The above photo shows a normal truss of Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen.' This year, I discovered several bud clusters that don't look quite right.
Instead of a truss, the buds are interspersed with leaves. Other than the strange deformity, the plant appears healthy. Has anyone seen anything like this? Is it a symptom of a disease? Or is this another case of HHSBP (Horticultural Hypochondriac Syndrome By Proxy)?
19 comments:
What ever it is it certainly is a change. I will be curious to hear what everyone thinks.
I've seen the same tendency in other plant as well, but I don't know what causes it. Could it have something to do with nourishment - too much or too little?
Katarina
It's been a couple of months since mine budded out. I'm trying to remember what they looked like but I'm drawing a blank. Hopefully someone in your zone or similar will have an idea. I hope it's just HHSBP.
Could it be reverting to the lace-cap habit or another variety of hydrangea?..it'll be interesting to see when the buds fully develop.
Lynn
Does look odd.
I'm no help, but I'm curious to know what's going on...
Hmm, ours is more of a lace cap too, Alison. Don't know if yours could be reverting to that form, is that the species, lacecap? You might need to wait and see how the bloom develops. Although HHSBP sounds logical here. :-)
Frances
MMD, Nothing is ever Neat and Tidy, is it? And after you think you have things figured out... along comes an oddity such as this. I have NO Clue as to the cause, but I will join the queue to see the results. ;-)
Maybe it has to do with inconsistent soil moisture as it set flower buds?
Curious, let us know if you find an answer.
I've not seen this here either. Odd.
Good morning, the first photo looks a little like Limelight but I'm certainly no expert on hydrangea so I won't even guess.
Marnie
Hopefully, it's just HHSBP:) It will be interesting to see the blooms that result.
I don't know MMD and I have dozens of Oakleaf hydrangeas here...I do get a bit of a strange soil fungus that kills the plant and I had one die from drowning in a wet area. gail
Not a clue, but weird sounds about right.
I don't know what that could be but there are certainly some mysterious happenings in my garden too!Sure hope you get an answer.
If you figure out this horticultural mystery, come on over and figure out all of mine. My yard is a veritable mystery book.
Robin Wedewer
I only wish I could successfully grow Hydrangea here in the desert. So Lovely!!!!
Michelle
Your Snow Queen looks beautiful, I don't know about the deformity either
Fingers crossed for HHSBP
K
Thanks, everybody, but I think the mystery has been solved by Kathy at Cold Climate Gardening. She found a website on diseases and problems of Hydrangeas that suggests my problem is caused by mites. That makes sense.
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