Winter hardiness

Winter hardiness and vulnerability to frost

Most Hydrangeas are hardy. This means that the branches and the buds that still are not opened will not be killed by frostbite. It may happen (especially with container plants) that the soil in which the roots are, will totally freeze. When there is lasting, severe, bleak, drying, frosty cold weather (with much wind), the branches and buds can dry up because no supply of moisture from the roots will be possible. We can avoid this by covering the plants in a proper way during severe frost, for instance with bubble plastic.

For container plants it is recommended to give them a frost free place indoors (as cool and light as possible). During the first winter after planting, when roots are not deep enough, or when there is bad garden soil, the chance of damage during frost will be greater. Then surely extra protection will be necessary.

Vulnerable to early frost in spring are the young opened buds. Most Hydrangeas have their buds sprouted in early spring so they can be caught by night-frost and be frostbitten. So it will be right to cover the buds if frost is forecasted for that night. By this covering during cold nights there will be a richer flowering in summer.

Because some of the colour changing Hovaria^® Hydrangeas have a very easy budding, it will be possible that, after buds are frostbitten, new buds will grow and these will even flower the very same year, although later. With Hovaria^® varieties, specially Hovaria® 'Homigo' and Hovaria® 'Hopaline', everyone will be more sure of a splendour of flowers in their gardens.

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