Oakleaf hydrangeas: the December 22nd Arctic Blast did not kill stems nor flower buds. Big Leaf hydrangeas: bloomless (if not a reblooomer) due to the Arctic Blast but, still alive with new stems. Panicles: worst... several killed by summer (winter was not an issue). No or reduced blooms.

All my macs/serratas bloomed some this year, probably due to the deep snowpack over the winter. Tuff Stuff Aha, Blue Billow, Summer Crush and BloomStruck were the best. My oakleaf also bloomed which doesn't happen often up here in MN. Panicles across the board had small flowers this year probably because of the bad summer drought.

I have a couple that didn’t bloom at all this year. But Little Lime has faithfully bloomed every year.

"Annabelle" never fail to impress. My "Limelight" tree-form hydrangeas always look good, too, although they got pummeled by heavy rain and wind this year -- at least I got to enjoy them for a couple weeks before that occurred. I moved an old NOID oakleaf I had last fall or the fall before (can't remember) and I was pleasantly surprised it bloomed pretty nicely this year.

@north53 Z2b MB that LL looks gorgeous. How large has it become?

Rouge, Little Lime is about 4 ft tall by 5 ft wide. It is on the north side of my house. I bought it on clearance years ago and was really surprised when it survived.

Panicles across the board had small flowers this year probably because of the bad summer drought.

Hey @pennlake did you find this was true for your "Berry White"? I Had high hopes of good blooms for the 5 I have after getting lots of rain in July and much of August but it never really happened :(. Fingers crossed for next year.

I got Limelight a couple of years ago and it is a pretty big plant now. It does well but I think I might like a peegee hydrangea that stays white better. I like Limelight. I have a blue lacecap that does well and an oakleaf that is very large now. Have some old mopheads on my side yard. Am interested in Endless Summer types. Am curious whether Pistachio actually looks good or does well.

I thought about propagating my DIL's hydrangea but there are some narrow black streaks on the stems and whatever that is I don't want to import that to my yard. Any ideas what that is?

@rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) Yes, Berry White had small flowers too. It's in a spot that I can't water easily so if has to mostly fend for itself. Still colored nicely in the fall.

I am happy to report that all my hydrangeas bloomed spectacularly this year.

Mine all bloomed very well too with exception of a couple of young little limes.…

Annabelle AKA Old Reliable. I have a lovely up-and-coming oakleaf, but no flowers yet.

I forgot to mention. My three Berry Whites only bloomed in late summer, but they were beautiful. They are planted in the fall last year so they are not very big.

" Am curious whether Pistachio actually looks good or does well "

Zonal differences aside, Pistachio is a winner for me! Although photos of it initially turned me off, seeing the plant in bloom in person was the clincher. Really stunning colors!

" there are some narrow black streaks on the stems and whatever that is "

If referring to macrophyllas, dark streaking, dotting or even solid, nearly black stems may be completely natural.

All my hydrangeas did very well, as they do every year. You have to work very hard not to have great looking hydrangeas in my climate!! 🤗

" Am curious whether Pistachio actually looks good or does well "

Pistachio is not a winner for me, so far.

I've admired blooming plants in garden centers for years, so much so that I've suggested them for design clients. I planted one last fall in my current Oregon garden and the flowers this first summer are 99.9% green, and not a bright chartreuse green, nearly the same color as the foliage, so they completely disappear. I did add aluminum sulfate to the soil, thinking it would improve the purple colors, along with all of my other hydrangeas, which were spectacular this season. Not sure if the AS caused my green flowers or if there is some other explanation. My plant is in the ground, I'm assuming yours is in a container, Pam? I wonder it that has anything to do with your good results?

Other than Pistachio all of the others were incredible this summer, the best probably being 'Spike', a macrophylla. He went from bright, true blue, to nearly all green, to pale purple and now magenta with blue-violet highlights. And no matter when I cut flowers, they always kept their color and very heavy, "meaty" substance.

Yes, Pistachio was in a container and had been all 7 or so years of its life. And bloomed consistently and quite heavily each year. I almost ever think to take a pics of my own garden or plants so no personal photos to share. But this internet image is pretty much the way it looked - flowers open to mostly chartreuse then take on magenta purple tones in the center as they mature.

I am embarrassed to admit I managed to murder Pistachio this past winter. The container had been in place for several years sitting on bare soil and apparently the drainage hole became clogged. When I finally noticed after a very wet spring, it had 3 inches of water sitting on top of the potting soil!! First time that has happened and the pot was too large and too heavy for me to even tilt it to drain. 😞

I liked it so much I plan to replace it next season. And that's saying a lot, as my new garden is really tight on space so must limit my hydrangea choices dramatically.

I'll give Pistachio one more season, and if it doesn't look like all the photos we've all drooled over, its outa here, as its in a very prominent spot near our patio, prime garden real estate! Also, my plant gets a ton of sun, which it doesn't mind, but I wonder if that may contribute to the colorless flowers?

I really enjoy my double-flowered’ oakleaf hydrangea, ’Snowflake’.

The enjoyment begins in midsummer and continues into the winter with attractive texture in the dried flowers. I highly recommend it!

Zone 7a. No photos but my limelight hydrangeas and oak leaf hydrangeas bloomed beautifully as usual.

@rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) your hydrangeas in pots are beautiful!! Which ones have you had the most success with? Have you tried Proven Winner “Fairytrail Bride” in a pot?

2nd year in a row that my endless summer hydrangeas in pots disappointingly did not bloom despite healthy foliage and the same planted in the ground bloomed well. I don’t think it is a water/sun/fertilizer issue.

Have you tried Proven Winner “Fairytrail Bride” in a pot?

I did but over the last half of the summer, FB slowly but surely failed to thrive and I am not hopeful that it will be alive come next May :(.