Hydrangea macrophylla Endless Summer® Pop Star®
Overview
Uses: Mixed borders, foundation plantings, outdoor containers, and cut flower gardens.
Benefits: A compact reblooming bigleaf hydrangea from the Endless Summer® collection. Flowers on both old and new wood from early summer into fall, in pink or blue depending on soil pH. Sized for smaller beds and containers.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–9
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Mounding, Rounded — compact and full.
Bloom Color: Pink or Blue (varies with soil pH)
Foliage Color: Green
Mature Height: 2–3 feet
Mature Width: 2–3 feet
Bloom Season: Early summer to fall
Growth Rate: Moderate
Summary
A compact Endless Summer® hydrangea built for quick, repeat blooms.
Pop Star® is one of the newer members of the Endless Summer® collection of reblooming bigleaf hydrangeas. It carries lacecap flowers: a flat center of small true flowers ringed by larger, showy florets. The first blooms open in early summer on last year’s stems, and the plant keeps forming new ones on the current season’s growth through fall. It is known for setting new flower buds quickly after the first flush is cut back.
Flower color follows soil pH. In acidic soil the blooms come in vivid blue; in neutral to alkaline soil they turn pink, with shades in between where the pH is mixed.
The plant stays compact, about two to three feet tall and wide, with sturdy stems and deep green leaves. That size suits the front of a border, foundation plantings, low hedges, and patio containers. Because lacecaps have true flowers at their centers, bees and other pollinators visit them more than they do mophead types.
Care
Endless Summer® Pop Star® Bigleaf Hydrangea Care
Morning sun and afternoon shade suit it best. In northern gardens it can take more sun if the soil stays moist; in hot climates, protect it from strong afternoon sun.
Plant in rich, moist, well-drained soil. Soil pH sets the flower color, so test your soil if you are aiming for blue or pink, and adjust gradually with a soil acidifier for blue or garden lime for pink.
Keep the soil evenly moist, especially through the first summer and during heat waves; bigleaf hydrangeas wilt quickly when dry. Soggy soil can reduce flowering, so water deeply rather than constantly. Mulch helps keep moisture steady.
Feed with a slow release fertilizer in spring or early summer, and stop feeding by August so new growth can harden off before winter.
Prune lightly. In spring, once leaves start to emerge, remove dead stems and any that did not leaf out, and leave healthy older stems in place since they hold the first flush of buds. Cutting spent blooms during summer encourages the next round of flowers.
Growing in Containers
Pop Star® is compact enough for a porch or patio container. Choose a pot with drainage holes and a quality potting mix, using an acidic mix if you want blue flowers. Container plants dry out faster than plants in the ground, so check moisture daily in hot weather, and feed lightly in spring, since frequent watering washes nutrients from the mix. Roots in containers experience greater cold exposure than roots in the ground. Plants hardy in the ground may require winter protection when grown in containers in colder zones.
Size
What Size is the Endless Summer® Pop Star® Bigleaf Hydrangea for Sale Online?
Our Endless Summer® Pop Star® Bigleaf Hydrangea ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants ship dormant or near dormant in the off-season, so they may arrive with few or no leaves. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Endless Summer® Pop Star® Bigleaf Hydrangea Grow?
Expect about 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide at maturity, in a compact, rounded mound. Space plants about 2 to 3 feet apart for a low hedge or mass planting.
Additional Information
What are some common names for this plant?
- Bigleaf hydrangea
- Lacecap hydrangea
- French hydrangea
What is a lacecap hydrangea?
Lacecaps are bigleaf hydrangeas with flat flower heads. The center is filled with small true flowers, and a ring of larger, showy florets surrounds them. The effect is lighter and more open than a round mophead bloom, and the true flowers in the center give bees and other pollinators something to visit.
How do I change the flower color?
Color depends on soil pH. Acidic soil produces blue flowers, and neutral to alkaline soil produces pink. A soil acidifier applied in spring pushes the color toward blue, and garden lime pushes it toward pink. Changes appear gradually, often over a full season, so start early and follow the product directions.
Will it bloom after a cold winter?
Yes. Even if winter damages the older stems that carry the early-summer buds, Pop Star® flowers on new growth later in the season, and it is quick to set new buds. For more compact flowering shrubs, see our Shrubs & Bushes.
