Vanilla Strawberry is the commercial trade name for a popular hydrangea cultivar,Hydrangea paniculata’Renhy'.
The blooms on this hydrangea change color as the summer wears on.
The pink color gradually becomes deeper deeper pink and finally a very attractive dark shade of strawberry red.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Vanilla Strawberry is usually planted as a potted nursery specimen in early fall or spring.
Like mostHydrangea paniculatacultivars, it is a fast-growing plant that often achieves full size within a year.
Backfill with soil, then water thoroughly.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
This plant will grow to five feet in diameter, so provide plenty of space between plants.
With less than six hours of direct sunlight daily, plants will become overly leggy with fewer blossoms.
Given a choice, they prefer to enjoy direct sun during the morning hours.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
This hydrangea prefers a neutral or slightly acidicsoil pH, but isn’t terribly fussy.
It will tolerate temperatures down to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
In humid climates, it might be somewhat more susceptible to fungal diseases.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Fertilizer
If soil is poor, provide nutrients to this shrub regularly.
The best method is toamend the soil with plenty of compostevery year.
Withhold all fertilizer after late July to allow the shrub to move toward winter dormancy.
TheHydrangeagenus has several distinct species that are cultivated as garden plants.
Pruning
Panicle hydrangeas such as Vanilla Strawberry flower on the current season’s new stem growth.
It sets its bud in springtime on new stems for summer flowering.
Regular heavy pruning also tends to create plants that produce larger, but fewer, flowers.
Doing so can potentially invite legal consequences.
Seed propagation is not an option because the flowers of this cultivar are sterile.
Choose a pot at least 16 to 24 inches wide with drainage holes.
Hydrangeas will need to be repotted every few years as they become root bound.
Container-grown plants should be over-wintered by moving them to a sheltered location.
Larger blooms can be created if you prune off all but six to ten of the main stems.
Regular water and fertilizer are essential for good blooming.
They can also work in hedge applications or as foundation plantings.
Vanilla Strawberry hydrangeatolerates air pollutionwell.
It’s not uncommon for panicle hydrangeas to live 50 years if they are well cared for.
