My serratas get some dappled sun and a few hours of sun. Depending on how much shade your shady locations have, they may be ok. Bright shade and indirect sunny locations will probably do well for serratas but Annabelle-types and paniculatas may not. Annabelle-types and paniculatas typically are more sun tolerant and m-a-y have some issues in bright shade but low light locations. If in really bright shade, they may do fine but, an Annabelle and a Little Lime that I had in bright shade produced blooms that stayed lime green during the whole growing season; more sun would have helped turn the blooms from green to white. But I kind of liked the lime color all the time and I still have Little Lime there.

You can always transplant them if you do not approve of the results. You will not be the last person to do that! ;o) But it is starting to get warm outside. In my hot location, I would leave planting now until the Fall (I keep them potted in bright shade by a patio door so I can easily water them; then I plant them when temps come down in the Fall).

I have killed Tiny Tough Stuff, but Tough Stuff has bloomed for me every year, all summer for three or four seasons. It sprouts from the ground every year, but by now has just about every branch topped by broccoli. I am not sure if it would bloom on old wood for you since I've not had old wood winter over, and I don't know if it would get taller for you. Mine is wider than tall, perhaps 2 1/2' by 3 1/2'.

I took this screen shot to save as a reference..says serratas bloom on old wood but NHBabs has only new stems and they bloom..the Bigleaf category doesn't say that they bloom on new wood yet we have macrophyllas that bloom on new..hyed do your Blue Billows bloom on new or old or both?..maybe this chart refers to only the Proven Winner varieties featured..hydrangeas drive me nuts..

Hi Nichols, my Blue Billow blooms on old wood only ( no reblooming )......Tuff Stuff LTS and TS are supposed to be rebloomers. My TS will die to ground each yr without winter pro but come Aug. will be loaded with flowers

hyed..isn't it interesting that Blue Billow blooms better (what a tongue twister) than ES which SUPPOSEDLY blooms on old AND new but is a dud!..the blue hydrangeas on the side of your deck are awesome..

I bought two TS this year, they lived and thrived for six weeks being planted in the morning sun till 11 and 12 on the east side of the house, but as the T started rising they wilted a lot. I put them back in pots and into bright shade but they would not care for anything. Right now they are taking their last breath and I will take them back to the nursery, since I have one year warranty. I will not repurchase them, probably will get another ES instead.

Tikva, I think the morning sun is the right place for them , watering at the base/crown of the plant when the temp rises should help ... they should bounce back later in the day ... time& patience...good luck

this is today

this is what I had

that is what I did, watered at the base. they are really not going to be back.

Wow I see what you mean, they really look tough... any chance you but weed killer near them

We did not spray anything at all in that area. I can't believe how fast they went down the hill.

I woud leave them where they were but I would have placed temporarily a lawn chair to give them shade during the summer. Serratas and macs that get planted in the summer will need extra care, sun/shade and water-wise. Wilting now is very common, especially in Year 1 and as long as the soil is kept evenly moist, they should recover by night or morning.

I planted them in early April, the bad wilting started in May, that is when I moved them to pots into more shade. They have been slowly dying since then.

If they are guaranteed, then take them back to the nursery. It is not worth your time mess with them - there will be as many suggestions as gardeners you ask. Sometimes it is better to start over and not attempt to rescue every plant that does this. I will try to rescue most plants and have lots of ways to do it, but it takes lots of time and does not always work. No matter how good a gardener you are, there will be occasions where plants will die. I suspect that there are some serious problems with the plants and they are not salvageable. Get new ones, plant in partial shade and enjoy them.

Blue Billow, Tuff Stuff, Purple Tiers, Lady in Red. Any Winter above 0 and you've got winners, even with late frosts!

This being said, I'd be interested in a WHITE serrata that could perform similarly, if one exists.

Mid-season dying is almost always a care, chemical, nutrient or disease issue

I have some white paint if that will help you quickly find a tough reblomish serrata. ;0)

luis..any blue or pink paint?..could use it on my macrophylla duds haha..

I always said I was going spay paint some of my Annabelle blue...LOL

hyed..you don't even need to!! LOL..you have gorgeous blooms of all colors :-)

Thanks Nichols, but after yrs of playing with my ES too many to count ..Winter Pro over the years ... when they get to 4'X4' that a lotta work ...I have started to remove number of them .. have had some great yrs but lately fewer blooms ...at 77 too much Work.. but buying more Anna's , Incredi+ Blush and IVS1&11 and looking for Hass Halo and a few others ...that will keep me busy...but back to spay painting a few Anna's. that will give a few blue Hys LOL

hyed..you would have a sea of blue!..I'm 62 and too old for finicky hydrangeas..I also appreciate the reliable ones..very FEW macs that I would even consider..I keep getting scammed!!!

Y'all are so stingy with pesticides but you're quite liberal with the paint. What gives?? LOL

we're desperate..

Lalala, here is a photo of my H. serrata Tuff Stuff taken yesterday with flowers just starting to open. This was a bunch of dead twigs in March. It might get taller in an area where it didn't die back to the ground each winter but this is one reliable bloomer for me.

Thanks, Babs! How much sun does yours get?

From early morning until about midafternoon. Then bright shade from trees to the west.

Two unnamed serattas taken today. First on might be Blue Billow but ?? and the other has lost her tag - if she ever had one. When we first moved into the house I would take cuttings and just plop them into the ground and this is two of the results. Some of them came with tags, but at the time I was really casual about keeping them with the plant so I am not really sure. Over the last few years I have become much more compulsive about labels! lol

This plant get lots of sun. Facing North East. Morning till around 3pm -

has been blooming for over a month as starting to brown a bit 4.5 x4.5ft.

Large plant between houses. Just starting to bloom, shaded by overhead

Katsura tree, sun morning - noon. Blossoms bluer than photo. Great for cut

flowers. Stays in color for months.

Little shrub is about 5 years old and big one about 6 years.

Close-up of blossoms on small shrub.

Hi ophoenix,my Blue Billow will start to fade after 5/6 wks ...here's a photo similar to yours just before it starts to fade

Props to you older folks! I'm 35 male / endurance athlete and the yearly work can get painful / tiresome at times!

hyed, the blossoms on your plant are different - more rounded and 5 petals per blossom. I don't think my plant is Blue Billow. Many of my plants came from a hydrangea grower, master gardener, who had an old label printer and many of the labels are faded badly. Others were made within the last 5 years while she was suffering from health issues. Her serattas were all have Japanese names. As I learned more about hydrangeas, I fell in love with the delicate star shaped blossoms and the smaller sized plants of the serratas.

Did some research in my files and the blue serrata above is H. serrata Blue Deckle.

Ophoenix I can see that now after looking pictures, thank you ...Good Work!!

Two more serratas - Izu No Hana, and hydrangea preziosa serrata. Preziosa is in full sun til around 4pm. I call it my ugly duckling because it is not very pretty as it comes out of dormancy - but the white mop heads take on red splotches and then turn to a beautiful deep red. It also turns red and orange in the fall. I have threaten to compost it many times, but am glad I did not as it starts to turn maroon, red and variegated versions of both. Almost every head is different - sort of does its own thing!

H. serrata, Izu No Hana - grown mostly in sun, shade later afternoon. Small

plant about 4x3 ft.

Preziosa - early summer - photo taken today
Close up of Preziosa - taken today just starting to show color

Preziosa - taken late summer

New favorite serrata and Miss Saori !

Brand new Hydrangea
serrata Kiyosumi, and pic of first blooms on Miss Saori.

Hydrangea
serrata Kiyosumi. It was pretty late today when I took this and the red edges don't show up as pretty as they are. Not new in the trade, but new in my garden. Will try to get better photo tomorrow -

Miss Saori -first bloom and it is a beaut! Thanks Luis! Great find.

You're welcome. It was a good find indeed!

Little better photo of Hydrangea serrata Kiyosumi.

That pic you posted of 'Izu No Hana' should be Purple Tiers, no? Aka Miyama Yae Murasaki?

Izu is a mac!

You are correct - the label that came with the plant was in error. Thanks

I could see where the mixup occurred. Izu's flowers look nearly identical but the plant has a much larger profile and extremely glossy foliage.