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Hydrangea macrophylla Choco Love

Hydrangea macrophylla Choco Love
Bigleaf Hydrangea, French Hydrangea

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A hydrangea from the Rebellion® range, whose flower heads bloom from June to September. They change from pistachio green to dark red with brown highlights, against a backdrop of dark green, dense and glossy foliage. Flowering on both the previous year's wood and new shoots, this variety is well-suited to cold climates. Its compact habit makes it ideal for small gardens and container growing. Plant it in semi-shade or gentle sun, in rich, well-drained soil that is slightly acidic to neutral.
Flower size
15 cm
Height at maturity
1.10 m
Spread at maturity
1 m
Exposure
Partial shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -23.5°C
Soil moisture
Moist soil
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Best planting time April, October
Recommended planting time February to April, August to October
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Flowering time June to October
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Description

Hydrangea Rebellion® 'Choco Love' produces round flower heads with surprising colours, changing from pistachio green to deep red with chocolate highlights. It flowers on both old wood and new growth, guaranteeing reliable flowering even after a particularly harsh winter. It is a compact and generous shrub suitable for gardens of all sizes and for pot cultivation.

Hydrangea macrophylla, native to East Asia (China and Japan), belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family. 'Choco Love' is a cultivar from the Rebellion® range, a series of compact, robust varieties characterised by their ball-shaped flower heads with evolving colours and their adaptation to cold climates. Rebellion® hydrangeas are distributed in several Central European countries, notably the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary, where they regularly appear in specialist nursery catalogues.
Hydrangea 'Choco Love' is a deciduous shrub that forms a dense, well-branched clump with a rounded, compact habit, reaching 1 m to 1.20 m in height and 90 cm to 1.10 m in width at maturity. Under ideal conditions, it can reach up to 1.50 m in all directions, with a moderate annual growth of 10 to 20 cm. From June to September, this hydrangea displays large globular flower heads, composed of small sterile flowers tightly packed into large pom-poms. The flowers emerge in pistachio green tones, then over the weeks evolve into a warm dark red, tinged with chocolate brown highlights. This gradual metamorphosis offers a colourful show throughout the season, with several shades coexisting on a single shrub. The flower heads renew continuously on the old wood and then on the new growth. The abundant deciduous foliage is dark green and glossy. The leaves are opposite on the stems, oval to elliptical in shape, and measure around ten centimetres. They are finely toothed on the margin, pointed at the tip, and fall in autumn.

Particularly resistant to prolonged winters and hard frosts, the Rebellion® 'Choco Love' hydrangea is an excellent shrub for partially shaded spots, such as the east or north-east side of houses. It fits well into borders or a small hedge or can be placed as a specimen plant. It is compact, so it grows easily in a container on a terrace, balcony, or near an entrance. You can place it in front of a border of blue-leaved hostas and purple heucheras ('Midnight Rose', 'Black Beauty') or combine it with ferns to enhance its natural elegance. At its feet, plant bulbs of double daffodils or Siberian squills, which will flower in spring. In summer, its flowers can also be cut to make beautiful arrangements in the house.

Note: The flower colour of macrophylla hydrangeas varies noticeably depending on soil pH. Varieties traditionally blue turn pink in neutral or alkaline soil. To maintain a beautiful blue colour, mix ericaceous soil or peat into your garden soil and apply aluminium sulphate (slate contains it) or alum stone each spring.

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Hydrangeas: planting, pruning and care
Family sheet
by Alexandra 20 min.
Hydrangeas: planting, pruning and care
Read article

Hydrangea macrophylla Choco Love in pictures

Hydrangea macrophylla Choco Love  (Flowering) Flowering
Hydrangea macrophylla Choco Love  (Foliage) Foliage
Hydrangea macrophylla Choco Love  (Plant habit) Plant habit

Plant habit

Height at maturity 1.10 m
Spread at maturity 1 m
Habit irregular, bushy
Growth rate normal

Flowering

Flower colour brown/bronze
Flowering time June to October
Inflorescence Cyme
Flower size 15 cm
Good for cut flowers Cut flower blooms

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour dark green

Botanical data

Genus

Hydrangea

Species

macrophylla

Cultivar

Choco Love

Family

Hydrangeaceae

Other common names

Bigleaf Hydrangea, French Hydrangea

Botanical synonyms

Hydrangea macrophylla Rebellion® Choco Love

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference24802

Planting and care

Plant Hydrangea macrophylla Rebellion Choco Love in spring or early autumn, preferably in a shady position, for example against an east-facing wall. It tolerates morning sun well. Shelter it from cold, drying winds. It does not necessarily require ericaceous soil, but appreciates deep, moist but well-drained, fairly fertile soil, possibly enriched with a good fertiliser before planting. If the soil is dry at the base of the wall, place the root ball at least 30 or 40 cm away and incorporate plenty of well-rotted compost to better retain moisture in the soil. Very hardy, capable of flowering on the current year's shoots, it will be fine in very cold regions.

Planting period

Best planting time April, October
Recommended planting time February to April, August to October

Intended location

Suitable for Woodland edge
Type of use Border, Free-standing, Cut flowers, Small gardens, Container, Hedge
Hardiness Hardy down to -23.5°C (USDA zone 6a) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Exposure Partial shade
Soil pH Acidic, Neutral
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light)
Soil moisture Moist soil well-drained, rich

Care

Pruning instructions Prune at the end of winter, between February and March, outside periods of frost, removing the faded flowers just above a pair of healthy buds, and cut away any dead or damaged wood. Avoid severe pruning, as the plant flowers on both old wood and new shoots.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time February to March
Soil moisture Moist soil
Disease resistance Very good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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