leading off them. I have done this for years and just watched another gardener on uTube give the same advice for Little Lime hydrangea, so it too doesn’t flop over in rain. Did the same thing on three of them, also about 8 years old, and only one did any flopping and that wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been. The other two were completely upright.
Hello Maureen
How are you doing today?
I grow the limelight prime I’ve had it for 5 years now and I really don’t have a problem with flopping
Great to know. Thank you so much!!
Anxiety because a tree bends😂. Oh the problems we place on ourselves. Take a lesson from the tree....bend a little.
Limelight prime! So classic and beautiful
Great video. Thanks for sharing.
To me, your removed tree does look like a young standard hydrangea tree, though. How old was your removed tree? Maybe around 5 years old?
But I do agree it was a good idea to remove it. With that kind of wind, I think it will be hard to grow the trunk to 2~3 inches.
You did the right thing
I would reinforce the tree until the trunk is much thicker or reduce some flowers to counter the weight
I just wish my hydrangeas would grow and be beautiful like that.. IDK what happened one is just dropping leaves like crazy and the stems are turning brown then black.. 😢 .. but weirdly there is new growth on the bottom! And the other one is just staying like it is..and no new blooms! It's just so hot here in N TX! Been a brutal summer! But maybe they will be ok... and do good next year! I love your beautiful garden and hydrangeas! I vote pinky windy for added color.. 🎉
OMG, never seen a bend like that on a standard, I'm surprised it didn't snap!
The quickest Bloomer and strongest is quickfire Fab I would really consider that. It's was bloomed and blushing in early July end of June.
we have both pinky winky and limelight primes and by far the pinky winky is a no fuzz shrub. zero staking required.
Go with pinky winky. The flowers are less compact - more airy and will withstand wind better.
I have a Limelight standard I just planted in the ground this spring. I tried to keep it in a pot but it was too top heavy and I always had to prop it back up. I also have a Phantom paniculata standard that I planted in the ground this year and it is holding up very well so far. It’s blooms aren’t as heavy and the branches are stiffer. I think it might be OK to plant Limelight standards in an area that is protected from the wind.
I've had great success with Little Quick Fire hydrangeas. Sturdy stems, and beautiful color.
Thanks for sharing
I have one large Limelight standard that is 9 years old and just now it stopped flopping and looks good. Mine is in a protected location with a really sturdy trunk, so I am keeping it. But I have other newer Limelight shrubs that flop after first rain when they are in bloom. I stopped severely pruning them so they push more smaller blooms and it seems that they are better. I do have Limelight Primes that are 3 years old and they do not and never have flopped. Also I grew Little Limes and they were the worst! Pulled them this spring and am very happy they are gone. Did not like their off white colour too.
Hi there, this is great insight based on your experience, and I'm sure this information may be helpful to others. Thank you for sharing.
I planted pinky winky , limelight prime and quick fire in my garden, pinky winky and quick fire tolerate wind much better than the limelight prime.
Great info! Thank you for sharing the ups and downs in gardening! I think the Limelight Prime would be beautiful!
I like both limelight prime and pinky winky. Being that prime is new time will tell if it’s a winner in the landscape. With our light light topiaries i always pinch them a bunch of times throughout the spring and summer. I can tell from your branches you didn’t. It’s important to do with a variety that gets so large.
Hello May
How are you doing today?😊
It's a shame, those are gorgeous! I have pinky winky standard (year 2 in the ground only) but it's starting to lean, even though the canopy isn't very big. I'm planning on getting a limelight prime shrub later this month. I think if you want the same look, go with prime. Pinky winky is very airy, and while better for pollinators, I don't feel like it has the same impact as limelight
I agree completely. It was a hard decision. 😞 thank you for your thoughts on the prime vs pinky.
Go with silver dollar or phantom. I have Pinky winky and firelight in tree form
I had a vanilla strawberry do the same thing, looked just like yours 😢. It was so gorgeous before. I went ahead and removed all the blooms. It was so painful to do. I do have new growth starting to emerge. This happened about 6 weeks ago. Another sad thing was a beautiful bird built a nest inside and all the eggs fell too. It was a beautiful copper bird almost look like a cardinal but a little bigger
That’s heartbreaking! In the future with any other tree forms you havw, I wonder if you could root it eventually to create a shrub form?
I have a pinky winky tree form and surprisingly even without stake they are still standing tall and strong
I had three pinky winkys along a fence in a part sun area of my backyard. They were gorgeous! Unfortunately they grew so big I had to have them taken out. It looks like you would have more than enough room for them.
I found this video because we have (3) phantom hydrangea trees, a type of hydrangeas with much bigger flowers. They finally got to great size 3 years of growth, were fantastic looking until we had the first significant rain fall; what a disaster that breaks my heart every time I look at them. I think these need a lot of pruning to prevent getting about 50% of the flowers as about every branch needs support. Perhaps until the main branches get strong enough. The tree leaning is just the first problem; the flowers dropping 3-4 ft toward the ground is pretty much an unsolvable problem.
Yes, in theory these Hydrangea standards are a wonderful idea, until heavy rain and wind. The size & weight of the blooms is typically too much for the trunk to handle in a rain/wind event. As you mentioned, pruning could be done to size control the canopy and planting in a protected location could also help, but for me it just didn't workout.
@@HookedandRooted Thanks for the response! I will give a try to pruning after I suffer looking at them this summer, or figure out an elaborate staking solution :)
There is no need to be stressed. These types of things happen with gardens. We go with the flow. I'm battles deer, mites, voles and other predators.
I was so worried as I didn't want these beautiful trees to break. I'm just glad they get to live on in someone else's garden. It was a tough loss for me because I do love them. They would just always suffer with the amount of wind they get in our yard.
Envious on the blooms that were cut off. Please tell me you plan to dry these and either sell them or make an arrangement. Staking the trees idea was extremely helpful. Once again, you are rocking it!! Thanks Steph from the gardener on the west side zone 6 Idaho!
Hi Wendy! I did stick them in a vase. They make gorgeous floral displays. Thank you so much!! I'm glad to share what I know may help others. Hope it comes in use for you sometime. 💚
The trees in the bed of the pickup 😂
I love both pinky winky and limelight prime but maybe go for quick fire or fire light instead? Those give more of a show from a distance, pinky winky IMO blooms kind of blend into its surroundings and limelight is still a later bloomer. Quick fire or fire light will give you some flower power early on and for longer thru the season.
Great suggestions! Thank you. I have a quickfire and it's gorgeous!
Maybe try QuickFire Fab? I have planted three of those recently, and by all accounts they should be great plants: strong stems, early bloom, and a little smaller than QuickFire.
@@HookedandRooted I recently bought Torch (similar to Quick Fire blooms) and Flare (similar to pinky winky blooms just shorter) Blooming Easy Hydrangeas from Walmart and I was shocked at the cheaper price tag on their shrub size and how tall they were loaded with blooms. They are new to me but their stems are very sturdy and thick. That could be an option to try as well vs PWs.
I wouldn't get rid of them. I would prune back
Pinky Winky is the way to go!
Someone got a Great deal...wow!
Wow someone got a great deal! And you even balled and burlaped them! I have a pinky wonky standard and I think as it’s blooms are more airy, it will be ok.
I think so too, it was really hard to let them go. I had burlap laying around so it worked out great to send them with some of the native soil. My plants are like my babies. I even sent them with some biotone to include in new planting hole 😬🌱💚 I think you're right about the pinky winky blooms, they are more airy and more lightweight.
Hi I have bothe varieties in my garden and I live in a very windy area too I think you you would love the limelight prime I grew a hedge of them And I Love them to me you are getting the the look of the standerd in bush form with out the worry good luck👍
Hello Darla
How are you doing today?
We had the same problem with ours and we ended up getting rid of ours. The thing is a friend to[k ours. Well 6yrs later they are gorgeous at our friends home
They are beautiful, I am thinking about getting me one.❤
I have two of these and I live in the uk. Loads of rain and wind but never have I experienced what you have.