Cait's Garden

I was thinking of Annabelle Hydrangeas while bike riding today. (The mind wanders when bike riding.) If everyone is not aware of this, let me caution you: it is wise to buy new Annabelles when they are flowering. Why? Because such a thing as a “dud” Annabelle exists. (That’s not the technical term, but it works for me.) Instead of forming the huge rounded globe of blossoms we expect, a Dud Annabelle will form anemic looking flat mop-heads of flowers that attract wasps.  I once ended up with duds when I bought shrubs from a local garden center. When I tried to take them back because they were duds, the owner told me he had a degree in horticulture and I didn’t and there was no such thing as duds. His explanation for the wacky flower head was that I neglected the shrubs. Jerk! Well, I consulted a few garden advice sources and found out there is, indeed, such a thing as a Dud Annabelle. This happens when the cultivar reverts back to its wild state. Like a mutation. The only way to make sure you don’t buy a mutated plant is to buy it when you can see its flowers have formed correctly. None of the other types of hydrangea have this problem, as far as I know, so those you can buy safely before they flower. Just not Annabelles! I took a risk myself this year by buying the new pink Annabelle hybrid without flowers. But it seems to be forming flowers correctly now. Whew!