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Hydrangea arborescens 'Lucille' - Smooth Hydrangea from Quackin Grass Nursery

Hydrangea arborescens ''Lucille' - Named for my mother who died April, 2021 offers a display of light pink lacecap flowers expanding as wide as 7 inches. The inflorescence which emerge from deep pink buds very reminiscent of 'Eco Pink Puff' which is likely one of its parents. Foliage is typical. 'Lucille' is a strong grower unlike some of the highly touted, branded recent intros which have turned out to be giant puff balls on weak stems and poor growing garden candidates. It is unfortunate in these hasty times how these intros are marketed often without actual garden testing - we are led astray by lofty claims and pretty pictures; like moths to flame we waste money drunk on a decptive marketing narrative as our cynicism grows. Okay, okay - climbing down off of (or more likely falling off) my high horse now... oh my! It's soooo far down!! Anyway, this is lovely departure from the white flowers as usually seen in H. arborescens offerings. It arose as a volunteer at the edge of one of the gardens at QGN... I've looked at it from my deck for 3 years as of 2022 and from that distance; it is clearly and decidedly pink. Though lovely, I personally see this as a step towards something even better - deeper pinker with even bigger flowers, perhaps a dwarf form or one with better foliage such as the fantastic dark green to blue-green leaves with brilliant white udersides as in H. a. ssp. radiata. Full to half sun in fertile moist to draining ground. Established potted shrub from cutting.