Hydrangea paniculata Pandora

Hydrangea paniculata 'Pandora' is a very attractive paniculate hydrangea that is not very tall but is particularly early-flowering and floriferous. This small, well-ramified shrub offers large panicles of colour-changing flowers, ranging from yellow-green and lime-green to cream, pink and mauve-pink, creating a delightful gradation on the plant. Very useful for laying out small gardens, this selection also adapts perfectly to pot culture. Its pastel inflorescences are wonderful in floral arrangements.

Hydrangea paniculata, also called 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 'Pandora' variety, recently introduced on the market, displays modest growth with erect and solid main branches, which remain straight under the weight of the flowers. At maturity, this variety will reach about 1 m (3 ft 4 in) in all directions. From June, numerous spectacular flower panicles unfold on the year's branches. These are 20 cm (7.9 in) long and conical, but more rounded than those of other H. paniculata. They contain a large number of fertile, single, colour-changing florets. From spring, the branches bear fairly light green, ovate and finely dentate leaves, 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in) long and 5 cm (2 in) wide. They turn yellow in autumn, before disappearing in winter. Paniculate hydrangeas are less sensitive to late frosts, as they mostly bloom on the year's shoots. This variety will withstand temperatures as low as -20 °C (-4 °F) or even colder. 

Hydrangea paniculata Pandora distinguishes itself from its cousins, the large-leaved hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla), by its good tolerance to sun, sea spray and relative drought. Installed in any good garden soil, without too much limestone however, in a few seasons this Pandora variety forms a neat-looking bush that is covered in flowers for 3 months. Install it alone, 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 pair it with grasses like  Miscanthus, Panicum virgatum Squaw and Stipa. 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 with the addition of fertiliser and regular watering.