Hydrangea paniculata Petite Star

Hydrangea paniculata 'Petite Star' is a variety of paniculate hydrangea with a compact development that stands out for its abundant flowering that changes colour throughout the summer, proving very decorative for over three months. Its rounded and compact flower panicles that transition from lime-green to red through cream-white and pink almost cover its low and wide vegetation. Ideal for landscaping small gardens, this hydrangea also makes a big impact in a pot on the terrace.

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 'Petite Star' 'COUSTAR02' variety is the leader of a beautiful series of paniculate hydrangeas with a compact habit. It was selected in France by Jacques Couturieux. The shrub has a low and wide bushy habit, with thick and erect main branches remaining very straight under the weight of the flowers. At maturity, this variety will reach about 55 cm (21.7 in) in height and 95 cm (37.4 in) in width. From the end of June, many upright cone-shaped panicles bloom on the year's branches; these are 15 cm (5.9 in) long and wide and very dense but more compact and rounded than those of other H. paniculata varieties. They contain mainly large sterile, single florets, evolving from a lime-green shade to cream-white and then pink, to end up pink-red in September. From spring, the branches bear oval, finely dentate leaves of a fairly light green, 5 to 15 cm (2 to 5.9 in) long and 5 to 7 cm (2 to 2.8 in) wide. These turn yellow in autumn before disappearing in winter. Paniculate hydrangeas are less sensitive to late frosts, as the majority of them bloom on the year's shoots. This variety will withstand -20 °C (-4 °F), or even below.

Hydrangea paniculata Petite Star stands out 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 lime, in a few seasons 'Petite Star' forms a bush that disappears under its changing flowers for over three months. Install it alone, in a low hedge or in a massif, or even in clear 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. 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 regular fertiliser and watering.