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Fire Light Tidbit® Panicle Hydrangea Hydrangea paniculata

Flower Season
  • Summer
  • Fall
Mature Size
3' 3' 91cm 91cm
Height: 2' - 3'
Spread: 3'
Height: 61cm - 91cm
Spread: 91cm
  • Details

    24 - 36 Inches
    36 - 36 Inches
    36 - 36 Inches
    61cm - 91cm
    91cm
    91cm

    Features

    If you thought you didn't have enough space to grow a beautiful, reliable panicle hydrangea, Fire Light Tidbit® hydrangea is here to help! This innovative new development is the tiniest, tidiest panicle hydrangea yet: it reaches just 2-3'/.6-.9m tall and wide, yet it packs in tons of easy-care beauty into its small size. Big, lush panicles of white mophead flowers appear in early-mid summer, nearly obscuring the textured green foliage. As the summer progresses, they begin to develop bright pink and red tones, which keep it colorful right on up to the first frost, especially combined with its colorful autumn foliage, an unusual trait in panicle hydrangeas. Thick, sturdy stems help to create a neat, mounded plant that's fantastic in landscapes, flower gardens, even in containers!

    Top reasons to choose Fire Light Tidbit hydrangea for your garden or landscape:

    - The smallest panicle hydrangea ever - just 2-3'/.6-.9m tall

    - Powerful blooming ability, with dozens of full mophead flowers on strong stems

    - Flowers go from white to rich, saturated tones of pink and red as they age

    Available in better garden centers beginning in spring 2021; click here to see a list of retailers.

     

    Long Blooming
    Fall Interest
    Deadheading Not Necessary
    Small or Miniature

    Characteristics

    Plant Type: 
    Shrub
    Shrub Type: 
    Deciduous
    Height Category: 
    Short
    Garden Height: 
    24 - 36 Inches 61cm - 91cm
    Spacing: 
    36 Inches 91cm
    Spread: 
    36 Inches 91cm
    Flower Colors: 
    Pink
    Flower Colors: 
    Red
    Flower Colors: 
    White
    Flower Shade: 
    White, turning bright pink and red shades in fall
    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: 
    New Wood
    Bloom Time: 
    Early Summer
    Bloom Time: 
    Mid Summer
    Bloom Time: 
    Late Summer
    Hardiness Zones: 
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
    Water Category: 
    Average
    Needs Good Drainage
    Soil Fertility Requirement: 
    Average Soil
    Soil PH Category: 
    Acidic Soil
    Soil PH Category: 
    Alkaline Soil
    Soil PH Category: 
    Neutral Soil
    Uses: 
    Border Plant
    Uses: 
    Container
    Uses: 
    Cut Flower
    Uses: 
    Dried Flower
    Uses: 
    Good for Screening
    Uses: 
    Landscape
    Uses: 
    Mass Planting
    Uses: 
    Specimen or Focal Point
    Uses Notes: 

    Thanks to its small stature, Fire Light Tidbit hydrangea is eminently versatile in the garden and landscape. Plant it amongst perennials in a flower garden, use in foundation plantings and landscaping as a mass planting, edging, or specimen, or plant it in containers for long-lasting, easy-care beauty year after year.

    Maintenance Notes: 

    Prune by cutting back the main branches by one-third in late winter or early spring. You may also prune in late fall, once it has gone completely dormant, if desired - you'll find more information in our Ultimate Guide to Panicle Hydrangeas

    Panicle hydrangeas require well-drained soil. As such, we do not recommend amending the soil when you plant them, as explained here

    Fertilize in early spring (just as the ground begins to thaw in cold climates) if desired, using a granular rose fertilizer. You may fertilize monthly through late July for more rapid growth, but this is not necessary for a healthy, abundantly-blooming plant.

    Fire Light Tidbit® Hydrangea paniculata 'SMNHPK' USPP 32,512, Can PBRAF
  • 15 Reviews

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    Browse reviews from people who have grown this plant.
    • These are my favorite hydrangeas in my yard. I have 4 of them and they all performed beautifully throughout the summer around my pool deck. They have full, upright blooms, that have now either turned a deep pink or browned out. I live in upstate SC, zone 8 and they are all in full sun, plus some, daily (think 8 hours of hot sun). I love their size and shape and color. Thanks PW for the perfect hydrangea!

      Kerry Peddle
      , South Carolina
      , United States
      , 11 weeks ago
    • Initially early this summer, before the plants were in bloom, I purchased and planted 4 of these plants. I have planted and cared for many other hydrangeas, including panicles, over many years and have never lost any. I lost one of the first 4, and now, am losing the other three, while still hanging on for the remaining plant, which I bought to replace the first plant that I lost. They are watered each day in the hot sun because they have been newly planted. None have even shown signs of overwatering, and they are in a raised garden where the drainage is good. Suddenly, a branch starts to show signs of withering leaves while the rest of the plant appears entirely healthy. I continue the regular watering routine that sustained healthy plants for 7 or 8 weeks, and then, without warning, one branch, then the entire plant, wilts and dies over days. I love the plants and hoped they would mature as others report they have done. I have to give a one-star rating because the losses are precipitous and, once a single small branch begins to wither, the process is irreversible. I don't think I can buy again. The garden soil has supported other plants, planting soil was added to support the new plants. and the source of these particular PW plants is a well-know and highly reputable landscape plant center and the plants themselves were healthy and robust when being planted. What to do ?

      Brian J Kelly
      , Massachusetts
      , United States
      , 13 weeks ago
    • I am on the fence, also. Third season in the ground. Zone 7a/b in Maryland. Full sun until 2pm, then full shade. Third season in the ground. Has triple in size over the 3 years. Full with healthy leaves…but no flower buds in all these years. It’s now late July and all my other cultivars bloomed weeks ago. Bought three tidbits for a large mixed border to add additional summer interest. Disappointed.

      Diann McGarvey
      , Maryland
      , United States
      , 18 weeks ago
    • Well I’m on the fence. I think this is the third season…..and maybe they are just sticking to the sleep, creep, leap rule so that’s why I’m on the fence. Up till this point they have felt thin and whimpy in our winter winds. Snapping off much needed branches and losing some of the growth. With the growth this summer they seem a little better but I wouldn’t say sturdy. It says full sun but every summer they get burnt to a degree and they are producing the beginnings of the flowers but now the top buds are tinged brown from the heat. Last year they bloomed but it wasn’t a show stopper for sure. Hopefully this is the beginning of a beautiful hedge of gorgeous blooms that was the reason I bought 10. The photos on the website are beautiful but so far it hasn’t been my reality.

      Amanda Webber
      , 20 weeks ago
    • First time ordering plants online, and I didn’t know what to expect. But I was pleasantly surprised when the 3 plants I ordered, arrived in great shape and carefully packaged. I planted them up, added fertilizer as recommended and to my surprise they bloomed. They were simply gorgeous. Now a year later and they continue growing beautifully. Looking forward to seeing the color changes in the blooms as the season progresses. Can’t say enough good things. I highly recommend these hydrangeas. Thanks Proven Winners for such beautiful selections of plants!

      WindyCityGirl
      , 28 weeks ago
    • I was lucky enough to find and buy this plant last fall at a local nursery. I already have Firelight hydrangea and love that shrub so was excited when I was able to get a Tidbit. Thankfully the rabbits left it alone over the winter! It has bloomed beautifully this summer. It is in full sun from sunrise to sunset and the flowers have not browned at all, and they are now starting to change to pink. I love how it has a vase like growth habit, and it hasn't flopped even though we have had some pretty good downpours this summer. I now want another one.

      Cheryl Dexter
      , New York
      , United States
      , 1 year ago
    • I planted 2 of these plants this spring. They seemed to thrive at first but by mid-summer they declined rapidly. They receive sun until about 2:00 pm and then are shaded from the hottest afternoon sun. Even still they dropped all of their leaves and are now slowly putting on new leaves. They never set flower buds. I even sprayed them thinking they may have gotten a bug but I never saw any. Hopefully next year they'll do better.

      Donna Fernandez
      , Texas
      , United States
      , 2 years ago
    • I loved my Fire Light Tidbit so much until it became floppy. The blooms are large and gorgeous and I am so sad to see the stems touching the ground after rain. I'm trying to stake them up, but it's not going well.

      Brittney
      , Maryland
      , United States
      , 2 years ago
    • I planted two of these in April and I am obsessed. I’m in zone 7a. These guys are in full sun all day long and they look amazing so far. They are full of blooms that are just starting to turn pink. My local nursery is having a one-day sale on them today and I am going sneak out during my lunch break to buy two more! Because they’re so compact, my plan is to keep the two new ones in containers on my patio.

      Mary L
      , Maryland
      , United States
      , 2 years ago
    • Has doubled in size but no flowers.

      Tina Khouchaba
      , Illinois
      , United States
      , 2 years ago
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