Hungry for indoor summer color in the spring?
Introducing Strawberries and Cream and Blueberries and Cream, two yummy-looking-enough-to-eat new lacecap hydrangeas serving up clusters of fruity-colored blooms surrounding milky-white centers. Both gift plants, specially bred for long-lasting indoor blooms, will be available this coming spring through Lowe’s, Home Depot and independent garden centers.
The dark-rosy-red-bloomed Strawberries and Cream (available previously in limited distribution) is now readily and widely available, along with a new “flavor” – Blueberries and Cream. Blueberries and Cream, which offers scrumptious-blue flowers for cool-colored refreshment, will be available primarily in the Northeastern U.S. for the 2012 season, with greater distribution planned for 2013.
“Consider it our second course of juicy-hued gift hydrangeas sure to appeal to your palette,” says Anthony Tesselaar, cofounder and president of Tesselaar Plants.
Both of these gift hydrangeas will bloom for one to two months indoors. If you’re going to plant them outdoors, says Tesselaar, wait till early summer. “These plants are specially grown in greenhouses to flower in time for Mother’s Day, and can’t take the cooler spring temperatures,” he explains.
In zones 7 and above (after their initial flowering), Strawberries and Cream and Blueberries and Cream can be planted outdoors in the garden from early summer on for a beautiful show the following year.
If you live in Zone 6 or lower and want to plant them outside for blooms the following year (again, only after their indoor spring flowering), you must give them special care.
“Treat them as you would your other subtropical or warmer-climate plants,” says Tesselaar. “Winter protection is essential.”
For instance, you can plant them in a spot where they’re screened from freezing winds or – for those who really want to play it safe – dig them up and store them in your garage in a 30-gallon trash bag filled with leaves.
“However people choose to use them, they’re going to love the saturated colors of the flowers – truly yummy-looking-enough to eat,” says Tesselaar. “We’ve already been pleasantly surprised by the interest in Strawberries in Cream, which people tell us is not only perfect as a Mother’s Day gift, but as a centerpiece or quick pick-me-up for those craving a taste of summer. Blueberries and Cream will also be perfect for those in warmer climes seeking cool-colored refreshment.”
About Tesselaar
Tesselaar Plants searches the world and introduces new plants for the home garden, landscape, home décor and gift markets. Tesselaar Plants undertakes extensive research and development of its varieties and, once selected for introduction, provides marketing and promotional support for its plant brands through its grower and retail network. Tesselaar’s portfolio of plants is small by design, given rigorous standards that result in high-quality, dramatic, prolific plants that are also environmentally friendly and exceptionally easy to grow.
The Tesselaar philosophy is to introduce exceptional plants while “making gardening easy” for everyone, so it makes them widely available as possible. Tesselaar believes that the more gardeners there are, the better it is for everyone.
Source: Tesselaar Plants