If in bloom now, it will have been greenhouse grown and forced into bloom early. Because they have been grown under specialized and coddled conditions, they do not transition to the garden easily. But that is typically reserved for bigleaf or H. macrophylla types. Paniculatas like Firelight Tidbit are rarely forced into early bloom and they are also somewhat later to leaf out than other species.

There will always be less stress or transplant shock to a plant if it is planted before it is in full bloom.

Thank you! My other question is - if I get a plant that has not bloomed, how long would it take to do so? Would I get blooms this summer?

If you like the blooms when they are white, I would choose one that has not bloomed yet (no open buds) or better yet, one that has a lot of "broccoli heads"... ;o))

when i walk up to a sale table ... i look at those in bloom ... and then pick one that is budded ... and with one single flower.. to insure i get the color i want ...

then run home.. plant it ... and watch it bloom ... if weather permits ...

any severe stress can make the plant abort blooming ... so buying the one in full bloom is risky... you might lose the bloom .. for this year ..

but.. depending on weather ... it might be too early to plant in your z5.. with frost or freeze possible.. so i might just hold it in the pot ... protected at night if cold expected.. and plant it after it blooms ... but its not a houseplant.. so i would not hold it inside ...

blooming is a sign of sexual maturity ... whether a new plant will bloom next year .. depends how old the plants ... the younger a plant is.. the cheaper it usually is .. but if you buy one already blooming .. then it should rebloom next year.. presuming you dont torture it and set it back this year ...

as noted.. if forced to bloom for sale.. it was probably greenhouse grown.. and you need to harden it off to sun.. and temps ... do you know what that means ...

just keep buying and planting.. and soon enough you will have a garden full of plants ... and lots of experience.. and if.. along the way some die.. so be it.. thats all part of the game ...

lastly.. big city name would be more helpful.. zone is simple low winter temp for one minute in the dead of winter.. ontario is rather huge.. and very diverse .. are you in toronto.. or lake onteraio.. windsor ... etc ...

ken

While not commonly forced in a greenhouse, I have seen paniculatas grown in the southern US and shipped north to sell in bloom earlier, but not sure if they can cross the border. Last year one big box had some Limelights and Little Limes in bloom in mid May. I think they came from Florida, but then we got cold and they looked terrible after that.

This is a vegetatively propagated plant, not a seedling and paniculatas in general seem to always want to bloom even as a small plant. If you buy a locally and outdoor grown plant this spring no reason to think it won't bloom at it's normal time in the summer. So planted last year, overwintered, and sold in the spring.