I saw this tag today attached to an EE that I spied in a grocery store. I had to laugh out loud at the 4th "bullet" i.e.

For decoration only. Do not consume.

From opening with a touch of green, to then bright white and now going pink:

Sounds llike they are selling a plastic hydrangea, does it not? Ha! Nice pic. The sepals made me think of Ayesa's popcorn blooms for some reason...

Rouge, that is a beautiful pic! Thank you for sharing! Isn't it you that has a bed just like that with a lot of Bobo's and Ageratum?

Good memory @gawdinfever Z6!

No ageratums this year at the request of my partner.

The 7 Early Evolution have taken the place of the ageratums (and other annuals).

(The Bobos are not far from that ribbon of EE but the show this year wont be as nice as three of the Bobos died this past winter.)

I bet you miss those ageratum though :) I always do grow at least a few.

Rouge, I don't know why 'Bobo' is sold here on the prairies, it certainly is not hardy enough, even when we had experienced winters mild enough that my buddleia had survived with substantial wood above the snowline. Ohhh, yes, it's for the profit of it all, a nurseryman told me that only a small percentage of folks will request credit upon a winterkilled specimen, especially from a big box store.

I bet you miss those ageratum though :) I always do grow at least a few.

You know me too well ;). I did plant 6 together in another location :)

@FrozeBudd_z3/4, if you think Bobo isn't hardy in your neck of the woods there is no way your singleton EE will be able to make it (maybe see if you can plant it close to the foundation).

(Hey FB, take a look at my post further above, mostly directed at you, from 18 days ago re the newish paniculata Little Hottie.)

Rouge, I'll check see if Walmart has any 'Little Hotties' remaining, I'm revamping a garden bed and could definitely fit one in! :)

Rouge, I fell in love with Bobo and hydrangeas in general from that pic! I am so sorry to hear you lost those Bobo's! I have a pretty nice collection of hydrangeas now! Just waiting for them to grow up in their spaces. My newest is a couple of Summer Crush and Bluebird Serrata. My beds aren't nearly as pretty as yours, though!

I'll check see if Walmart has any 'Little Hotties' remaining

Of course it may well be different where you are but out my way Lowes stocked excellent specimens of "Little Hottie".

and could definitely fit one in!

Stop fibbin' @FrozeBudd_z3/4! I've seen your incredible property and you have room to plant dozens of "Hotties"!

I am so sorry to hear you lost those Bobo's!

At first I was quite disappointed as these bushes were likely over 10 years old (and it may be a sign of what's to come with the remaining 4 :( ). But I quickly replaced them with what I think will be pretty seamless replacements in a few years ie Little Hottie.

My beds aren't nearly as pretty as yours, though!

Way too kind @gawdinfever Z6 :).

EE in the pot last year i.e. July 2022:

The same EE and pot a year later (early in the spring I added 3 ajuga plants on the perimeter.)

These two were planted last July 2022. They are in lots of shade, under a Japanese Maple tree. They get 2 or 3 hours of morning sun. For sure not as floriferous as the ones I have in full sun but I actually like that the lack of sun has delayed the progression of flowering (about a couple of weeks behind the others in full sun...maybe more.)

They look really pretty there, too!

I have had similar results with fewer hours of sun

I am thinking @luis_pr that given your location, 1 hour of Texas sun could be equivalent 2 hours of it here at almost 44 degrees N latitude ;)

Today:

Saw EE being sold in a hanging basket!

The red flowered drangeas look more pinkish in later photos. Were they spray-painted when you bought them, or is it a PH issue? You never know these days. I tried growing a fancy Hydrangea about 30 years ago and it never grew, so after a few years I got rid of it. I'm growing the straight native species Hydrangea arboescens and I love it's simplicity and the fact that it's native and truly belongs. I don't know how you manage to fit all these Hydrangeas in rouge. I'm sure it was me that killed the 1st one. Back then I probably didn't research their ideal conditions and just pluncked it in the ground. I might have over-acidified the soil obsessing with it having blue flowers.😬

The red flowered drangeas look more pinkish in later photos. Were they spray-painted when you bought them, or is it a PH issue?

Nope on both counts @Jay 6a Chicago.

Last year was my first full season with EE and I 'documented' its colouring from early July to October (see the 4 pictures in post about halfway down in this thread

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6406385/your-best-performing-hydrangea-s-in-2023#n=21 )

I'm growing the straight native species Hydrangea arboescens

Me too 'Jay'! I have gone hog wild the last couple of seasons over these natives as well e,g, Haas Halo (and Invincibelle Spirit).

I guess I received this one by mistake via mail order, sure is a cute little thing, though only time will tell regarding whether it's prairie hardy,

So @FrozeBudd_z3/4, Im dying to know....did your "mistaken" Early Evolution survive your wild and woolly Alberta winter?

And if so, what does it look like now?

@Rouge21_gw, do you know if it was planted outside or was it in pots in a protected environment? It may just be awakening now in zone 3, maybe?!?!? if it survived…

Rouge, thanks for asking, was the prompt I needed to check in on it in the pot ghetto. Due to its very diminutive stature, I decided to keep it potted, though it had wintered outdoors container sunk below graded and hilled up a tad, what bit of stem that remained above the scant snow had died off, though it's been happily growing away in its petite form with four or five inches of new growth and nice dark healthy foliage, I believe there's even some blooms developing, plant is small and not terribly much to look at, but alive and well.

As for spring, it's been a bugger, likely one of the very worst us gardeners have experienced, Soooo many days of high winds, cloudy skies and temperatures well below normal, today finally an exception and hopefully more good in store. Oh, last night I even went out and threw blankets over the tomatoes and pots over the dahlias, it was that nippy, and some of my buddies mentioning of their plants being frosted, headshaking for this time of the year! Veggie gardens are poor, though most all perennials taking it in stride other than any heat lovers.

Rouge, thanks for asking, was the prompt I needed to check in on it in the pot ghetto.

Are you telling me that you hadnt check on EE (and other potted perennials) till....now?!

Not the great forgotten forsaken ghetto, plants sit along the edge of the garden and receive a daily once over that none are in need, and sooner and some later, all get their roots in the fertile ground :)

Hey @FrozeBudd_z3/4, be sure to keep us abreast re the progress of your singleton EE.

(Did you plant it in the ground or do you still want it in a pot?)

It remains potted and doing fine, though was just a tiny 5 inch tot when received that it remains little to gaze upon, though is budding up and foliage nice and health. I may consider planting in ground, would likely only require a rose cone or so to ensure survival.

Ok @FrozeBudd_z3/4, can you update us re the progress of your 'lonely' ;) potted EE hydrangea?

I think I have had this variety (11 of them) in the ground for some, now 4 years. It is my experience that this variety does better in part sun (I am a CDN zone 6b).

8 of them are in a border in full sun (over 10 hours of sun). They do fine but the flowers transition quickly through the colour scheme and more quickly get to the stage where the flowers look 'spent'.

In contrast there are 3 EE that I had planted in a part sun location and today the picture below is representative of how all 3 appear right now:

There will not be enough time for these flowers reach the stage of what you see in the first picture above...which is good IMO.

That matches what I have already observed with other paniculatas (have not had EE). Less sun (up to a point of course) makes the original color last a little longer; more sun makes it spent faster.

Ya I guess what I am observing isn't rocket science and for sure this must be extra noticeable in hotter (drier), much more intense sunnier climes like the southern US but where I am north of the border I notice it very much with this particular variety...lots more than other paniculatas I have had. I think it is in part because it flowers very early?

I fell in love with EE the first time I saw a picture. Asked at a local nursery I trust but they still aren't sure of the hardiness zone and are not yet selling it. I'm zone 5. I wound up buying Fire Light TidBit and am really happy with it. But I know I'll pick one up as soon as it's a go. Interested to hear how zone 5 gardners do with it.

IMO @bitbit 5b, there is no need to wait. I am in Canada I have had this hydrangea since 2022; I think now I have over 10 of them and I have never lost one. @FrozeBudd_z3/4 has had one for at least a couple of years now and he is in the very chilly province of Alberta. it seems to me that this plant is a solid zone 4.

Jumping on this thread as I’ve been on an endless search for a relatively compact paniculata to replace my surprising large and floppy Little Limes. My 3-4 year old Little Limes grew easily 5’ tall (possibly closer to 6’) and, while beautiful, flopped after the first summer rain. I would like to replace them with something in the 3-4’ range and was curious if these might grow to that size once mature?

I would bet 4 feet is a stretch with EE. It has been my experience so far that 2.5 to 3 feet is the likely mature size. But there are many options for you if you want 4 foot paniculata eg Tiny Quick Fire.

EE now in bloom 2026:

I have many paniculatas but EE is by far the earliest bloomer. This year it was in good flower before July 1st.

I've been watching this plant for several years here in MN and have to say, less than impressed. Yes, it blooms very early, though there are a few others that match that. It blooms inconsistently across the plant and the flowers brown out.

@pennlake, if you look at my 7 above, they are pretty equally "bloomed" ;). It was my experience in the beginning that "inconsistent flowering" might be related to the maturity/age of the plant. After having 10 of them for several years now, in various spots on our property I do agree that they look better for longer in a less than a full sun location. For sure they would not be my choice for US locations further south.

(IMO, this variety is perfect for use in a container)

Just curious, can you give me another paniculata that blooms as early as this one ie prior to July 1st (in my Canadian location).

Really appreciate the follow-up on this one and the additional comments. I think EE is going to be a no-go for me (at least for the area I'm thinking about, which is front of the house, SE-facing, 6+ hours sun). I'm now considering Invincibelle Limetta or the new Incrediball Stormproof, though the latter is brand new to the market, and I feel like I need to see more reviews on it before I invest.

7b in full sun would likely not be good for EE

The ones I have seen that I would consider to have a comparable bloom time to EE in MN are Spring Sizzle, Quick Fire, Sweet Starlight, Fire and Ice, Hot Sauce and Torch. They all started blooming about June20. I went out to look at the EE today and the oldest flowers have browned out already. It has been very warm lately.

Speaking of browning out, that's what Limetta does, I'd skip that one. If you want a reliable whitish arborescens, FlowerFull is the best one on the market by far.

Of course I cant comment on all your suggestions for early blooming paniculatas but I do have 'Quick Fire' and 'Fire and Ice' and neither comes close to EE (before July 1) for legitinate flowers. I am surprised it is not similary for MN. (And sticking with comparisons, our full sun EE has flowers still in the 'pinky' stage for summer 2026).

FlowerFull is the best one on the market by far.

We just got a good rain and our 'Flowerfull' has huge flowers and so I was curious how it would look weighed down by the water.

Looks pretty good...

(at least for the area I'm thinking about, which is front of the house, SE-facing, 6+ hours sun)

@lbd518 (7b DE), just my observations and probably not the prevailing one but even in my less harsh conditions than you experience (for sure much less strong sun and heat) I do not go to smooth, arborescens hydrangeas (unless it has easy access to water i.e. a sprinkler system ;)). Paniculatas look lots better in full sun and full heat

@rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) I completely agree with you and would typically not be considering an arborescens variety except there is a Limetta down the street from me in full sun (likely on drip or the owner is watering it regularly) and it performs quite admirably (no idea about Stormproof, that remains to be seen). My garden is equipped with drip, otherwise I’d probably be sticking with paniculatas. Though I’m kind of a weirdo in that I really dont like super huge blooms on hydrangeas; I actually tried a Chelsea Chop on my Little Lime to see if I could a) keep the overall size small and b) reduce the bloom size so they wouldn’t flop. Results currently pending…

My garden is equipped with drip

Lucky you! That does open up the possibilities for sure.

Clearly it is location, location, location.

Here it is July 24 and these full sun EE in Southern Ontario Canada are still in the cute pink phase.

rouge, that is just beautiful!! And I’m very happy to see the comment about Flowerfull because I bought 7 yesterday. I’m trying to move away from high maintenance perennials and add more low maintenance plants.

Hey @mazerolm_3a, when you have them (mass?) planted can you post a picture in the Flowerfull thread?