Hydrangea paniculata Polestar

The Hydrangea paniculata Polestar is a beautiful early ultra-compact and new-comer, ideal for growing in pots and very useful for small spaces or flower beds. It has flat ivory-white inflorescences from early summer, turning pink as the season progresses, on short and branching stems. Tolerant, it grows in any fertile and well-drained soil that is not too dry. It looks just as sensational planted on its own in a pot, or planted en masse, in full sun or partial shade.

The Polestar hydrangea belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family, and its multitude of hydrangeas with various colours and shapes. The paniculate hydrangeas come from the Far East, from Japan to southern China. They are distinctive because of the large conical inflorescences (panicles) produced in summer on upright or arching branches, often shaded with purple. In wild varieties, white fertile flowers (tiny and without petals) and sterile flowers (with large, visible petals) coexist. In specially bred varieties, it is most often the sterile flowers that are developed, imparting a beautiful richness to the plant. They thrive in warm sun or partial shade.

The variety Polestar 'Breg14' (syn. Switch Ophelia), recently developed in the Netherlands, has a dense and exceptionally compact habit, growing to about 50 cm (19.7 in) in height and spread. Unlike most other paniculate hydrangeas, it starts flowering in June; it produces fairly flattened inflorescences, containing sterile flowers on short but erect stems and, as such, are quite similar to the panicles of wild varieties. Starting out a beautiful ivory pearl-white, shaded with green, they gradually take on a tender pink and then a vermillion hue as the weeks go by. They then fade like paper, remaining beautiful until autumn - or even later if the weather is mild. In mid-autumn, the thick, oval leaves take on magnificent yellow-orange hues before falling.

The Hydrangea paniculata is pretty easy going: very hardy, it is happy in any good, well-drained garden soil that is not too acidic or chalky. It tolerates occasional drought once well-rooted, although it is not particularly fond of hot weather, which can sometimes cause its flowers to fail. After a few years in the ground, it grows quite rapidly, and the branches can grow by more than 60 cm (23.6 in) a year, especially after severe pruning. Unlike Hydrangea macrophylla (the "real" hydrangea), H. paniculata flowers on new wood, which means it can be pruned even in spring, without compromising the coming year's flowering.

Polestar's compactness allows it to be used in small gardens, where it make an exceptional specimen,  but in larger areas, you can plant it in mass plantings for a spectacular effect. It will also be perfect in a pot on a terrace or large balcony, provided it is watered from time to time. You can combine it with other varieties of hydrangeas, such as Mojito, whose pistachio-green cones will bring a refreshing contrast. Other small bushes such as the Deutzia Yuki Cherry Blossom, the Weigela 'Minor Black', or the heather Erica x darleyensis 'Kramer's Rote' will be perfect companions. You can also combine it with perennials such as 'Star of Beauty' (pink-green) or 'Florence' (white, shaded with pink).