Special Selection Grape Explosion Hydrangea Rare and Hard to Find! Petite Plant Stays Trim and Rounded Lovely Lacecap Hydrangea Blooms Long-Lasting Display from Summer Through Fall Showy Flowers Held on Outside of Foliage Purple and Lavender Blooms in Acidic Soil pH of 6.5 or Below Butterflies Love Them Beautiful Purple Burgundy Foliage Fall Color Compact, Uniform Growth Habit Perfect Choice for Small Space Gardens Can Be Grown in Containers Exceptional Low Hedging Hardy and Easy-Care Grows in Full Sun or Partial Shade People love purple flowers, and this well-behaved shrub really delivers. Use them as a beautiful flowering hedge, or keep them in large garden containers along your patio. Get gorgeous lacecap blooms from summer through all with Grape Explosion Bigleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Grape Explosion'). Go ahead and add a ton of visual interest without fuss, muss or heavy maintenance. This excellent selection features a circlet of sterile purple-colored florets arranged around a center of star-shaped, light lavender florets. The flowers are borne all down the rounded, very uniform sides of this macrophylla. Flower buds develop from both last year's wood, and on new growth from the current season. This means you'll enjoy plenty of flower power throughout the summer and fall. As the lower temperatures of autumn come on and stay consistently cool, the fall foliage can deepen into an incredible Brandywine. Mature flower heads lighten in color at this time, and make an exceptional contrast to the dark fall color. Grape Explosion is hard to come by, and we are very excited to be able to grow and sell this darling cultivar. Use it in formal settings, or work it into casual contemporary designs. Keep them in acidic soils for the boldest purple coloration. Keep in containers, or amend your alkaline soil with aluminum sulfate to enliven your favorite shade. Use this Bigleaf Hydrangea as a special accent at the forefront of Limelight or Phantom Hydrangea. Grape Explosion makes a sophisticated low hedge along the edge of modern, low-maintenance mixed borders. They'll be outstanding as a "Thriller" in a seasonal container garden. This hardy plant will come back year after year...just make sure it receives a little shade in the afternoon. Gain easy access to fascinating flowers with this prolific choice. Put Grape Explosion Hydrangea to work in your landscape ... order today! How to Use Grape Explosion Hydrangea in the Landscape Some plants just have what it takes to be used front and center with pride. Grape Explosion is an extremely uniform growing habit, and simply shines in formal foundations. Line your existing mature evergreens, or create a mass planting on one side of your front door. March them along the sidewalk to pump up the curb appeal. Space them 30 inches apart on center. You'll measure from the center of one to the center of the next. These days, people are expanding their living space into unused areas of their yard. Carve out space for yourself in the sideyard! Create a beautiful new mulched border with a row of Grape Explosion Hydrangea in front of a privacy planting of Emerald Green Arborvitae...then put in a putting green without fear of "expert advice" from the golf pro next door! These make the perfect mid-border plant to repeat along the length of your Cottage Garden. Keep the purple theme going with help from our extensive online catalog. Leave the flower heads on for winter interest. In warmer climates, the flowers may stay colorful all winter long. Rely on their high performance! This is a great plant to give as a gift, even to a loved one who suffers from a bit of a "brown thumb". Use them in Cutting Gardens! Those intricate blooms look amazing in indoor cut flower arrangements. #ProPlantTips for Care Give Bigleaf Hydrangea morning sun and afternoon shade, especially in hot climates. They'll need at least four hours of direct sunlight a day and can burn, so please avoid the hot afternoon sun. Supply a moderate amount of water on a regular schedule. Grow them in rich, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter, then mulch with pine bark or pine straw to keep the soil pH low. They'll bloom the best purple flower color in acidic soil with a pH below 6.0. In soil pH above 6.0, the plant will produce cherry-red flowers. Maintain acidity with aluminum sulfate (following the directions!) and test your soil frequently if you want purple blooms. Wait to trim just until the plant starts to grow in early spring, then shorten up any branch tips that are not leafing out. Remove old flower heads at this time time. Thin oldest stems on flowering stems out to the ground if needed as the plant age. In parts of Zones 4, 5, and 6 that don't get snow cover, pile extra mulch over the crown like you would a Rose bush in late fall. In the coldest regions, the plant may die back to the ground over winter but will bloom again on the new wood. This is a reliable performer and an excellent bloomer! You'll love your Grape Explosion! Get ready to answer questions about this rare selection. Order this top choice today from our expert growers and at NatureHills.com!
