Thinking of growing Bobo Hydrangea in your garden this season, but aren’t sure where to start? This sun-friendly hydrangea variety can grow in many different areas of your garden. In this article, we take you through all you need to know about Bobo Hydrangeas, including their maintenance and care.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
The ‘Bobo’ hydrangea is a member of the panicle hydrangea group. Hydrangeas in this group love the sun! They also bloom on new wood, making pruning a breeze.
This is a dwarf hydrangea variety that reaches 3 feet in height and about 4 feet wide. You may notice that this shrub grows a bit slower than other varieties, but it will still reach its full size in 2 or 3 years.
When the flowers bloom a crisp white on this hydrangea when fully mature. As they fade and the season goes on, they will turn to a pretty shade of pink. These flowers will cover your hydrangea from the top of the plant all of the way to the ground.
‘Bobo’ is exceptionally tolerant of both the cold and the heat and grows best in zones 3-8. This variety is a great choice for seaside communities, as they are known to be more salt tolerant compared to other species. If you live in warmer climates, ‘Bobo’ would benefit from a bit more shade.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Bobo hydrangea needs at least 4 to 6 hours of sun and 3 to 4 hours of shade to grow optimally. In colder regions, the plant may be tolerant to part shade. While in areas with hot climates, the plant should be given ample afternoon shade to avoid scorching the foliage.
The best condition to plant Bobo hydrangea is when it is given full sun exposure (morning sun) and sufficient shade in the afternoon. However, be cautious of subjecting the plant to too much shade, as this can also affect its ability to flower over time.
The bobo hydrangea are proven winners and make for an excellent foundation shrub in the garden.
Temperature & Humidity
Hardiness zones, in particular, are based on the average annual minimum temperature expected to occur in an area during winter.
Relative to this, Bobo hydrangea grow at USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8a, where they could bloom during early summer to early spring and fall.
There is no special requirement when it comes to humidity for hydrangeas. Yet, extreme weather conditions can impact the plant during the flowering season.
Watering
Like most traditional hydrangeas, Ilvobo will thrive with minimal watering – ideally once or twice a week. Watering may increase gradually from twice to thrice a week in summer. Avoid overwatering as this risks the plant to root rot, which can develop into other types of diseases.
Also, refrain from watering your hydrangea during winter.
Soil
Panicle hydrangeas generally thrive in good, loamy soil with moderate moisture content. A slightly acidic soil pH (5.5 – 6.5) is preferable as they are not fond of alkaline soil.
When tending to your Bobo hydrangea, it is ideal to keep the soil around them slightly moist but not overly saturated, as it can lead to waterlogging, which may ultimately cause root rot.
Pro tip: To plant hydrangeas, add more texture and OM to the soil by incorporating peat moss, which may be purchased at your local plant store. Adding it to the potting mix creates a rich soil, especially clay soil.
Fertilizing
The Bobo panicle hydrangea may benefit from a light application of all-purpose fertilizer, particularly one rich in phosphorous (15-30-15), to promote flowering. You may have to be cautious in applying nitrogen, which can lead to lush leaf growth but relatively few flowers.
Pro tip: Fertilize your panicle hydrangea in early spring with a slow-release fertilizer. You may ask about this in your local plant shop and buy those specialized for trees and shrubs. Follow the label recommendations for rates of application and avoid using cheap fertilizers.
Planting Instructions
If you have any experience planting hydrangeas, planting ‘Bobo’ is no different. Site selection will be the most important part of this process for you. You will be looking for an area that gets 6 hours or more of sunlight a day that also has well-draining soil.
For best results with this variety, ensure that your plant will have enough room to grow to its full size is key. This will limit pruning and allow the root systems plenty of room to grow.
Once you have the right spot in mind you will simply begin by digging a hole twice the size of the root ball. When you are satisfied with the positioning of your plant, backfill the hole with your garden soil. Water them deeply.
Keep your eye on your hydrangea, make sure that the leaves are not browning or dropping, and water as needed. The best time to plant ‘Bobo’ hydrangea is in the spring or the fall.
Pruning
The bobo hydrangea typically has a garden height of 30-36 inches. Ideally, new-wood blooming hydrangeas – which are dense – must be cut back in late winter to accommodate new growth in the spring.
Also, old flowering shrubs often require pruning after the bloom’s age. The plant may reach its full stature in just two years, after which it must be maintained, which involves deadheading it after flowering.
Likewise, use sterile pruning shears to keep fungal infections at bay.
Propagation
Most of Hydrangea paniculata is propagated by cuttings in early spring.
Stem Cutting Steps:
First, you need to select a healthy stem that is at least 6 inches (15 cm) long. Remove some of the leaves but retain at least 2-3 leaves. Cut the stem below a leaf node using a sharp pair of scissors or knife.
If you have a rooting hormone, you may dip the end of the cuttings in it and then plant them in a damp potting media. Cover with a plastic bag to create a humid environment favorable for root formation.
Pro tip: Regularly check the panicle hydrangeas cuttings every few days to ensure the soil is still damp. In about 3-4 weeks, you may expect the cuttings to form roots. Afterward, you may transplant them in early fall or spring.
Potting and Repotting
Bobo is small and compact enough to be grown in a container. Transplant it from its plastic nursery pot to a terra-cotta pot, which works better for hydrangeas because it absorbs water and the soil remains cooler. The container should be one or two sizes larger than the current pot and have a wide, flat base to prevent the top-heavy hydrangea from toppling over. Make sure the pot has large drain holes. Add enough potting mix to fill the pot and gently press it down. Water it well until water runs out of the drain holes.
Like all container plants, potted hydrangea needs more frequent watering than plants in garden soil.
How to Get to Bloom
To encourage Bobo hydrangea to bloom, use a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus and not high in nitrogen, which only encourages foliage growth. Make sure it gets the right amount of sunlight, either too much or too little sun can affect the bloom. Don’t prune in the spring when you might accidentally remove new buds.
If you’ve taken all of these steps and your Bobo hydrangea still doesn’t bloom, the flower buds might have been killed during a late spring frost, or one of the other reasons why a hydrangea doesn’t bloom—it is not yet fully established.
Overwintering
When planted in garden soil, Bobo does not need any winter protection although adding a layer of mulch around the base is always a good way of insulating the roots against the cold.
Potted hydrangeas need to be protected from winter chills. There is no need to bring the containers indoors but provide additional insulation around the container. Either place it in a larger pot or box and fill the space with mulch or sand or build a silo to winterize the plant. You can also wrap the sides of the container with bubble wrap or burlap.
Pests and Diseases
Common Pests
If you have concerns about garden pests taking over your hydrangea, you do not need to be worried about this variety. That is not to say that ‘Bobo’ is “resistant” to insects, instead, it may encounter typical garden pests just like any other plant in your yard.
You may find insects such as beetles, aphids, or mites living on your hydrangeas. These insects are not picky about their hosts and can be controlled pretty easily.
It is not typically advised to spray your hydrangea down with water; however, this can help to remove mites and aphids from the surface of your plants. If this doesn’t do the trick, head to your garden center and pick up a bottle of insecticidal soap or other control that your garden center may recommend.
For the beetles, you can walk around with a bucket of soapy water and knock the beetles into the bucket. If you know that you have a grub issue in your lawn, be sure to treat your lawn to avoid any grub damage to your hydrangea’s roots and to help control the beetle population in your yard.
Common Diseases
For the most part, hydrangeas are tough plants that do not struggle with many diseases. However, they have been known to struggle with fungal diseases from time to time.
Prevention of fungal diseases is pretty simple. It starts with spacing your ‘Bobo’ hydrangeas out with the appropriate spacing. This is about 4-6 feet apart. The airflow between the plants will help reduce any extra moisture that could help fungal spores spread.
Cleaning up dropped leaves and other plant material is another great way to keep your plants healthy. Fungal spores will live on these plant tissues and will spread easily if they are hit with raindrops or irrigation water.
If you have noticed that your ‘Bobo’ hydrangea is struggling with powdery mildew or another fungal disease such as leaf spot the first thing you should do is remove any infected leaves. If this doesn’t do the trick, or if you are still concerned about the overall health of your shrub, head on over to your local garden center and pick up a copper fungicide.
Be sure to apply these fungicides at the rate that is on the product label. This will keep you, your hydrangea, and the environment safe.
III. Uses and Benefits
Since ‘Bobo’ is a dwarf variety of panicle hydrangea, it is a bit more versatile than its larger counterparts. Maxing out at 3 feet in height, ‘Bobo’ is an excellent option for your containers!
But the options don’t stop there. Add ‘Bobo’ into your perennial gardens where you are looking for the outrageous blooms of hydrangea, but just don’t have the space for a 6-8 foot tall variety.
Try adding ‘Bobo’ to your garden borders. The creamy flowers will complement other plants like a dream, and the dense growth habit of this shrub will offer some privacy or hide something you don’t want to see. Such as an air conditioner or other utility feature of your home.
