Think I'm gonna have a hard time resisting picking up at least three of these next year when they're available in my part of Canada,

@FrozeBudd_z3/4, I say take a look now. I have seen this hydrangea at now 2 nurseries in the past couple of weeks.

I have been thinking about where to plant my FlowerFull hydrangea. I rewatched the video. It is going to be huge so i have to give its placement some more thought.

Rouge, will keep my eyes peeled when heading to a few nurseries in the following days, you know I need lots more plants, LOL.

Oops I didn't read it properly before! LOL! Yes, rouge, I am in Edmonton, AB! No, I have not seen this in my local nurseries and there is just a bunch of sad looking stuff there in the stores now.... I look forward to seeing this perhaps next year or the year after here!!!

FB, you are too funny! You "NEED" more plants!? ROTFLOL!

Saw this video the other day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6KJ-fVquEY

(Start at the 8:30 mark for talk about Flowerfull, This gardener is replacing 20 year old Annabelles)

What a coincidence, I watched that video yesterday. I can't bring myself to remove all my Incrediball hydrangeas to try out FlowerFull or the new Incrediball Storm Front. It isn't even just the money that I spent, it literally hurts my heart to see hydrangeas simply killed.

I will eventually remove four macrophyllas that have refused to bloom after three years, but that day isn't here yesterday.

Unless something new is a massive improvement, I have no intention of removing my 'Incrediball', yes though, it does require staking, but so does all the taller smooth hydrangea I've grown other than for 'Incrediball Blush' that so far has been sturdy as heck! Am looking forward to growing the new varieties in which am already contemplating their placement.

I would consider not flopping over a massive improvement. Around here this year, and most years really, Annabelle/Incrediball are some combination of nodding, leaning over, splayed and flattened by mid-late summer.

I can't bring myself to remove all my Incrediball hydrangeas to try out FlowerFull

@chrysalids, in this most recent video I linked, she is replacing her 20 year old Annabelles. And I understand completely why one would do that but Incrediballs are a whole other story. It is my understanding, from what I have read and seen on line that "Flowerfull" is a much improved, several step up from "Annabelle". (I was at a nursery the other day which has a large variety of hydrangeas and yet far and away the hydrangea they had the most of is "Annabelle".)

Not sure if this is representative of every Fall to come but it was nice in its first Fall in our garden.

Nice fall color show!

So I have 3 Flowerfull that went in the ground back in August 2024. I realize it has only been a little over a full year that they have been in the ground on our property and correspondingly the flowers and growth have just been 'average'. So far there is nothing to distinguish them from stalwart Annabelle.

Of the three Flowerfull that I have, I notice that 2 of them have darker green foliage as compared to the other specimen. And as I recall darker leaves is a distinguishing feature of Flowerfull? I recently visited a nursery that had a large quantity of Flowerfull and the I was surprised to see lighter foliage. (I am pretty sure this isn't light related).

(I hope I wasnt sold a "re"badged Annabelle ;))

It may be normal. In the sometimes very high-nitrogen environments of container-grown nursery stock, plants may grow so quickly that new leaves expand faster than chlorophyll can accumulate, leading to -temporarily- lighter foliage. They typically do high-nitrogen for what I would call "accelerated" market readiness of the shrubs that are being mass produced and shipped to the plant nurseries. With more morning sunlight at homes, the leaves may slowly darken.

I purchased 3 Flowerfull from Home Depot and they were on sale 50% off ($15/a piece). Looking forward to seeing what they will do next year.

I purchased 1 more. Hoping to make a hedge w/them bordered by catmint.

rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) I forgot to ask which hydrangea that was in the above picture showing a nice fall yellow color show.

Hey @luis_pr that was a "Flowerfull" from Fall 2024.

FrozeBudd, how are you? I guess all the rain that we have been receiving must have been good to your hydrangeas! I am curious as to how your Flowerfulls are doing? I have a space that would be perfect for a hardy hydrangea and I am wondering what to get! It would be great for something up to 4-5 feet tall and wide... I am considering a Flowerfull, Firelight Tidbit (maybe too small?) or something else... so I thought that you would be a good advisor for me!!! :-) Thanks!

I am also curios about an update! Also, how do you do your cuttings?

Hi Ostrich ... YES, sure has been terribly very WET, as well cool and usually very cloudy for this region normally drenched in copious sunshine! Shrubs and perennials most are doing great, though heat loving plants and as well the veggie garden is lagging.

'Flowerfull' is about 3.5 ft and still expanding upwards as it develops its flowerheads carried upon each and every single stem. I did not fertilize, though possibly should have, but foliage looks good rather dark green. I did feed 'Invincibelle Spiirt II' in which is again having a stellar year just loaded in masses of blooms, though smaller heads as possibly I should have pruned it back somewhat more. Now, I haven't tired 'Firelight Tidbit', only newish one I've added three springs ago is 'Quickfire Fab' and it wants to be pokey, though filling out a bit this year, I still can't really comment on it, but so far so good I guess.

Kelly, as for cuttings, now is a great time. I take one node cuttings, some folks prefer two nodes and sink them down into ProMix, reduce the foliage to one leaf and cut in half to reduce transpiration, then tent over with plastic and keep in a bright location out of direct sun. Normally, I put all together in a container, but this year am doing so in a cell pack, they tend to take root in a about a month or so, resist temptation to pull up cuttings to check on progress, this usually just ends up doing them in!

Thanks, FrozeBudd!!!

FB, is this your Flowerfull's 2nd season please? I just cannot remember! Do you agree that in our area, these paniculatas and arborescens just never quite get to the size that they were advertised to grow to? I am not complaining - in fact, I like it like this! LOL!

Guess what? I went to CT after work today and took a quick look and surprisingly found a nice Flowerfull and I just could not resist it, esp since it is about a third off! I was so happy to come home with it!! Ha! Now I need to find a space for it :-)

BTW, how is your Firelight? How many years have you had it for and how tall and wide is it now please?

Thank you again!

@ostrich, I am not esteemed member @FrozeBudd_z3/4 ;), but here is a couple of pictures of our two "Flowerfull" plants coming into full bloom in a wild and woolly area of the garden. (Both planted late in the season of 2024).

Rouge, thank you! These are beautiful photos - I really like these wooded areas and I wished that I could have something like this at home!

I take it that you must be enjoying your Flowerfull a lot? They look great there! Thanks!

Rouge, your setting is beautiful tranquil !!

Ostrich, yes, 'Flowerfull' planted last June and wintering just fine, winter though on the mild side, but sooo very long! Another ten days and 'FF' should be looking much better than shown here! Am looking forward to comparing it with 'Storm Proof' when I might come across it.

As for 'Firelight', apparently it did not love my zone 3 gardens, I had three and only one had kicked moderately into gear, but despite good irrigation and nutrition, for whatever the reason, the blooms quickly had gotten all spotty, maybe our very low humidity(?) and it just never looked great compared to photos from others. As for 'Quick Fire Fab', it's now about 35 inches tall by just as wide and budding up.

The clematis it's snuggled with ... 'Reflections', can't wait for this one to grow to its mature height of 6 to 8 ft ...

They look great there!

Very kind @ostrich

I take it that you must be enjoying your Flowerfull a lot?

I am not really sure yet. I kinda forget now the as to the reasons for the hype of this hydrangea. I also have "Storm Proof" which I think is the direct competition?

(But I do have a hydrangea in bloom that I am always impressed by...."Haas Halo"; my fave hydrangea.

Pics of this variety never seem to do it justice.)

FrozeBudd, I ADORE your clematis!!! I am new to the world of clematis and yours is just PERFECT! Where did you get it from please? How well does it bloom? I love the subtle colours and shape! Just gorgeous! Thanks!!!

Now, I had NO IDEA that there was an Incrediball Storm Proof coming out! One could never catch up with these things... LOL! BTW, I must say that I was not a huge fan of the humongous snow balls of Incrediball.... I prefer the more dainty, smaller versions and that's why the Flowerfull should be lovely for me.... but it is good to know about Storm Proof sitll. Thanks!

Rouge, WHERE ON EARTH CAN I GET HAAS HALO FROM PLEASE!? I have never seen that in Edmonton, in any of the garden centres that I have visited!!! I would LOVE to get my hands on one!!! I love this kind of look! Thanks for the gorgeous photo!

BTW, my Invincible Lace never quite took off in my yard. I must say that it was a bit of a bust for me... LOL... maybe it was the location that I had chosen for her? I hope that Haas Halo is not quite as fussy as that.....

Ostrich, yes, clematis 'Reflections' is a unique sweetie I obtained from Phoenix Perennials .... though, just in its second year, is all too new to give my unbiased opinion, though is finer less robust pant I tucked in a protected corner. For a clematis newbie, I'd search out 'Pernille' or 'Fairy Dust', both light colored and vigorous non stop bloom machines! Another unique one I'd also highly recommend, but of double soft blue is the amazing 'Blue Light' ... sooo many wonderful clematis to choose from!

'Haas Halo', I only once came across at the Big Greenhouse, I had not bit at the time only to completely miss out. I removed 'Incrediball' for also desiring a more compact form, as well at times a good deal of the stems were blind non flowering. 'Incrediball Blush' had removed itself from my gardens with some type of fatal stem blight. At least for myself, I find the arborescence and paniculata types prefer very good soils.

WHERE ON EARTH CAN I GET HAAS HALO FROM PLEASE!?

@ostrich, funny you mention this as I did some serious searching in June for this plant. The two nurseries that I had previously sourced it no longer carry it and I even reached out to the grower and they no longer produce it as there wasnt enough demand. I would be surprised if you can find it in your beautiful province of Alberta.

@ostrich, I might have spoken too soon re my seeming indifference to "Flowerfull".

I looked at it today and the flowers had more fully developed and were almost a bright white....and this bloom approaching 8" across.

Its weird as there is another Flowerfull only a few feet awy from this one (you can see it in my posted picture further up this thread) and its blooms are not nearly as large as those in this specimen.

Looks very similar to one in my garden for over 20 years.

Rogue21- are the plants planted in similar sun situations or does one get more shade?

From rouge:

"....and I even reached out to the grower and they no longer produce it as there wasnt enough demand"!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What on earth. rouge!? Not enough demand!? Good grief! Is it simply because it does not have a big company to market it!? Surely it is one of the most gorgeous hydrangeas out there!!! I would LOVE to get my hands on one here in Alberta..... sigh!

Of course that is a beautiful hydrangea "HU-174267677"...maybe an Annabelle given that it is from 20 years ago. I think one of "Flowerfulls" claim to fame is its ability to support flowers better than an Annabelle.

@Kelly Tregaskis Collova, that is what one might think but they are so close...take a look

Wow! Interesting

@ostrich, I have been won over with Flowerfull.....very large blooms now.

Yes, those large and FULL heads on a more compact sturdy plant! I think 'Storm Proof' will on the other hand appeal to those who prefer a look that is more open airy less packed with florets. Right now, my 'Flowerfull' sits at 45 inches tall and not yet in full bloom. The cuttings shown above have taken root and have since taken more, they certainly root quickly at this time of the year!

I just planted flower full ! Broke a bunch of branches planting so glad to hear it’s easy to root…I have them in some water on my windowsill. Fingers crossed!

Excellent 'Kelly'. Hopefully you will post pics when it is in bloom next season. And let us know how propagation goes.

@FrozeBudd_z3/4, I have two "Storm Proofs" in the ground, one planted last year and another planted a couple of weeks ago. I wont be able to compare and contrast with "Flowerfull" till next year.

It's been bugging me a bit i.e. are these two Flowerfulls or is one of them a Stormproof?

I would have sworn they were both Flowerfulls but when in bloom they appear significantly different even though they are almost side by side:

Flowerfull for sure

Maybe Stormproof?

Leaves side by side:

😍 I am thinking that your wet cool summer has helped? 😍

I watered this guy twice early in the growing season and not again, has been soooo immensely WET this summer. In its second year is 45 inches high by about 3.5 ft wide. Intend to give RONA a call to see if any remain in stock, think I may replace some of my other hydrangeas with this nice classy plant!

You guys are tempting me so badly with all of your gorgeous shrubs!!! LOL! Rouge and FB, I can't wait for my Flowerful to "grow up"!!! :-)

OK, I still can NOT find any Halo Haas anywhere..... sigh!!!

Hey @FrozeBudd_z3/4, I have both Flowerfull and Stormproof and will make for a good comparison. Do you have Stormproof as well?

With the gawd awful weather this summer, I have not made my usual rounds to the nurseries, thus not yet come across 'Storm Proof' ... Gosh, I bet nursery sales in my region are dismal this year for the sopping WET!

These develop quickly from cuttings, I struck some dormant cuttings last November into ProMix and kept container in the cool of about 10 C (50 F) for the duration of the winter ... my success not great for only one took, but here it is today and already a bit of a sturdy thing that shall make for a good specimen in 2027. Though, of my recent attempt, about a dozen have rooted and flushing in new growth.

FB, I hear you! I have not been to the nurseries much at all this year myself but for a different reason (family illness).... sounds like we will need to hope for better things next year!

Your cuttings are doing really well! WOW!