July 13, 2021

Quick Fire®: A Panicle Hydrangea Variety Spotlight

quick fire® & little quick fire® hydrangeas

variety spotlight

Two of the top-selling varieties of Hydrangea in Northeast Ohio are Quick Fire® and its sibling, Little Quick Fire®, developed by Proven Winners®. In recent years, Tiny Quick Fire® and Quick Fire Fab® have been added to this popular line. As members of the Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) family, these plants bloom reliably. They’re also incredibly cold hardy here in Northeast Ohio, which makes them an excellent choice for adding beautiful, low-maintenance color in the form of a deciduous tree or landscape shrub.

Panicle Hydrangea

Care Tips

Planting panicle hydrangeas is one of the easiest ways to add color to the landscape. They’re one of the most low-maintenance flowering shrubs available and also the most sun and drought-tolerant of all the hydrangeas. They provide fantastic fall and winter interest when blooms are left to dry on the plant.

  • Fertilize once in early spring and once mid-summer with a slow-release fertilizer like Espoma® Plant-tone.
  • Prune for size and shape in late winter or early spring.
Learn More

The Four Varieties

Quick Fire Hydrangeas

These varieties are the first to bloom out of all the panicle hydrangea varieties we grow. By the 4th of July, a good full month before any other panicle hydrangea blooms, this family will be in full bloom!

The Original

Quick Fire®

The first hydrangea to bloom each season, Quick Fire® sports large, white, lace cap flowers. Similar to other panicle hydrangeas, this fan favorite blooms on new wood. Blooms emerge white, turning a  deep, rosy pink color as they age. Their glossy green foliage turns dark burgundy in fall. The flower color on Quick Fire® hydrangea is not affected by soil pH.

Shrub Form: 6-8’ tall x 6-8’ wide | Tree Form: 10-15′ tall x 6-8′ wide | Sun to Part Shade

A Compact Variety

Little Quick Fire®

Little Quick Fire® still has all of the same qualities we know and love about the original Quick Fire® Hydrangea in a smaller package. This compact shrub will burst with cones of lace-cap style, pure white flowers. Those same flowers will transition to pink and later will turn a dark rosy-pink to spice up the fall landscape.

Height: 3-5’ | Width: 3-5′ | Sun to Part Shade

Small but Mighty

Tiny Quick Fire®

The most compact panicle hydrangea we grow, Tiny Quick Fire® provides incredible bloom power without taking up a lot of space in the landscape. This variety is perfect for small landscape spaces, and low front borders. Blooms emerge white and turn from light pink to dark rosy pink as they age.

Height: 18-36″ | Width: 24-36″ | Sun to Part Shade

Truly Unique

Quick Fire Fab®

Quick Fire Fab® shares the same early bloom time as the other Quick Fire hydrangeas but sports big, full, showy panicle blooms. Each floret has an unusual cruciform shape, providing a texture truly unique to this gorgeous hydrangea. Blooms emerge white and slowly turn pink from the bottom up and provide striking winter interest when left to dry on the plant.

Height: 6-8′ | Width: 5-6′ | Sun to Part Shade

pruning tips & tricks

Because panicle hydrangeas bloom on new wood, pruning is easy! Simply cut all stems/branches back down to 6-12” in late winter/early spring, “trimming to the size and shape of a basketball,” as Angelo describes. Flower buds will set on the fresh new growth later in spring.

Best part is, you’ll never have to wonder, Why isn’t my hydrangea blooming? because all panicle hydrangeas including the Quick Fire® varieties bloom no matter how harsh the preceding winter, and flower color is not affected by soil pH.

bringing it all together

like a boss

Endless varieties, colors, and sizes of hydrangeas, including the four members of the Quick Fire® family, are for sale spring through fall at all 10 locations of Petitti Garden Centers. Panicle hydrangeas that can be planted anytime spring through fall. We encourage following Angelo’s 6 Steps for Success planting guide when doing so.

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