HYDRANGEA paniculata ‘Pinky Winky’

Hamamalis (Witch Hazel)

x intermedia 'Arnold's Promise'  Certainly one of the best yellow flowering Witch Hazels. Begins blooming in February with clear yellow, ribbon-like flowers that continue into March. Green summer leaves turn bright yellow/orange or red in fall. Grows to 20' in full sun or light shade. Prefers a moist, well drained and slightly acid soil. A Witch Hazel in full bloom in February-March is sure to gladden the heart of any winter weary gardener. Zone 5. Plant in photo is growing and blooming at a home in Ashfield, MA, 03/20/07

Hamamalis x int. ‘Feuerzauber’ New    Grows 15-20' tall with an upright, spreading habit. In late Jan. and into Feb. large, ¾" long, coppery orange ribbons are abundantly produced. Fall foliage color is orange-yellow. Grow in sun or partial shade in acid, moist but well drained, fertile soil. Zone 5.

HEATHS & HEATHERS    See under Culluna (Heather) & Erica (Heath)

Heptacodium miconioides (Seven Son Flower) A large shrub or small tree, 15 - 20 ft. tall, either single or multi stemmed. Many ornamental features beginning with the overall form which is upright, loose, attractively irregular. leaves are 5 - 6 ins. long by 2 ins. wide, dark green.  Showy flowers appear in August in the form of large white panicles. Fruit is perhaps even more effective than the flowers as large bunches of bright red to rosy-purple capsules replace the flowers in late Aug. - early Sept. and persist for 2 - 3 weeks. Last but not least is the bark, which exfoliates revealing contrasting shades of darker and lighter brown. Prefers moist but well drained, acid soil, in sun. Zone 5.

HIBISCUS syriacus ‘Blue Satin’   There are lots of Rose-of-Sharons but ‘Blue Satin’ is one of our favorites. Large, elegant, single, royal blue flowers in profusion for an extended period in mid to late summer,- just when most gardens really need an infusion of color. This is a woody shrub not to be confused with the perennial hibiscus.  Easy and undemanding, Rose-of-Sharon prospers in average, even poor, well drained soil, in full sun. Will tolerate any amount of pruning so may be kept at whatever size is desirable. Zone 5.

syriacus ‘Lil’ Kim’    A unique, “miniature” Rose of Sharon, growing only 3-4ft. tall, with nearly standard sized, white flowers, liberally brushed purple-red in the center and held on the plants for three days, unlike flowers of other Hybiscus which last only one day,  Foliage is especially thick textured and dark green in color. This smaller size opens up many new landscape possibilities such as container plantings and mixing in the perennial border and use as a low hedge. Zone 5.

syriacus ‘Sugar Tip’   An eye-catching new Rose of Sharon with brightly variegated creamy-white and blue-green foliage. Unlike 'Purpureus Variegatus', this beauty actually flowers! Flowers are clear pink, double in late summer. Zone 5.

Hydrangea arborescens Incrediball™    A new and improved’Annabelle’ Hydrangea with beefy stems and massive blooms as much as 12” across. The goal of the breeders was to develop stronger stems that would not flop under the weight of the massive flowers. Like all Hydrangea arborescens, Incrediball begins blooming early,(June), and continues for many weeks, well into summer,-blooms well in fairly heavy shade. 4-5ft. tall. May be cut to the ground in late winter-early spring and still bloom during the current year. Zone 4. 

Hydrangea arborescens Invincibelle™Spirit New     The first of its kind! A pink flowered Hydrangea arborescens, more familiar to most gardeners as the white flowered H. 'Annabelle'. With 'Invincibelle Spirit', plant breeders at North Carolina State University have taken a giant leap forward producing a Hydrangea arborescens with big flowers that emerge dark, hot pink and mature to bright pink, clustered in panicles 6" in diameter. Not only is the color so new and different, but its ability to rebloom on new wood insures a continuous supply of fresh blooms from June till frost, and, we're not talking about a random bloom here and another one there, but a sure fire show of pink mopheads on every stem. Prefers rich, moist soil in part shade. Will perform well in full sun with sufficient moisture. Grow 3-4' tall. Zone 3. With each purchase, 5¢ will be donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Hydrangea ‘Endless Summer™'    This is a new blue, mophead hydrangea that will bloom reliably, year after year, here in zone 5, regardless of the vagaries of winter. Unlike the many so-called hardy blue hydrangeas that thrive in warmer areas but stubbornly refuse to put out a single flower here in zone 5, ‘Endless Summer’ will bloom reliably because it blooms on new wood. Flowers are bluer on acid soil and more pink as the pH rises. Soil pH is easily adjusted. Ask at the desk for a handout on this topic.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Blue Billow'    A gorgeous, true, deep blue, Lace-Cap hydrangea which has proven to be absolutely bud hardy here at the nursery. If you’ve visited Bay State in mid to late summer you know this plant, since it’s impossible to be here and not be drawn to its beauty. Our plant is perfectly happy in 50% shade with no special treatment except perhaps extra water during dry spells. 3 to 4' tall and wide. Zone 5.

Hydrangea macrophylla Endless Summer® ‘Twist ‘n Shout’    Big beautiful lacecap blossoms in a bicolor mix of deep pink and startling blue creating a truly unique landscape look. Deep maroon-red stems are lined with lustrous, deep green, mildew resistent leaves and support blooms that occur on new wood and continue repeatedly throughout the season. Zone 4.

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Lady in Red’    In the ever-expanding world of exciting Hydrangeas, ‘Lady in Red’ stands out for both its beautiful lacecap flowers and its spectacular foliage. Large green leaves emerge in spring with distinct red central veins and petioles attached to red stems. These colors don’t fade even in the heat of summer when the airy lacecap flowers emerge, 3-4ins. across, white with a hint of pink and finally to a stunning burgundy. In fall, foliage turn entirely burgundy red. Grows 3-4ft. tall with an equal spread. Zone 5. 

Hydrangea macrophylla Let’s Dance™ ‘Starlight’ New     An exciting new cultivar that dances onto the gardening stage with a flurry of sought after qualities. As regards Hydrangeas in the North, the most important quality that gardeners look for is the ability to bloom on new wood. ‘Starlight’ does this, producing large, vivid pink, (or blue), lacecap flowers on new wood which, the grower says, “the mere sight of will make you want to get up and dance”. Also, it’s tidy and compact, reaching only 2-3’ in height. Grow in sun or light shade in rich, moist soil and keep in mind that acid soil will yield blue flowers. Zone 5.

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Mini Penny’     A reblooming hydrangea with mophead type flowers, 4-6” across, either blue or pink depending on soil pH. Low growing with a compact habit and dark green, highly mildew resistant foliage. Blooms through summer on new wood. Best located in part shade, in evenly moist soil. 3-4’ tall by 4-6’ wide. Winter mulch is recommended. Zone 5.

Hydrangea paniculata    This species blooms on new wood, so it can be pruned in early spring and still bloom during the current year. Rock hardy! We offer the following cultivars:

'Limelight'    Huge clusters of bright, lime-green flowers cover this hardy and vigorous shrub in late summer. Excellent for cutting; - one stem is its own bouquet, fresh or dried! 6-8' tall and wide. We cut our plant back to roughly 1½’ above the ground in early spring to maintain a height of 5-6’. This practice also yields the gorgeous, big panicles you see on our border specimen. Zone 4.

'Little Lamb'    A late blooming, compact Hydrangea only half the size of other standard types. In late July, 6” tall flower cones stand above the deep green foliage, persisting into fall and changing color to a pleasing pink/mauve as they age. The perfect sized Hydrangea for small landscape areas or for grouping to create a superior summer blooming border planting. 6-8’ tall but, like all Hydrangea paniculata, can be maintained at lower height through early spring pruning. Zone 4. (photo taken at the Berkshire Botanic Garden, 7/30/2010).

‘Pinky Winky’    A new hydrangea with unique, two-toned flower heads in mid-summer. Large 12-16in. long flower heads emerge white, turn pink and continue to push new white flowers from the tip of the panicle. The flowers are held upright on strong stems, and contrast nicely against dark green foliage. 6-8ft. tall. Zone 4.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Quick Fire’     A breakthrough plant that blooms more than a month earlier than other varieties. White blooms appear in late May-early June and turn to a rich deep pink before ‘Pink Diamond’ even begins to show flowers. Its early bloom time means that now gardeners can have blooming hydrangeas all season by combining ‘Quick Turn’ with other later blooming varieties 6-8’ tall. Zone 3.

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Amethyst’   A Michael Dirr selection with a more compact, tighter form and deep green, bold-textured foliage that acts as the perfect foil for the pure white, 6in. tall flower cones that begin blooming in late July.  The compact, tighter form is about as much improvement as one would dare expect in an Oakleaf Hydrangea, (whose biggest shortcoming is its rangy, unattractive branching), but 'Amethyst' offers much more. As its flowers age, they transform from pure white to an incredible shade of wine red and persist well into autumn. 5-6ft. tall.  Best in sun to part shade with moist, well drained soil. Plants look especially nice when grouped in a lightly shaded, woodland setting. Zone 5

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Sikes Dwarf’    A dwarf, upright selection with handsome, closely spaced foliage and numerous white flower heads, 2½-4' tall. Great for smaller gardens.  Grow in rich, moist soil in full sun to part shade. Zone 5.

Hydrangea serrata ‘Blue Bird’    Very similar in appearance to H. macrophylla ‘Blue Billow’, having the same dimensions and the same lacecap-type inflorescences. The difference is in the flower color, ‘Blue Bird’ being more indigo blue, while ‘Blue Billow’ is as close to true blue as a flower can be. The fact that they’re assigned different specie status is academic as the two groups, ( macrophylla and serrata ), are so abused and confused in the literature as to render identification more a coin toss than a scientific fact,( current opinion seems to favor serrata as correct.). In the end, they’re both gorgeous. We’ve grow ‘Blue Billow’ here at the nursery for many years and are convinced of its bud hardiness, (zone 5). We have not had ‘Blue Bird’ in the ground but believe it to be equally hardy. 

Hypericum frondosum 'Sunburst’ (St. Johnswort)     A nicely rounded, compact shrub, 3ft. tall by 4ft. wide, with very handsome blue-green leaves which, by themselves, would make this shrub worth growing. In June-July, 2in. wide, bright golden yellow flowers with stamens prominently clustered in a central tuft overspread the plants. At left is a plant in bloom. At right,the same plant displaying the decorative post-bloom seed pods. Zone 4

Hypericum x ‘Chocolate Lion’ New      Low growing with a rounded, mounding habit, attractive small, dark green to olive-green leaves and lots of yellow flowers in early summer that are followed by the primary decorative feature in the form of abundant chocolate colored berries about twice the size of a garden pea. The berries persist through summer and fall and even into winter, and, when cut, bring an exciting new look to indoor arrangements. 12-14” high. Here in zone 5 plants behave as die-back shrubs, dying back in winter and reemerging from the crown once the temperature has warmed up in spring. Use in full sun, in average, well-drained soil. Zone 5.

Hypericum x ‘Red Lion’ New       Identical to ‘Chocolate Lion’ except with red berries. I was pleased to see both of them being used in arrangements at my local florists shop this winter.

Hypericum ‘Sunny Boulevard’      A compact, tightly branched shrub noted for its long bloom time, beginning in July and continuing until September. The flowers are a rich yellow, daffodil-shaped, small but numerous. The leaves are blue-green, willow-like. One of the easiest plants to satisfy. Put in average, well-drained soil, add full sun and expect not to have to do anything more than come back around to enjoy the flowers. 2-3’ tall. Zone 4.

Ilex glabra ‘Densa’     A handsome broadleaved, evergreen shrub with upright branches that form a dense, oval-rounded silhouette 8-10’ high. Responds well to pruning and older plants can be rejuvinated with a heavy cut-back. Grows best in average or better, moist, acidic soil. Quite shade tolerant but performs best in full sun. Unlike on some other glabra varieties, the dark green, glossy leaves are held on the stems right down to the ground so that the lower parts of the plant never look bare and open. Many landscape uses including foundation and specimen use, hedging and as wildlife plants with its dense evergreen foliage providing excellent habitat for birds who also relish the black berries that are present from Sept., through winter and into spring. Zone 4.

Ilex pedunculosa (Longstalked Holly)    15ft. tall, often less, with evergreen, lustrous, dark green, spineless leaves. Bright red berries 1/4in. across develop in October and persist into November. Berries are gracefully suspended at the ends of 2in. long pedicels, - from whence comes the common name. Berries are eaten by birds. As with all hollies, both a male and a female plant are necessary for pollination. We have both male and female plants for sale. Zone 5.

Ilex pedunculosa ‘Variegata’ New   

Ilex verticillata (Winterberry) ‘Berry Heavy’    Makes a spectacular winter show with its heavy set of large, bright red berries. Use “Jim Dandy’ as the pollinator.

‘Berry Nice’    The dark red berry display is so vivid that the original plant was selected by sight at a distance of 1/4 mile. It will make you stop and take notice. Good mildew resistance. Use I. ‘Jim Dandy’ as a pollinator. Zone 3.  

‘Jim Dandy’    Male pollinator for ‘Berry Heavy’, ‘Berry Nice’ and ‘Red Sprite’.

‘Red Sprite’    A lower growing Winterberry, growing only 3-4ft. tall. Perfect for smaller locations where space is limited but where the year-round interest of a shrub is desired. The impressive fruit set covers the stems with bright red berries from late fall through winter adding bright color to the snowy winter landscape and providing food for birds. ‘Jim Dandy’ is a pollinator.

 

Ilex verticilata ‘Sunsplash’ New     Waiting for this plant to fruit for the first time, I was a little anxious that there might be an over-the-top color clash between all those bright red berries and the yellow leaves. It did fruit and, not to worry, it was a surprisingly effective pairing, one that gets my thumbs up and one that would grab my attention whenever I saw it in a garden. A broad, rounded, densely branched structure with green leaves that are irregularly splashed with yellow. In fall, ½",bright red berries mature and linger well into winter, if not eaten by birds. 6-10' tall with an equal spread. Can be kept smaller with pruning. The most favorable site would have rich, moist, acidic soil and full sun, some light shade is ok.  Zone 3.

x ‘Sparkleberry’    A vigorous, upright form with spectacular, persistent fruit that often remains on the plant until march. May reach 12’ in height in 15 yrs., can be kept smaller with pruning. Easy to grow in average or better, acidic, moist but well drained soil. Best fruiting in sun. A male plant is required for pollination. The berry-laden stems are a delight in the winter landscape both to humans and to birds who will make a meal of the appealing fruit. Zone 4.

INDIGOFERA kirilowii     A small 2-3' shrub with airy, bright green, compound leaves and, in June and July, abundant rose-colored 4-5" flower racemes held upright on the branches. In most winters plants will die back to the ground but will regrow from the crown and bloom on new growth. Any lingering dead twigs should be cut off. Easy in full sun and tolerant of soil types except those that are overly moist. Its smaller size makes it suitable for mixing with perennials. Can be put to good use as a groundcover for a sunny dry spot. Zone 5.

pseudotinctoria 'Rose Carpet'    A prostrate shrub, 3' wide and never more than 1' tall, clothed in tiny, refined, kelly-green foliage and, in June, with 1 to 2" long, rose-pink flower spikes. Easy in full sun, in any well-drained soil. Attractive for its foliage alone, and might well be considered for use as a ground cover in hot sunny locations. Tends to die back in the north but quickly regrows in spring.