Return to Plant Finder

Meet the Breeder

Ushio Sakazaki

FAIRYTRAIL FRESCO®

Cascade Hydrangea

Hydrangea x

'WNHYDFBPBMH'

PPAF; CBRAF

Swipe to View More

A large blue Fairytrail Fresco Cascade Hydrangea in full bloom sits in front of a black bench with a blue striped rug beneath it.

A large pink Fairytrail Fresco Cascade Hydrangea sits on the ledge of a shaded front porch, covered in mophead flowers.

Fairytrail Fresco cascade hydrangea with light green, blue, and purple flowers.

The pink florets of Fairytrail Fresco Cascade hydrangea have an appealing lime green eye in their centers.

Fairytrail Fresco cascade hydrangea with pink flower heads and green foliage in a landscape.

Pink or blue flowers
Cascading habit
Earliest hydrangea to bloom

Description: Fairytrail Fresco is the long-awaited colorful edition to the award-winning series of Cascade Hydrangeas! Large mophead flowers will be blue or pink, depending on soil chemistry. In production, treat with aluminum sulfate to ensure the best blue. As with the other varieties in the Fairytrail series, Fairytrail Fresco hydrangea sets flower buds at every leaf node, creating its distinctive cascading or garland-like effect. Foliage turns red in fall as a fun season extender. Developed by Ushio Sakazaki.

USDA Zone: 5 - 9 (-20°F/-28.9°C)
Exposure: Part sun
Height: 3.5-4'
Width: 4.5'
Type: Deciduous
Bloom Time: Late spring-early summer
Flower Color: Blue, Pink
Foliage Color: Green
Liner Sizes: 2 1/4", 4", Quick Turn

General Care

Soil

Moist but well drained soils are best. Cascade hydrangeas are less susceptible to wilting than bigleaf hydrangeas, but cannot take soggy conditions for any period of time. Flowers will be blue in acidic soils that contain aluminum and pink under any other conditions.

Pruning

Avoid pruning Cascade Hydrangeas, except to remove any dead wood. These hydrangeas cannot be cut back or trimmed at any time of the year without impacting the bloom for either the current season or the next. Though they do rebloom readily on new wood, the best display comes from treating them as though they bloom only old wood.

Uses

Cascade hydrangeas are perfect for flower gardens, cottage gardens, and container gardens. They also make great hanging baskets or look great spilling over rocks and wall spaces.

Growing Tips

Best sited with morning shade, especially in late winter/early spring, to minimize the potential for frost damage to the flower buds, which form and emerge much earlier than others.

Features: Fall interest, Clay soil, Heat tolerant

Filters: Botanical genus: Hydrangea, Common name: Cascade Hydrangea , USDA Zone 5, USDA Zone 6, USDA Zone 7, USDA Zone 8, USDA Zone 9, Exposure: Part sun, Bloom time: Spring, Bloom time: Summer, Blue flowers, Pink flowers, Green foliage