Quickfire Hydrangea Plant Care

Are you looking for a stunning deciduous shrub to grow in your garden? Then we can help with the Quick Fire Hydrangea as it takes little effort on your part to care for it.

It grows remarkably quickly and adapts to the sun well, and when it blossoms, it blooms on new wood, and the flowers open in white, changing to pink as a mature plant.

Another exciting thing is it blooms a month earlier than most Hydrangea. So, stay a bit longer to learn how you can care and find a Quick Fire Hydrangea to grow in the garden or in your home.

About Quick Fire Hydrangea

Quickfire Hydrangea

The Quick Fire Hydrangea is one cultivar of the Hydrangeaceae family. The botanical name for this multi-stemmed shrub is Hydrangea paniculata ‘Bulk.’ The fascinating thing about this plant compared to other Hydrangeas is that it blooms earlier in early spring and mid-summer.

Still, it all depends on the climate as it can continue to bloom throughout summer into fall. The flower buds start white, but they will turn pink as time progresses. You can even see the flowers turning a reddish-purple or dark pink in fall.

Another distinguishment compared to other Panicle Hydrangeas is the gorgeous fall colors of orange to rust. It is also a vigorous upright grower, and you can plant them in mass plantings or groups to create a hedge.

Furthermore, it has panicles growing six inches tall in bloom time on the upright stems and looks superb in fresh flower bouquets. You can also use it in dried arrangements. The registered trade name for this cultivar is Quick Fire, and the US Plant Patents protect the propagation.

Like other Hydrangeas, its natural habitat is in Asia, mainly China and Japan.

Hydrangea Paniculata ‘Bulk’ Care

Quickfire Hydrangea Plant Care

As soon as you start caring for your Quick Fire, you will notice one thing: that is that it is a hardy plant. It can tolerate air pollution well, making it an excellent choice for urban areas. You can grow them as an indoor plant provided it has plenty of access to sunlight. If your home does not have enough light, invest in a grow light or plant them outdoors, in your garden.

The shrub also grows blooms on new wood developing in the current growing season. The fantastic thing is that the winter does not damage buds, as you find no singular one on the plant. Hence, you can wait for early spring to trim away the woody growth without destroying the blooms.

Yet, we have found that the panicles get top-heavy, but as it grows on a sturdy stem, they only bend but do not break. Another great thing is that you need not do deadheading, making it a low-maintenance shrub.

Soil Mix for Your Deciduous Shrub

It loves moist soil types, whether you grow the QuickFire on perennial borders, flowerbeds, or in a container. The important thing is to provide your plant with moist, well-drained soil, and they will be proven winners with those gorgeous blooms.

compost

Another helpful thing is to add some organic matter to provide the nutrients it needs. This also helps make the soil less prone to dry out. When treated as an outdoor plant, you can throw some mulch to retain soil moisture when exposed to the sun and wind.

When you look at different Hydrangea shrubs growing in chalky or neutral soil, it changes the flower color from pink to a mauve or even muddy-colored blooms when the soil pH is high. Yet, the soil Ph has no impact on the flower color of the Quick Fire Hydrangea, even if you add lime.

Sunlight Needs for Quick Fire Hydrangea

Quickfire sunlight exposure

Unlike otherHydrangeas, the Quick Fire Hydrangea can flourish in full sun. Still, your plant prefers only a few hours of sun with some partial shade. During late spring to early summer, your plant is happy growing in direct full sun but performs better in partial shade but not in full shade.

Watering Needs

During the first growing season, you can water your Quick Fire Hydrangea every few days if it does not rain. When your shrub establishes itself, it helps keep the soil moist but not soggy. If you have an extended dry period and your plant wilts, give it deep watering to bring it back to life.

Water the plant every few days after planting and during the first growing season without sufficient rain. Established shrubs do best in moist but not soggy soil. If the plant shows wilting foliage during extended dry periods, water it slowly and deeply; it should spring back promptly.

Temperature & Humidity

Quickfire Hydrangea in winter

During winter, your Quick Fire Hydrangea is a cold-tolerant plant as it does not affect the newly grown wood or blooms developing. Still, you need to protect your plant from the heat by providing it with moist soil and some afternoon shade in warm weather.

The warmer temperatures can cause drought stress, and best to keep an eye on your plant. The big concern is high humidity and lack of air circulation, leading to fungal diseases. If you live in the USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8, it grows well outdoors.

Fertilizing In Early Spring

Providing your flowers with organic matter and well-drained soil is enough for your Hydrangea to flourish with new growth. You can provide your plant with a high-phosphorus fertilizer like a 15-30-15 one in early spring to encourage flowering.

Propagating Quick Fire Hydrangea Plants

As the Quick Fire Hydrangea is a registered trade name, asexual propagation is prohibited under the US Plant Patent laws. Hence, you cannot propagate your shrub through cuttings. While we have heard that some gardeners take softwood cuttings of up to six inches long to grow in soil.

Pruning Quick Fire Hydrangea

As the blooms develop on newly grown wood, early spring is the best time to prune your shrub. You will quickly see the deadwood with last year’s flowers and the new growth. You will find the thickest buds in the lower parts of the plant.

While it can grow with a single trunk, it is a multi-stemmed shrub.

Hydrangea Paniculata Varieties

The fantastic thing is that when you have the Quick Fire Hydrangea, you can find other varieties similar to this one. With the Quick Fire selection here, you can group the flower color of them for a great display.

Little Quick Fire

Little Quick Fire

This is a dwarf variety that grows up to five feet tall and four feet wide. It is half the size of the Quick Fire Hydrangea. Hence, it makes an excellent choice for your small landscaping as the latter grows enormous and expansive.

Or you can grow it in a container. It blooms with a deep pink bloom.

Quick Fire Fab

Quick Fire Fab

This shrub also shares the early bloom with an extended flower display. It is also easy to maintain, but it flowers differently. Both the plants have sturdy stems, and the QuickFire has lace cap blooms, while the QuickFire Fab has dense mop-head buds.

The flowers are a creamy-white when it starts and matures to blush pink and deep red or watermelon pink.

Quick Fire Hydrangea Diseases & Pests

The Quick Fire Hydrangea is mainly susceptible to bud blight, leaf spot, rust, powdery mildew, and bacterial wilt for pests and diseases. This occurs in the middle of summer when humid conditions and poor air circulation is present.

One way to prevent this from happening is to provide ample space between your shrubs. If powdery mildew is present, we recommend raking up all foliage around your Hydrangea in fall to late winter to prevent infestation in the next year. If the disease is severe, we recommend using a fungicide.

Pests that can bother your Quick Fire are aphids and mainly spider mites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Hydrangea can grow unusually high to 15 feet tall with its oval dark green upright leaves. The conical is sharply pointed and develops lacecap flowers that bloom on new wood. The conical can have both sterile and fertile blooms that are showy from mid-summer, depending on the climate.

We recommend pruning the shrub at the beginning of spring as this Hydrangea in bloom time develops blooms on new wood. The deadwood is noticeable with flowers present from last year and further development. The buds are thicker in the lower parts of the stem.

The Little Quick Fire is the dwarf variety of the Quick Fire Hydrangea. It is a perfect houseplant for container growing and works well in a perennial border. The flower color is a deepish pink.

If you want to buy the Quick Fire Hydrangea, you can find it available at a local garden center. Alternatively, you can order your Quick Fire here at Plantly. You can even find some Quick Fire Hydrangea varieties to group with this unique plant. 

Whether you want to buy, sell or simply reach out to other plant enthusiasts, Plantly is the right place to be!

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