Mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird'

Questions about mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird'

Does mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird' need sun or shade?

Mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird' grows in part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun) and part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning).

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, rich in organic matter, and plenty of water.

What zones does mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird' grow in?

USDA zones 6 to 9. It is hardy to zone 6, which means it survives winter nights down to about 0 °F (−18 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late June to late August. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird' be planted?

3½ ft (100 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 4 ft (120 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 4 ft (120 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird' plants do I need?

At 3½ ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 1 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 4 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 3 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as one, planted singly: it is the bed's structure, and everything else is arranged around it.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird' poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: mild toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. Leaves and buds can cause vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten.

Rated from NC State Extension and the ASPCA. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird'?

These come closest to doing what mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird' does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Summersweet 'Ruby Spice': the same job in a bed and the same flowering time; 24 in taller, pink, not blue.
• Red twig dogwood 'Arctic Fire': the same job in a bed and the same size; grown for its leaves, not its flowers.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird'?

They may. NC State does not list it as resistant to deer or rabbits. Where they visit, protect it, or plant it among ones they avoid.

What flowers after mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird'?

Mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird' is over by late August. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Japanese anemone: from mid August to early October, 3 ft tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Blue wood aster: from mid September to mid October, 3 ft tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Zigzag goldenrod: from mid August to late September, 3 ft tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.

What does mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird' look like in winter?

Mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird' drops its leaves and stands as bare branches. That is when to see its shape, and to prune it if it needs pruning.

Is mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird' good for bees and butterflies?

Mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird' is visited by bees.