Blushing Bride

Hydrangea

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Bailmer' and 'Sister Theresa'

Summary: 'Blushing Bride' has a coarser serrate leaf margin than 'Bailmer'. 'Blushing Bride' has a weaker peduncle than 'Sister Theresa'. 'Blushing Bride' has weak anthocyanin colouration in the large calyx while 'Bailmer' has medium to strong anthocyanin. The large calyx is white, maturing to light blue pink and violet for 'Blushing Bride' while it is violet to blue pink for 'Bailmer' and white for 'Sister Theresa'. 'Blushing Bride' has stronger overlapping of the sepals than the reference varieties. The large calyx of 'Blushing Bride' has serrate incisions on some of the sepal margins while 'Bailmer' has crenate incisions on some of the sepals and 'Sister Theresa' has serrate incisions on all of the sepals.

Description:

PLANT: upright rounded growth habit, hardiness zone 4-9, flowers early

LEAVES: medium green on upper side, no variegation, no glossiness, elliptic to ovate, acute to acuminate apex, acute base, no lobing, coarse serrate margin

INFLORESCENCE: medium strength peduncle, flowers with small calyx inconspicuous, globular shape, mop-head type, dense grouping of sterile flowers with large calyx
LARGE CALYX: weak anthocyanin colouration, white, maturing to light blue pink and violet, four to five sepals, sepals strongly overlapping, margin incisions serrate and present on some sepals, sepals wide ovate
SMALL CALYX: cream pink

Origin & Breeding History: 'Blushing Bride' was developed by the breeder, Dr. Michael Dirr, at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, USA. The new variety originated from a controlled cross pollination of the Hydrangea macrophylla varieties 'Veitchii' as the female parent and 'Bailmer' as the male parent. The cross was made in 2001 and the new variety was selected from the resultant progeny based on criteria for remontant blooming, increased resistance to mildew and improved leaf and flower characteristics. The new variety was first propagated by softwood cuttings in 2002 in Athens, Georgia, USA.

Tests & Trials: The tests and trials for 'Blushing Bride' were conducted in an outdoor trial at BioFlora in St. Thomas, Ontario in the summer of 2007. The trials included 15 plants of each variety. All plants were established in 2 gallon containers in spring 2006 and transplanted into 3 gallon containers on August 1, 2006. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety on June 23, 2007. All colour measurements were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour chart.

Comparison table for 'Blushing Bride' with reference varieties 'Bailmer' and 'Sister Theresa'

Colour of large calyx (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Hydrangea: 'Blushing Bride' (left) with reference varieties 'Bailmer' (centre) and 'Sister Theresa' (right)