Hydrangea paniculata Mojito

Hydrangea paniculata Mojito is a beautiful compact new variety, which in summer bears large inflorescences in generous cones of an attractive pistachio-green colour, tinted with pink as the season progresses, supported on short and robust stems. A tolerant shrub which grows in any fertile, well-drained soil that is not too dry. It will be a sensation both as a standalone container plant as well as when planted en masse, in either sun or partial shade.

Hydrangea Mojito belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family, and its multitude of hydrangeas of varied colours and shapes. The paniculate hydrangeas come from the Far East, from Japan to southern China. Their distinctive feature is the production in summer of large conical inflorescences (panicles) on stiff or arched branches, often tinged with purple. In wild varieties, fertile white flowers (tiny and petal-less) and sterile flowers (with large, clearly visible petals) coexist. In horticultural varieties, it is most often the sterile flowers that are developed and bring a welcome generosity. They appreciate the sun (provided it is not too scorching) or partial shade.

Mojito is a compact and ramified variety, which will not exceed 1 m in height and about 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) in width. From July, it produces, on short but erect stems, opulent cones of 20 to 25 cm (7.9 to 9.8 in), whose pistachio-green shade tinted with white inevitably attracts the eye. As the flowering progresses, a pink shadow enhances this colour. They then gradually fade, like paper, remaining beautiful until autumn – or even later if the weather is clement. In mid-autumn, the ovate and thick leaves take on magnificent orange-yellow hues before falling.

Hydrangea paniculata is rather accommodating: very hardy, it is content with any good, well-drained garden soil that is not too acidic or chalky. It withstands passing droughts once well rooted, although it does not appreciate extreme heat that sometimes terminates its flowering. After a few years, its growth is quite rapid, and its branches can grow by more than 60 cm (23.6 in) per year, especially after hard pruning. Unlike Hydrangea macrophylla (the "true" hydrangea) H. paniculata flowers on one-year-old wood, which means that it can be pruned even in spring without compromising the year's flowering.

Its compactness allows it to be used in small gardens, where it will make an exceptional subject when isolated, but in larger grounds you can plant it en masse for a spectacular effect. It will also be perfect in a pot on a terrace or a large balcony, provided you remember to water it from time to time. You can combine it with other hydrangea varieties, such as Fraise Melba, which is taller (2 m (6 ft 7 in)) and has pink-red cones, in perfect contrast with the bright green of Mojito. Other small shrubs, like Physocarpus All Black, Berberis 'Rosy Glow', or Philadelphus 'Frosty Morn', will accompany it wonderfully,  Finally, consider an original tableau with other green flowers like Echinacea 'Green Jewel', 'Green Envy' (green-pink), Alchemilla mollis (green-yellow) or Euphorbia characias.