It is too early for some paniculatas to be producing blooms or even be in the broccoli stage. That being said, Bombshell had a lot of complaints late July last year from people who were not getting bloomage on plants planted a year earlier or more. I remember even contacting the company and having one person tell me to absolutely not prune it anytime or anyway (even though I had stated some people had not pruned because the plant was too small to need pruning).

So wait some more to see if you get late bloomage or not. If you do not get bloomage after 2-3 seasons, I would replace it.

Problem and solutions to lack of bloom problems: dense shade causes a reduction in bloomage; too much nitrogen (as found in some Miracle Gro formulations so do not apply often) makes the plants have nice lush dark green leaves and little or no flowers; watch out for lawn fertilizer that might fall by the hydrangea too (lawn fertilizer is full pack of nitrogen); a 1/2 cup to 1 cup of cottonseed meal or organic compost in Spring should suffice for the whole year; I add some coffee grounds, liquid seaweed or liquid fish during the growing season but I stop all fertilizers at the end of June so the plant will go dormant on schedule; pruning just as the plant is going to produce flower buds in June might cut off bloomage; periods of dry soil and wet soil over and over again can kill the invisible flower buds so try to maintain the soil as evenly moist as you can.

Luis

PS - make sure the sun exposure if 6 hours of morning sun. 6 hours of afternoon sun would be too much. In my neck of the woods, If it will help you decide, I put them where they get shade starting between 11am and 12pm. In cooler zones, you can probably extend that a little more.

Bombshell is notorious for blooming issues.

Solution: DO NOTHING to the plant's structure after October (no pruning) and it should bloom next year.

Its cousin Bobo is less finicky.

Solution: DO NOTHING to the plant's structure after October (no pruning) and it should bloom next year. >>>

I have never pruned this plant.

Boothbay, While 'some' perennials, shrubs, trees may be drought tolerant and can go without supplemental water (once they are fully established, that can mean a year or more after planting), plants in containers never are. They are dependent you for their needs and must have adequate regular water supplied.

I also had some issues with Bombshell and its lack of flowering. Now in its third season - the make-it-or-break-it season - it has decided to produce flowers! I see buds forming at many of the terminal ends.

Perhaps this variety just needs some time to settle in and mature before flowering. Or maybe you need to seriously threaten its existence :-))

"Or maybe you need to seriously threaten its existence"

LOL!!!

I have two Bombshells, one by accident. I will say they are tough little shrubs. Bombshell #1 didn't bloom last summer or the summer before. This year, after no sign of buds, I replaced it with Bobo. I took the old Bombshell to my compost area and left it sit there, roots exposed, in full sun. Two days later I took something else to the area and there sat Bombshell, not wilted at all. On top of that, I finally saw the beginnings of buds. It's replanted now with quite a few flowers forming.

Bombshell # 2 planted in the ground in mid-summer last year came partially out of the ground over the winter. I figured it would never survive. It did and also has flowers buds forming now. So there is hope for your Bombshell. I agree with gardengal that it may just need to mature a bit.

I am one of those whose bombshells did not bloom last year. But I looked today and see little buds forming on the bombshells. Maybe they do need to settle in.

Part of mine bloomed last year but only on the side more exposed to the sun.

Macgyver2009, perhaps they need some shock as you described. LOL No one here has mentioned anything about fertilizing. So i gave it a nice amount of 15-15-15

Here's a photo of bombshell. Looks like it will perform this year after having no blooms at all last year.

Mine is blooming again but only on one side starting at the bottom. I guess it really prefers full sun. The other half of it gets quite a bit of shade so no blooms on that side.

Saw some big 3-gallons of Bombshell at HD for $12.49 if anyone wants to try them. For the right price I think I'd try anything. :)

I saw one of the discount rack at my Lowes too.

Worst H. paniculata ever!

Mine blooms on one side and towards the bottom to a point as well, but the entire plant is in full sun.

I haven't pruned them now after 4 years so they look very haphazard and the blooms are minimal. It took a full 4 years to bloom as well.

There should be a civil suite against the morons and distributors that introduced this plant into commerce.

Bobo is so far superior in every way. PLEASE PLEASE every consumer and distribtuor stop buying this and sell/buy Bobo if you need a dwarf paniculata with this type of flower.

I heard that Quick Fire is available now as a dwarf - anyone had any luck with these? My full size Quick Fires are wonderful bloomers and wouldn't mind some shorter ones of the same variety. I have not heard of Bobo or Bombshell, but I am assuming that they are also dwarf shrubs?

I have a Little Quickfire going on 2 years. It appears to be a smaller version as advertised.

I'd expect something like the size difference between Little Lime and Limelight. Basically just slightly smaller...4' vs 6'.

Bobo appears to be a dwarf as well and I wouldn't expect this plant to exceed 3' or 4'. Nice compact from thus far. Really nice plant IMO.

Bombshell on the otherhand seems to spread more and flop even without the blooms.