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photo of Tim Wood

Meet the Breeder

Tim Wood
Grand Haven, MI, USA

TUFF STUFF™

Hydrangea - Mountain

Hydrangea serrata

'MAK20'

PP#24,820; CBR#4527

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A specimen of Tuff Stuff mountain hydrangea covered in pink lacecap blooms in a brick bed near a patio "} A rounded mature specimen of Tuff Stuff mountain hydrangea covered in pink and blue blooms in the landscape Many pink flowers on Tuff Stuff mountain hydrangea in front of a yellow spirea Closeup of the flowers of Tuff Stuff mountain hydrangea showing the purple blue color variant Closeup of the flowers of Tuff Stuff mountain hydrangea showing the pink color variant YouTube video describing the plant shown on this page
  • Improved hardiness
  • Reblooming
  • Colorful blooms
Description

Bud-hardy rebloomer! We wanted a hydrangea with improved bud and stem hardiness in addition to the ability to flower on new wood - and we created Tuff Stuff™ Hydrangea serrata. Deep pink lacecap flowers create a mass of color in early summer, and it continues to produce new flowers right up until frost. The semi-double to double florets begin with creamy coloration in the center before maturing to an intense pink. If you've had inconsistent performance with H. macrophylla, try the Tuff Stuff™ series - they're the reblooming hydrangeas that deliver on their promise.

Awards
2012 Gold Medal Plantarium
USDA Zone
4 - 9 (-30°F/-34.4°C)
Exposure
Full sun, Part sun
Height
2 - 3'
Width
2 - 3'
Finish Time
.5 season
Type
Deciduous
Bloom Time
Summer - fall
Flower Color
Pink, Purple
Foliage Color
Green
Liner Sizes
4", Quick Turn, Pre-Budded

Soil

Moist but well drained soils are best. Mountain hydrangeas are less susceptible to wilting than bigleaf hydrangeas, but cannot take soggy conditions for any period of time. Tolerant of a range of soil pH levels, however, soil pH will influence flower color.

Pruning

Avoid pruning mountain 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

Mountain hydrangeas can be used the same as bigleaf hydrangeas: perfect for flower gardens, cottage gardens, and seaside plantings. They also make a showy addition to foundation plantings and can be used for low hedges or edging.

Growing Tips

Mountain hydrangeas are from the same area of Japan as bigleaf hydrangeas but grow in the mountains instead of the seaside. As a result, they have naturally developed better cold tolerance and thus make an outstanding choice for gardens in USDA zones 5 and 6 especially.

  • Grower Sheet: Tuff Stuff™ Hydrangea Grower Sheet
  • Spec Sheet: Tuff Stuff™ Hydrangea Spec Sheet
  • Benchcard: Tuff Stuff™ Hydrangea Benchcard
  • Tag: Tuff Stuff™ Hydrangea Tag
  • Booklet/Brochure: Proven Winners ColorChoice Programs: Pre-Budded Hydrangeas

    • Features: Attracts pollinators, Alkaline soil, Clay soil, Cut flower, Heat tolerant, Salt tolerant, Reblooming, Compact

    Filters: Botanical genus: Hydrangea, Common name: Hydrangea - Mountain, Retail program: Proven Winners® ColorChoice®, USDA Zone 4, USDA Zone 5, USDA Zone 6, USDA Zone 7, USDA Zone 8, USDA Zone 9, Exposure: Full sun, Exposure: Part sun, Bloom time: Summer, Pink flowers, Purple flowers, Green foliage

    Features: Attracts pollinators, Alkaline soil, Clay soil, Cut flower, Heat tolerant, Salt tolerant, Reblooming, Compact

    Filters: Botanical genus: Hydrangea, Common name: Hydrangea - Mountain, Retail program: Proven Winners® ColorChoice®, USDA Zone 4, USDA Zone 5, USDA Zone 6, USDA Zone 7, USDA Zone 8, USDA Zone 9, Exposure: Full sun, Exposure: Part sun, Bloom time: Summer, Pink flowers, Purple flowers, Green foliage