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Wee Bit Grumpy® Bigleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea macrophylla

Flower Season
  • Summer
Mature Size
2' 2'6" 61cm 76cm
Height: 2'
Spread: 2'6"
Height: 61cm
Spread: 76cm
  • Details

    24 - 24 Inches
    30 - 30 Inches
    30 - 30 Inches
    61cm
    76cm
    76cm

    Features

    Don't be fooled by its curmudgeonly name: Wee Bit Grumpy hydrangea will put a smile on your face! Like its sister plant, Wee Bit Giddy hydrangea, it was selected for its combination of pure, intense, saturated flower color and outstanding landscape performance. And its color is really something you must see to believe: in acidic soils, its big, full blooms take on a moody, dramatic deep purple-blue. They appear amid a neat, tidy mound of compact foliage that resists disease and stands up better to cold weather than conventional hydrangeas. 

    Oh - and about that name! We know you're wondering: "Grumpy" was the working name that the breeder had sent the plant to us with. During its evaluation period, every time we noticed its glorious blooms and asked, "What is that?!", we'd look at the label and see "Grumpy." It made us laugh, and we thought you'd get a kick out of it, too.

     

    Top reasons to grow Wee Bit Grumpy hydrangea:

    - Big, full blooms display a deep, moody color

    - Excellent performance in the landscape 

    - Dark green glossy foliage

    Long Blooming
    Salt Tolerant

    Characteristics

    Plant Type: 
    Shrub
    Shrub Type: 
    Deciduous
    Height Category: 
    Short
    Garden Height: 
    24 Inches 61cm
    Spacing: 
    30 Inches 76cm
    Spread: 
    30 Inches 76cm
    Flower Colors: 
    Purple
    Flower Colors: 
    Red
    Flower Shade: 
    Bright red in neutral to alkaline soils; purple in acidic conditions
    Foliage Colors: 
    Green
    Foliage Shade: 
    Green
    Habit: 
    Mounded
    Container Role: 
    Thriller

    Plant Needs

    Light Requirement: 
    Part Sun to Sun
    Light Requirement: 
    Sun

    The optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours).

    Maintenance Category: 
    Easy
    Blooms On: 
    Old Wood
    Bloom Time: 
    Summer
    Hardiness Zones: 
    5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
    Water Category: 
    Average
    Soil Fertility Requirement: 
    Fertile Soil
    Uses: 
    Border Plant
    Uses: 
    Cut Flower
    Uses: 
    Dried Flower
    Uses: 
    Landscape
    Uses: 
    Specimen or Focal Point
    Uses Notes: 

    Landscapes, perennial gardens, low hedges - big-leaf hydrangeas are versatile garden plants for anywhere you need some summer color.

    Maintenance Notes: 

    Soil and exposure: Big-leaf hydrangeas should be planted in moist but well-drained soil - they cannot tolerate wet conditions. It's a good idea to have a 2-3" layer of mulch in all climates. Plant with at least some sun each day; the hotter your climate, the more shade the plant can withstand.

    Pruning: big-leaf hydrangeas cannot be pruned at any point in the year without negatively impacting the flowering. As such, it's best to avoid pruning this type of hydrangea altogether. If portions of the plant were damaged from winter weather, they can be removed in spring when it is clear where the new growth is emerging.

    Fertilizing: The key to getting reblooming hydrangeas to produce new-wood flower buds is to keep them growing vigorously all summer. Hence, fertilizer can be beneficial. Apply a granular rose fertilizer in early spring, when the ground has thawed, and again in late spring. Never fertilize after late July; that can interfere with the plant going dormant.

    Color: The "default" color for big-leaf hydrangeas tends to the pink/red tones, and that is the color they will display in neutral (pH 7.0) or higher soil. The soil must be acidic (at least 6.5 or so) for the blue color to develop, and aluminum, a naturally occurring soil mineral, must be present. If you are not satisfied with the flower color in your yard, get a soil test so that you know exactly what must be changed. We do not recommend applying any kind of treatment "just in case" - that's a waste of time and money, and could potentially lead to pollution or create inhospitable conditions in the soil.

    Wee Bit Grumpy® Hydrangea macrophylla 'Stragrum'
  • 3 Reviews

    5
    3
    4
    3
    2
    1
    Browse reviews from people who have grown this plant.
    • Planted this Wee Bit Grumpy from a quart container about 6 weeks ago - beginning of spring in zone 7b. It is doing GREAT! It gets dappled shade and afternoon sun here. It is on a drip line, so stays well drained/moist. It is blooming the most GORGEOUS pink color! Amazing because the macrophylla next to it blooms blue. Love this plant!!

      Trespence
      , North Carolina
      , United States
      , 1 year ago
    • I bought mine last spring,and I am turning it blue . It didn’t like the snow we had but I see tiny green shoots !! I am keeping my fingers crossed ,but I need another !!!

      Mardi Steffenhagen
      , Oregon
      , United States
      , 3 years ago
    • I bought mine last spring,and I am turning it blue . It didn’t like the snow we had but I see tiny green shoots !! I am keeping my fingers crossed ,but I need another !!!

      Mardi Steffenhagen
      , Oregon
      , United States
      , 3 years ago
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