Painters Pallet Hydrangea

Hydrangea serrata ‘Painter’s Palette’

Other Common Names: Painter’s Palette Mountain Hydrangea

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 5a-9b Find Your Zone

Shrub Type: Deciduous Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 4-5′

Width at Maturity: 4-5′

Spacing: 4′ apart for solid hedges; 8′ or more apart for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Rounded Mound

Flower Color: Pink, White, and Green tricolor

Flower Size: 1″ in 4-6″ lacecap clusters

Flowering Period: Summer and Fall

Flower Type: Single in lacecap clusters

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Dark Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: NA

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Part Shade, Morning Sun, Filtered Sun (South) – Sun or Part Shade (North)

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (amend heavy clay to ensure good drainage), Loam, Sand (amend quick draining soil to retain moisture), Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well Drained

Soil pH: 6.0 – 8.5 (Moderately Acidic to Moderately Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Butterflies, Beneficial Pollinators, Hummingbirds, Visual Attention

Resistances: Cold Temperatures (-20F), Heat, Humidity, Insect

Description

An rare, unique and absolutely beautiful Mountain Hydrangea selected by Dr. Michael Dirr, ‘Painter’s Palette’ is a “must-have” for the hydrangea collector. It features abundant lacecap like clusters of tricolor flowers with white, pink and green shades on the same petal. A vigorous grower with high disease resistance, at 4 to 5 feet tall and equally as wide Painters Palette is a good fit as a specimen in small to medium size garden beds or in groupings or as a natural hedge where space allows in large borders. Plant one near a patio, deck, porch or other sitting space where the pretty flowers can be enjoyed from close up summer into fall. Though this one might tolerate full sun in the most northern areas of its range (zone 5), we suggest some shade or filtered sun during the afternoon hours. Morning and evening sun are fine.

Dr. Michael Dirr was the Director of the University of Georgia Botanical Garden. He was a professor at the University of Georgia and through the Dirr’s Georgia Plant Introduction Program has introduced over 100 new cultivars into the nursery trades. He has published over 300 scientific and popular publications and has authored seven books. His book, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture and Propagation and Uses has become one of the most widely adopted reference text in the education of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 4 to 5 feet tall and wide in a rounded mound, Painters Pallet Hydrangea is ideal for use as a specimen in partially shaded smaller garden spaces, home foundation plantings, and flowering shrub or perennial borders. Where space allows it is impressive in groupings or as a natural hedge. Just give it some shade or filtered sun during the hot afternoon hours. A fine addition to Hydrangea gardens, butterfly and beneficial pollinator gardens, shade and woodland gardens, hummingbird gardens and cottage gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 4 feet apart for solid hedges; 8 feet apart for space between plants

Growing Preferences

The Painters Pallet Hydrangea is very easy to grow in most any moist but well-drained soil with average fertility and part shade. In zone 5 and 6 it might tolerate more sun, however will appreciate some filtered sun or shade during the afternoon hours in warmer climates. Morning and evening sun are fine. We suggest at least 4 hours of direct sunlight or all-day moderately filtered sun per day. As with so many other ornamental plants, a constantly soggy or wet soil is problematic. Flower color might vary depending on soil pH. Acidic soils will make bluer flowers while a neutral to slightly alkaline soil will make pinker flowers.

Prune ‘Painter’s Palette’ as you would other Hydrangea serrata lacecapvarieties. Get tips for proper pruning time and technique in our article titled How To Prune Various Types Of Hydrangea

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, fertilize, prune and water Hydrangea shrubs…

How To Plant Hydrangeas In The Ground & Pots

How To Prune Various Types Of Hydrangea

How To Fertilize And Water Hydrangeas

Plant Long & Prosper!

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Questions? Contact Us

The plant arrived in good shape but has not yet flowered. I’m eagerly awaiting flowers.——————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the awesome review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG