SMNHRL

Hydrangea

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Annabelle'

Summary: The petiole of ‘SMNHRL' is shorter than that of ‘Annabelle'. The inflorescence of ‘SMNHRL' is shorter than that of ‘Annabelle'. The calyx of the sterile flower of ‘SMNHRL' is shorter than that of ‘Annabelle. When fully opened, the sepal of the sterile flower of ‘SMNHRL' is medium green with white towards the margin while that of ‘Annabelle' is white.

Description:

PLANT: non-climbing type, upright to semi-upright growth habit, broader than tall

STEM: no fasciation, green, absent or few small to medium sized reddish lenticels, strong

PETIOLE: green with some red at base
LEAF BLADE: no lobing, ovate shape, long tip, obtuse base, medium depth margin incisions, absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration, no variegation, medium green, no secondary colour, absent or weak glossiness of upper side, weak to medium degree of rugosity, flat in cross-section

INFLORESCENCE: globular shape, inconspicuous or slightly conspicuous fertile flowers, sterile flowers medium to dense
STERILE FLOWER: three to five sepals
SEPALS OF STERILE FLOWER: horizontal attitude, pointed to rounded apex, absent or weak rugosity, flat in cross-section, medium to strong degree of overlapping, absent or weak undulation, incisions of margin absent on all sepals, medium to light green (RHS 144A-B) when newly open, medium green (RHS 144B-C) with white (RHS 155A) towards margin when fully open, medium to light green (RHS 144A-C) when aged, no secondary colour

Origin & Breeding History: ‘SMNHRL' originated from a controlled cross that occurred between two unknown proprietary lines in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA in 2011. In 2015, a single unique plant was selected from the resulting progeny in Grand Haven, Michigan based on its flowering density on both terminal and lateral branches, foliage colour, remontant flowering, inflorescence size, stem strength, and sepal, flower, and foliage colour. Asexual reproduction of ‘SMNHRL' was first conducted by softwood cuttings in 2015 in Grand Haven, Michigan, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for ‘SMNHRL' was conducted in an outdoor container trial during the summer of 2025 in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 10 shrubs each of the candidate and reference variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 13.6 litre containers in the summer of 2024. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or 10 parts of plants, of each variety on June 5, 2025. Mean differences were significant at the 5% confidence probability level based on a paired Student's T-test. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'SMNHRL' with reference variety 'Annabelle'

Petiole length (cm)

Inflorescence height (cm)

Calyx length (cm)

Colour of the sepal of sterile flower (RHS)

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHRL' (left) with reference variety 'Annabelle' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHRL' (left) with reference variety 'Annabelle' (right)

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Hydrangea: 'SMNHRL' (left) with reference variety 'Annabelle' (right)