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Hydrangea paniculata ‚LC NO27‘ GROUNDBREAKER® RUBY panicle hydrangea
Symbivit Tric (arbuscular)
Symbivit (arbuscular)Hydrangea
The panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to East Asia, naturally occurring in the mountain forests and valleys of China, Korea, Japan, and Russia’s Sakhalin Island. It is distinguished by its strikingly conical panicles composed of small fertile and showy sterile florets, which shift in color over the season from white through pink to wine-red, and by its high tolerance for full sun. The species was botanically described in 1829 by the German physician and botanist Philipp Franz von Siebold (1796–1866), who encountered it during his work in Japan. It reached Europe through botanical collections and expeditions of the 19th century, with the first cultivars such as ‘Grandiflora’ and ‘Floribunda’ spreading in gardens only toward the end of that century.
A milestone in the breeding of Hydrangea paniculata came with the expedition of American dendrologist Charles Sprague Sargent to Japan in 1892. He brought back seeds from which, in the following years, the cultivar ‘Praecox’ was raised—the first documented variety with early flowering. Its beauty was already praised in 1897 in the journal Garden and Forest, and when the plant became established in cultivation, Sargent himself called it in 1922 one of the most beautiful shrubs in the Arnold Arboretum. The original specimen still grows there today as a living botanical monument more than a century old.
GROUNDBREAKER® is the world’s first series of groundcover panicle hydrangeas. The variety GROUNDBREAKER® RUBY produces flower clusters 15–20 cm tall, which open in July in creamy white and soon turn to a cherry‑red shade, while new blossoms continue to appear on the shrub in pure white. This creates a fresh, multi‑coloured effect throughout the summer. The plants reach only about 30–40 cm in height and about twice as much in spread, forming a very dense habit that perfectly covers the ground beneath them. For this reason, they are used as groundcover shrubs, as low and compact specimens in small gardens, or as edging along paths and borders of flower beds. They bloom from early July and stay beautiful until mid‑autumn, when the flowers gradually begin to dry. There is no need to cut them back immediately – they look very attractive even through winter, especially when touched by hoar frost. The deciduous leaves are oval to ovate, medium green, and healthy. The shrub becomes rich and offers sturdy branches and large flowers if it is pruned radically every spring before budding (March), leaving about 10 cm of previous year’s branches. It flowers on new wood.
The premium Living Creations® series of panicle hydrangeas is bred by the Dutch family-owned company Kolster BV, based in the renowned horticultural town of Boskoop. Leading the development of individual varieties is Alex Schoemaker, who continues a six-generation family legacy in floristry and ornamental plant cultivation. Under his guidance, the company focuses on creating hydrangeas with long lifespans, sturdy stems, and exceptional cold resistance. Breeding began around 2010, and each variety undergoes more than a decade of testing before being released. As of 2025, the collection includes over 20 registered varieties with various flower colours and plant sizes, suitable for both in-ground planting and containers. Several of these varieties have received prestigious awards from the Royal Boskoop Horticultural Society (KVBC) — for instance, ‘Living Pinky Promise’ was awarded a gold medal in 2021, while ‘Living Sugar Rush’, ‘Living Pink & Rose’, and ‘Little Blossom’ earned silver. In 2024, the newcomer ‘Groundbreaker Blush’ joined the ranks of gold medalists. Thanks to its focused breeding and striking aesthetic and horticultural qualities, the Living Creations® series has established itself as one of the most notable European projects in the field of panicle hydrangeas.
Last update 10-12-2025
Panicle hydrangeas thrive best in full sun but cope well with light partial shade provided they have sufficient moisture. Soil type is not critical, yet in fertile, deeper and well‑drained ground they produce the largest flower heads and the strongest framework. After planting they need regular watering, as their shallow root system dries out quickly during the first two years; once established they tolerate short summer droughts, although they remain healthier and less prone to wilting in evenly moist soil. They respond very well to feeding, but fertilisers with a lower nitrogen content are preferable to encourage flowering rather than overly lush growth that weakens the stems. They tolerate any aspect and a wide pH range. Each spring before budbreak they require a hard prune, leaving roughly 10 to 20 cm of the previous year’s wood, as they flower exclusively on new shoots. They grow well in containers but need more frequent watering and a sheltered position away from strong winds, which can snap young stems carrying heavy flower heads. Standard forms require a firm staking system, which must be renewed after four to five years to support the increasing weight of the crown. Their cold tolerance reaches approximately –34 °C (USDA zone 4).
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- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
