Limelight Prime Hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 3a-8b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Deciduous Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 4-6′

Width at Maturity: 4′

Spacing: 3 to 3.5′ for solid hedges; 7′ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Upright, Dense, Rounded

Flower Color: Chartreuse, fading to Cream and then to Pink!

Flower Size: Large – up to 12 inches long

Flowering Period: Summer thru Fall

Flower Type: Single in large clusters

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: NA

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Full Sun to Part Shade in North, Part Shade in South (Filtered Sun or Shade in the Afternoon)

Water Needs: Average, low when established

Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sand (amended), Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist

Soil pH: 6.0 – 8.0 (Moderately Acid to Moderately Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Very Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Drought (when established in part shade), Heat, Humidity, Insect, Sun

Description

Don’t have room for the 8 to 10 foot tall classic Limelight Hydrangea? Meet Limelight Prime, a new introduction that grows to only 5 to 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide, which makes it a perfect fit for smaller garden spaces and pots, planters and other containers. There are other differences as well. The flowers on Limelight prime emerge earlier and though they start out the same chartreuse color as Limelight fade to pink by late summer and finally to a cheerful deep pinkish-red in fall. The large flower clusters are held on very sturdy stems that won’t flop and its long bloom period means you’ll enjoy colorful flowers for over 3 months every year. Excellent as an eye-catching specimen, natural flowering hedge, or as the backdrop to lower growing perennials and shrubs. Cut flowers are perfect for both fresh and dried flower arrangements.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing in an upright rounded form to 5 to 6 feet all ad 4 feet wide, the Limelight Prime Hydrangea makes an impressive specimen shrub all on its own but is also ideal for hedges and backgrounds for lowering growing shrubs and perennials. Also a nice addition to mixed flowering shrub borders, as an accent in home foundation plantings and in large pots, planters or other containers of 18 inches or more in diameter. A fine addition to white or pink color theme gardens and cut flower and cottage gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 3 to 3.5 feet apart for solid hedges; 7 feet apart for space between plants

Growing Preferences

Limelight Prime Hydrangea is exceptionally easy to grow when planted right and in the right spot. Almost any moist but well-drained soil of average fertility will do. Limelight Prime can take the heat at our location here in north-central Georgia, but it’s also exceptionally cold hardy, withstanding even the coldest winter temperatures as far north as USDA Zone 3a, where it will also tolerate full, all day sun. In the South, zones 7 and below, it will tolerate full sun, but we think it performs and looks its best with some filtered sun or dappled shade during the hottest hours of summer afternoons. At least 5 hours of direct sunlight per day or all day lightly filtered sun is suggested for best flowering. Too much shade and plants become floppy with diminished flowering.

Note: Limelight is a Hydrangea paniculata species that produces its flowers from buds that are formed on “new wood” (the current season’s growth). This means you don’t want to prune them in late spring or summer when they’re preparing to bloom.

For proper pruning time and techniques on various types of Hydrangea see: How To Prune Various Types Of Hydrangea

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Hydrangeas.

How To Plant Hydrangeas In The Ground & Pots

How To Prune Various Types Of Hydrangea

How To Fertilize And Water Hydrangeas

Plant Long & Prosper!

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