TUFF STUFF AH-HA®

Hydrangea - Mountain

Hydrangea serrata

'SMNHSDD'

PP#29,832; CBR#6515

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Closeup of the blue waterlily like lacecap flower of Tuff Stuff Ah Ha mountain hydrangea "} A specimen of Tuff Stuff Ah Ha mountain hydrangea blooming blue in a greenhouse Closeup of single florets of Tuff Stuff Ah Ha mountain hydrangea showing both the pink and blue color variants The lacecap flower of Tuff Stuff Ah Ha mountain hydrangea in its pink color variant YouTube video describing the plant shown on this page
  • Improved hardiness
  • Reblooming
  • Colorful blooms
Description

A truly outstanding Hydrangea serrata. Standing out notably in our field and container trials for its outstanding reblooming ability, Tuff Stuff Ah-Ha® mountain hydrangea, the newest member of the series, has massive dinner plate sized blooms. Sterile florets are doubled and waterlily-like, taking on outstanding pink or blue coloration depending on soil conditions. Like all H. serrata, it has outstanding bud hardiness. Prepare to be impressed!

USDA Zone
4 - 9 (-30°F/-34.4°C)
Exposure
Full sun, Part sun
Height
2 - 3'
Width
2 - 3'
Finish Time
1 season
Type
Deciduous
Bloom Time
Summer - fall
Flower Color
Foliage Color
Green
Liner Sizes
4", Quick Turn

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. Fast to grow, but due to its propensity to rebloom, puts most energy into flower bud production over vegetatitve growth in summer.