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Hardiness:
USDA Zone 5
Bloom Time:
Spring
Bloom Color:
Rich Neon reddish-pink.
Foliage Color:
dark green with an attractive variegated creamy margin.
Size:
1.5-2 feet
Exposure:
Full sun to partial shade
Soil:
Well-drained, acidic soil that has been amended with peat moss, leaf mold or
compost.
Pruning:
The best time to prune is it after it blooms.
Shear lightly to build a body and the desired shape. Stop
pruning by mid summer as this plant flowers on old wood.
As a
young plant it is best to prune or pinch your plant in order
to build a full bodied, well branched plant. If the
plant is leggy when you purchased it, shear the plant back
hard by 1/3 to 1/2 its original size. Once it puts on an
inch or two of growth, pinch the branch tips to remove just
the growing tip. This tip controls branching. Once it
is removed, the buds below it will turn into stems. Once
these new branches grow an inch or two, pinch the tip out
again. You can repeat this throughout the first growing
season as you are tending your garden. Although you
will sacrifice one year of bloom, this technique results in
a well branched, full bodied plant that will have more
flowers in subsequent years. The second season in the
ground, repeat the pinching practice (or lightly shear) up
until mid-July. Cease pruning and pinching to allow
the flower buds to set.
Watering:
Keep the soil moist but not saturated until established.
Type:
evergreen to
semi-evergreen
Fertilizing:
Fertilize in early spring by applying a slow release fertilizer
specialized for trees & shrubs. Follow the label for recommended rate of
application. Flower color is affected by pH. For blue flowers, the soil
must be more acidic and for pink flowers, the soil must be more
alkaline.
Uses:
Groupings or masses,
perennial or shrub borders, specimen, mixed
container, cut flowers.
Breeder:
Developed in Michael Farrow of Maryland.
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