Hydrangea paniculata Sunlight

Hydrangea paniculata Sunlight is a very compact paniculate hydrangea with particularly fluorescent foliage! Its leaves start out soft green and quickly become bright yellow, so bright that it is almost fluorescent – a quality which is rare in the garden and unique among hydrangeas. Its early summer flowering is also noteworthy, with white panicles slightly tinged with pink. Very stocky, with strong stems that carry its well-proportioned panicles without weakening, this hydrangea is perfectly suited to cultivation in large pots and is very useful for landscaping small spaces.

Hydrangea paniculata, also known as Paniculate Hydrangea, is a particularly hardy species of hydrangea belonging to the Hydrangeaceae family, native to the leafy forests of China and Japan. It is easy to grow in any good garden soil that remains fresh. The Sunlight variety, recently introduced to the market, shows a very reduced growth. Its main branches are erect and thick, remaining upright under the weight of the flowers. At maturity, this variety reaches about 60 cm (23.6 in) to 80 cm (31.5 in) in all directions.  From mid-June, many dense conical panicles of flowers bloom on the year's shoots. They consist mainly of fertile, single florets, quickly changing from a greenish-cream to white and then to a pink-tinged white. From spring, the shoots bear fairly light green, finely dentate, ovate leaves. They quickly become fluorescent yellow before disappearing in winter. Paniculate hydrangeas are less sensitive to late frosts, as they bloom mostly on the year's shoots. This variety withstands temperatures as low as -18 °C (-0.4 °F) or even lower. 

Hydrangea paniculata Sunlight differs from its cousins, the large-leaved hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) by its good tolerance to sun and sea spray. It tolerates a slightly less moist soil. Planted in any good garden soil (without too much lime, however), the Sunlight variety forms, in the space of a few seasons, a well-defined bush that is covered with flowers for 3 months. Install it on its own, in a low hedge or in a bed, or even in light undergrowth, mixed with other hydrangeas and perpetual roses to play with contrasts and shapes. You can also combine it with grasses such as Miscanthus, Panicum virgatum Squaw and Stipa. For a strong contrast, pair it with purple foliage or flowers. Its small size allows it to be incorporated without hesitation into a small garden and to be grown without difficulty in a large pot on the terrace where it will live for many years provided it is given fertiliser and regular watering.