Name: Fire Light Tidbit® Panicle Hydrangea aka Hydrangea paniculata ‘SMNHPK’

Type of Plant: A low-growing, bone hardy (Zones 3-8) Hydrangea shrub with puffy white flowers that turn to pink in the fall. Fire Light Tidbit will grow 2 to 3 feet tall and wide.

Why I Love This Plant: First, it’s a short plant that people can put in a flower garden, foundation planting or container and it won’t grow too large. Secondly, since the flower buds are formed in the spring, it doesn’t matter how cold the winter or if it’s cut back in fall or early spring, it will still flower.

I love the fact that when one of my Fire Light Tidbit plants died back last winter, and I cut it to only 5 inches tall, it came back full and flower-filled that summer.

A Word to the Wise:  This is a Hydrangea for full sun or part-sun, but it won’t flower as well in the shade. Water it deeply once a week and it will be happy.

Fire Light Tidbit starts flowering in July. Since it’s a smaller shrub, it’s perfect for a container.

This low-growing panicle Hydrangea is also great in the landscape. This plant is three years old, and this photo was taken on October 12th. The flowers are just now starting to fade, but the plant still provides beautiful color in my garden.

If you want a container plant that lasts for 3 months, Fire Light Tidbit is for you. If you live in a Zone 5 to 7, and grow this Hydrangea in a wooden, metal or plastic pot, you could leave it outside in the winter. Here is how my Fire Light Tidbit looks in early October on the deck.