Have You Met This Hydrangea? Introducing Blue Bunny™ Bracted Hydrangea

May 5, 2011 - PRLog -- There is no doubt hydrangeas are hot right now with home gardeners. With all the new cultivars of hydrangeas on the market, it is time for gardeners to discover Blue Bunny™ Bracted Hydrangea (Hydrangea involucrate), a recent introduction by Proven Winners® ColorChoice®.  

Blue Bunny is a blue hydrangea that blooms no matter what – year after year. It features stunning clusters of blue flowers surrounded by light blue to white florets. Blue Bunny blooms every summer, even if you cut it back to the ground before the season. The blue color of its flowers are unaffected by aluminum, acidic or alkaline pH in the soil.

Blue Bunny is hardy to USDA zone 6, and easy to grow for gardeners of any skill level.

“There are four reasons why this plant is truly special,” said Tim Wood, new products manager with Proven Winners ColorChoice. “It flowers on new wood, which means it will come back year after year and you don’t have to worry about losing flowers if you prune it before the growing season. It produces an abundance of blue and white flowers from mid-summer until frost, giving you color later in the season.

“Flower color is not affected by the pH of the soil, so the flowers always stay blue. Blue Bunny also doesn’t require much maintenance other than a light trimming now and again. All of these add up to a unique plant with a unique look, which hydrangea lovers are sure to enjoy.”

Reaching 2 to 4 feet tall, Blue Bunny will fit any sized gardens or landscaping – large or small. Starting with large, acorn-shaped buds, it creates a drift of blue flowers from mid-summer until fall.

The foliage is an attractive gray-green color, with unique “fuzzy” leaves.

Key features of Blue Bunny™ Bracted Hydrangea:

* Hydrangea involucrate 'Wim Rutten' PPAF
* Blooms on new wood.
* Color not affected by soil pH.
* Low maintenance.
* An elegant addition to mixed beds.
* Full to partial sun.
* Hardy in USDA zones 6 – 9.  
* Size: 2 to 4 feet tall – fits gardens large & small.
* Breeder: Wim Rutten

Easy to plant and easy to grow, Blue Bunny is a stunning addition to a sunny spot in the landscape, or a partially shaded mixed bed for contrasting or featured color.

Blue Bunny doesn’t need much care. You can prune it back in late winter or early spring. It blooms on “new wood”—the current season’s growth. Pruning them back at those times encourages new growth, which produces flowers.

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Proven Winners ColorChoice is the leading brand of flowering shrubs in North America, marketing over 100 varieties specifically chosen for their hardiness, unusually bright colors and easy care, including best-sellers ‘Limelight’ Hydrangea and Wine & Roses® Weigela. Proven Winners ColorChoice designs new plant introductions to meet highest standards for growers, retailers and consumers using a combination of plant breeding expertise, and a minimum of five years of development and testing.