I suggest planting it real close to a water spigot. I have to water mine every single day in the summer, and it only gets morning sun for a couple of hours.

Another variegated hydrangea that I bought on impulse because of the gorgeous foliage is also a water hog. From now on it's nothing but the oakleaf for me!

Watering is no problem, I have to water my Hibiscus daily, and the Hydrangea will be close to it.

My question was when do I plant it? Tonight or in the morning?

Also, since this is an Endless Summer Hydrangea, I'm reading mixed reports on when or if I should prune it come late Fall and Spring.

I've been told to prune it before the first frost, but doesn't that encourage new growth right before it freezes?

If I have to prune it, wouldn't it be better to prune it after the last frost in the Spring?

So many questions! lol

I'd plant it late afternoon after the hottest part of the day.

Some people prune them but I've never pruned mine. When I did they were not as large the following year however I'm in a different zone than you.

I have 4 varieties -
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This is a lacecap. I planted it under my crape myrtle.
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This one is called Nikko (I think)
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Can't remember the name of this one
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I'm a latecomer to hydrangeas, but the more I see them, the more I want. So far I have only one, an Endless Summer that is not all that photogenic at the moment because it got killed to the ground by a freeze last month. It's recovering nicely, but it's still pretty small.

I've never pruned my ES, but my understanding is that it blooms on both old and new wood, if that helps you with your pruning decision.

I ordered three hydrangeas from Bluestone this year: a species oakleaf (quercifolia), Little Lamb, and Sadie Ray. Little Lamb got cut down by a rabbit a couple of days after planting. The oakleaf is okay so far, and for now Sadie Ray is sitting in a pot, waiting for me to acquire some chicken wire or other protection before I put it in the ground.

Have fun with your new hydrangea!

Susan

I have a couple of Hydrangeas, one Ayesha had such severe winter damage this spring I cut it down to the ground, it's up and growing gangbusters now. The other an old NOID deep pink had no damage at all, go figure. In any case I don't cut the old flowerhead off until after the last heavy frost in the spring as these old flower heads help protect the growing tips.
That being said.... I don't have Endless Summer but I have read this Hydrangea has the ability to form flower heads on new growth, likes to be planted in full sun but protected from harsh winds in well drained, moisture retentive soil.
To avoid pruning off new flower buds forming at the tips of stems in late summer, clip spent blooms off at a point just above the first set of leaves. And, in the spring don't cut dead looking stems to the ground until new leaves have fully expanded often not until the beginning of June. You can then decide where you want to cut. Others who have this Hydrangea might be of more help, just my two cents....hope this helps.
I'd go ahead and plant your Hydrangea this evening, give it a good drink, stand back and enjoy.

Annette

Be careful not to plant too deep. Plant at soil level or even slightly proud of the soil.

Libby

Ah Ha! Thanks Annette. My Nikko is really Ayesha.

The Nikko is the last picture.

Edna

I have three ES hydrangeas, and I really hope I can keep those babies alive! I just love hydrangeas, and they seem to do well in my area. At least, in the yards of other neighbors they flourish! I have heard that the way to care for a hydrangea is to attempt to drown it, and that is what I intend to do, especially on these days when it's 100 degrees in the shade. (ugh!)

Do what Annette said, and what Libby said. Have fun.

I rarely prune mine, except late last summer I pruned a 14 year old one by the porch.
They will survive without being drowned, but they do like water.
I like to plant them near a birdbath.

I only have one kind of mophead, all cuttings of a very old hydrangea with no name.
I do have a named H. Serrata and a variegated leaf lacecap.

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Nell

I forgot I've got one more H. aspera, grown from a cutting. It isn't very spectacular yet just two scraggily branches behind a fern and some solomon's seal. I think it might be going to give me one bloom this year. Anyone else growing this one, it's kind of different.

Annette

Here is a link that might be useful: Hydrangea aspera

I assume you have already answered your planting question, however, my answer is "when it is most convenient/comfortable for me" Those two are not always synonymous. :)

I will second the water point. They will need lots of water. Even a couple years after mine have been planted they need very regular watering. They still wilt on me. I assumed they will eventually not do so. I hope so!

I didn't notice where you said you were planting them, but in Oklahoma they need to be on the north side or the east side.

Here is my Endless Summer from last year (May 28, 2008) I have two Nikkos planted on either side. I thought I had a picture from this year, but I don't see it. It might still be on my camera :) I'll look.

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I did find one pic of ES from this year, but not a wide shot of the three. I need to get one.

I just chopped off most of these blooms today, but the pic is from June 2, 2009.

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Here's a glimpse of one of my Nikkos:

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This year I didn't do any pruning until after they leafed out. Then I just cut out the dead stuff.

Lisa

Such pretty pictures! Lisa, mine is on the east side of the house, it gets some full sun, and some filtered sun.

It's funny, but my new flowerbed is on the north side of the house now since that's the way the house now faces. I thought I'd be doing a shade garden and did research on what to plant. Then when we finished the add-on, the flowerbed gets full sun and MORE. So everything I was flying by the seat of my pants and just buying things I knew nothing about. But it's been a lot of fun experimenting with new plants.

I sure hope the Hydrangea does well because I want a whole row of them. I am so late to the Hydrangea party!

On a 100 degree day, most all hydrangeas will wilt to conserve water. If you get up at 7am, the temps are in the 70s and the hydrangeas are wilted, worry; and water.

Nell

I think yours will be ok on the east side, especially if it gets some afternoon shade. I don't think ES is as thirsty as other macrophyllas. ES blooms on old and new wood but you don't want to do any pruning when they're young until they leaf out. They seem to take a couple of years to really get going.

I have mine on the north side of my house, in front of the porch. They get just a tiny bit of morning sun and some very late afternoon sun but it's filtered by a large Lochinch buddleia. I had them in pots for years under my pergola but I'm at a mile high elevation so the sun was just too intense for them in that location.
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I also have 'Kuhnert Blue'. They are in pots on the back porch. They're very thirsty. I'm trying to keep them blue but they're turning purple from our alkaline water. I mostly use them for cut flowers.
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Diana

I planted Lady in Red two years ago, and this year they are just beautiful-lace cap but more airy.
I have quite a few un-named hydrangeas-my daughter worked at a grocery store and everytime they were getting ready to toss a wilted, half dead hydrangea she would drag it home for me. (thats how I got the wild kitten eating at the dumpster too) I have 12 grocery store hydrangeas now-I prune them everyother year so they can live together. It was 106 here yesterday and I watered them morning and night-they did great,
daughter has a new job now..thank goodness!

My trick is to plant at night when the weather is cool.

I once planted a nikko which was supposed to be fine for part sun in my backyard, but it started to burn up. So I thought it probably got shocked after being indoors in garden centres for so long. So if this is the case with your plants, create a screen to shade the plants for at least through the summer months. I made the screen from bamboos and cloth and after the summer months were over, I felt it was safe and removed the covers. By next season, the plant came out well and required no special shading.

Hope this helps.

Ianna