The flower that goes by the name Pinky Winky is also rare. When summer transitions into fall, the florets at the base of the enormous white panicles become pink. The panicles open in the middle to late summer. At the tip of the flower panicles, which are still expanding, are fresh white florets. Amazing two-toned flower panicles that can grow up to 16 inches long are the end product! This is a true show-stopper and it grows quite quickly. Pinky Winky can grow in a variety of soil types, sun, and shade, and will do well in most gardens.
What is the maximum size of a Pinky Winky Hydrangea tree?
The Pinky Winky Hydrangea Tree is renowned for putting on a stunning display of color, as it produces pink and white flowers in the spring and summer growth seasons. They’ll give any yard or the area around your patio a beautiful appeal.
The hydrangea paniculata known as “Pinky Winky” has been pruned into a typical tree shape. We did the difficult work of shaping it into a blossoming tree for you. It’s difficult not to be in awe of this magnificent tree with its enormous cone-shaped blossoms in strawberry pink and creamy white, as well as its dark green foliage. Throughout the growing season, the two-toned flower panicles will start off completely white and later turn ruby pink.
As deciduous trees, hydrangeas lose their leaves in the winter, but not before producing magnificent dried flower heads that turn rose-colored just before winter.
Make careful to place this unusual pink hydrangea tree where others can enjoy it in your landscaping. The decorative tree looks fantastic planted in front yards, next to mailboxes, as accent plants, or even in containers for little garden spaces.
The 4 to 5 foot tall, sturdy Hydrangea trees are available for shipping right away. Get free shipping when you buy a Pinky Winky hydrangea tree now and spend at least $129!
Pinky Winky Hydrangeas grow well in full sun or light shade. Pinky Winky hydrangea trees thrive best when they receive 4-6 hours of partial shade and at least 6 hours of full sun each day.
Pinky Winky Hydrangea should be pruned in late winter or early spring, after the shrub has stopped flowering. Pinky Winky panicle hydrangea blooms on new wood, so you should remove all of the old wood from the previous year as soon as spring arrives to promote new growth. When Panicle hydrangeas are actively growing in the spring, trimming them back runs the danger of removing the lovely flower buds that you want to see in the spring and summer.
Remove any dead wood or branches that are crossed. In order to maintain the plant’s ability to develop into a tree, it is best to remove any lower branches from hydrangea trees. To achieve the appropriate size and shape, trim the pink and white hydrangea tree. Although pruning is not necessary, it can help you maintain the tree’s and the flower clusters’ aesthetic integrity.
The Pinky Winky Hydrangea grows at a pace of 1 to 3 feet each year, which is very quick. A pinkish winky hydrangea tree can develop more quickly by being fertilized.
Pinky Winky hydrangea trees can reach heights of 6 to 8 feet and widths of 4 to 6 feet when fully established. It is a great tree to choose for tiny gardens or planting areas that aren’t too big.
Like you would any other hydrangea, plant the hydrangea tree in full sun or part shade. If you live in a warmer region where the sun might be damaging, it prefers to be in a planting location with morning sun and afternoon shade. To develop a robust root system, plantings need to be watered more frequently during the first year. If you notice sagging leaves, try not to get dismayed. The plant is trying to warn you that it needs water more regularly by doing that. Once planted, it can withstand drought.
In the majority of American states, you can grow Pinky Winky Hydrangea trees. It is quite cold hardy and has a wide range of adaptability due to the USDA grow zones of 3 to 9.
The Pinky Winky hydrangea tree’s vibrant flowers should blossom around the middle to end of summer. The lengthy bloom of a Pinky Winky panicle hydrangea lasts all the way through the first frost in the fall. Their blossoms have a lovely two-toned appearance since they begin as white and eventually develop pink.
Pinky Winky’s ideal fertilizer Acidic, slow-release fertilizer called hydrangea will gradually deliver nutrients to the tree. Since hydrangeas prefer slightly acidic soil, your new tree will thrive in moist, well-draining soil. Bloom color is unaffected by soil pH.
You can deadhead the wasted blossoms once the fall and winter blooms have died down. The tree will be motivated to invest more energy in its roots as it gets ready for the winter hibernation as a result. For winter appeal, some growers choose to leave the dried pink blossoms on. For the winter, the leaves and foliage will die back and fall off, allowing you to clean up the debris and dispose of it or incorporate it into your compost. To keep the roots warm during the winter, mulch the root zones. Additionally, during the hotter spring and summer blooming seasons, it aids in moisture retention.
It is the ideal miniature tree for your yard. For additional details on cultivating and developing hydrangeas, visit our blog Why is my Hydrangea Wilting and the Hydrangea Grow Guide.
Shop the Pinky Winky Hydrangea Tree for a remarkable, simple-to-grow tree!
How can I maintain a little Pinky Winky Hydrangea?
Although the hydrangea paniculata plant can thrive in a variety of environments, it should be planted in well-drained soil. This bush needs a moderate amount of rainfall, but once it’s established, it may survive in arid conditions. The Pink Winky can be grown in settings with either partial or full sun. The Pinky Winky Hydrangea doesn’t require pruning. But if you do decide to trim, do it in the early spring or late winter. By simple pruning, you can even encourage this shrub to take the form of a tree. You do not need to be concerned about removing the flower buds for the following year’s blossoms because this shrub blooms on fresh wood. Early spring is the best time to fertilize, using a controlled release fertilizer that is often available at most retailers. The fertilizer ought to be made for plants with woody roots, like trees or roses.
Pinky Winky is a sort of hydrangea, right?
A flowering deciduous (not evergreen) shrub called Pinky Winky has pink and white flower heads that change color during the course of its protracted blooming season.
Hydrangea Paniculata Pinky Winky is its scientific name. I’ll explain why it’s also called as a Panicle Hydrangea in a moment.
One of the hardiest hydrangea types that may easily endure Winters is Pinky Winky.
Pinky Winky hydrangea is what you want if you want a lengthy season of gorgeous blooms that keep changing color from mid-Summer all the way into the fall season!
What does Pinky Winky mean?
Every time I’m asked what kind of hydrangeas these are, I anticipate a follow-up question as soon as I respond with the amusing moniker.
Like with many plants, the breeder will typically give his or her new creation a special name that has some significance, whether in honor of a loving spouse, an iconic figure, or a favorite color.
The Belgian breeder of the Pinky Winky hydrangeas dedicated this shrub to his son, who at the time was a big fan of the Teletubbies cartoon, particularly the Tinky Winky figure. Pinky Winky was given this odd name as a result!
The breeder, Johan van Huylenbroeck, also created the Bobo hydrangea, which I discussed in my piece on the Pia hydrangea. Another popular cartoon character in Belgium is a blue bunny named Bobo.
What is a Panicle Hydrangea?
A panicle has a primary stem from which branch out numerous tiny stems. There are several flowers attached to each of these branching branches.
A panicle up close is shown here:
This one panicle is made up of many branches that branch off from the primary bloom stem.
Throughout the growth season, each panicle’s end lengthens while also generating more blooms along its length.
Very reliable bloomer
Pinky Winky is a hardy kind of hydrangea, unlike several others. Ours have bloomed following hard Winters, wet Springs, and also following a hot, early Summer drought.
Blooms on new growth, so any die-back won’t matter
The fact that some hydrangeas only bloom on old wood or on both old and new wood is crucial. Pinky Winky only blooms on new wood, so even if it freezes to the ground, everything will be OK in the spring when it sprouts new growth.
Butterflies and bees love this shrub
It will benefit your other plants and flowers to plant a Pinky Winky hydrangea or two or three as we all seek to make our gardens more pollinator-friendly. In addition, I adore listening to the bees’ hum as they fly around the hydrangea blossoms without paying any attention to me!
Spicy scent
Before one of my neighbors commented how much she enjoyed the fragrance on her morning walks, I was unaware of the beautiful scent of the Pinky Winky hydrangeas when we initially planted them. The smell is best described as spicy with a tinge of vanilla and honey. It’s not too much. In actuality, I enjoy how relaxing the smell is.
Winter interest
As a gardener, I firmly believe that our gardens can offer interest throughout the entire year. If you leave the dried flower heads on the stems, Pinky Winky hydrangeas enhance the peaceful appearance of the Winter season. I perform this each year.
Is Pinky Winky deer resistant?
Compared to bigleaf hydrangeas like the Endless Summer variety, Pinky Winky hydrangeas are less attractive to deer. Although deer will consume nearly anything if they are sufficiently hungry and their typical food sources are scarce, it is comforting to know that Pinky Winky shrubs are not among their top choices among hydrangeas.
Pinky Winky Shrub Description
Round in shape, this shrub features scarlet stems that stand out beautifully among the bright green leaves.
These sturdy stems never become slack or heavy from the weight of the enormous panicle flowers.
In fact, the shrubs along the Jersey Shore remained erect even during the torrential rains we experienced last month!
How big does Pinky Winky hydrangea get?
A Pinky Winky hydrangea can reach a mature height of 6 to 8 feet tall and wide, with a rounded form.
However, when they are extremely happy, these hydrangeas can grow up to 8 to 10 feet tall and occasionally much higher!
How fast does Pinky Winky hydrangea grow?
Since these shrubs grow up and out by many feet during the course of the growing season, the Pinky Winky hydrangea growth rate is regarded as quick. It’s really quite amazing!
Flower shape:
As I indicated earlier, Pinky Winky’s flowers are fashioned like cones. Since each flower stem has numerous smaller branches that each carry florets that make up the bigger, overall bloom, they are referred to as panicles.
Technically speaking, each cone-shaped panicle—which we mistakenly think of as a flower—actually consists of several blossoms clustered together and joined to the main stem of each panicle.
Pinky Winky Florets:
Observe the arrows pointing to the two distinct floret types in the figure below.
There are bigger showy sterile florets and smaller star-shaped fertile florets, which are both present.
Over the course of their lengthy blooming season, the beautiful florets change color from white to pink to a deep rose.
The larger sterile florets are what first attracted the bees to the blooms, but it is the smaller fertile florets that they prefer. witty fact
Flower size:
The big, 14 to 16-inch-long blossoms grow throughout the season as their hues alternate between white, pink, and white before reaching a lovely deep rose hue just before they start to dry.
Flower color:
Pinky Winky is most famous for its two-tone pink and white flowers, however they aren’t always that way.
The fact that Pinky Winky flowers change color throughout a lengthy blooming season makes them incredibly stunning.
Before opening to reveal cream or white blooms, flower buds begin to take on a lime green hue.
For the most of the summer, the blossoms are white. Ours in zone 7 start to turn pink in the first week of August.
Are the flowers truly white?
The blossom color starts out as a warm white, which to me does look more ivory than white, according to my best description. It’s not as pure white as, say, a white petunia or an annual white geranium.
I believe that the perception of white is subjective. In my mind, everything is warm white.
When do Pinky Winky hydrangeas turn pink?
Here in zone 7 in southern New Jersey, these blooms start to turn pink in August, starting at the base of each flower head.
The flower head’s tip continues to generate new white blossoms even if the base of the flower head becomes pink. To put it another way, each flower head develops while changing hue!
The blossoms turn pink in August and transform into a gorgeous rose color that is ideal for Autumn, extending the flower display into the Fall.
How to plant Pinky Winky Hydrangeas
Plant Pinky Winky hydrangeas shallowly, as you would most flowering bushes. Only as deep as the Pinky Winky is currently rooted in its container should you dig the planting hole.
Make the opening slightly larger than the container’s sidewalls. Place the container into the planting hole to inspect your work periodically to see how high or low the plant is. Add or subtract soil as necessary.
Pinky Winky Hydrangea Spacing
You’ll learn to place your Pinky Winky hydrangeas at least 7 to 10 feet apart from most gardening books and websites.
The Pinky Winky hydrangeas we grow are spaced slightly under 4 feet apart. And they’re doing great.
Our crepe myrtle tree has two Pinky Winky bushes planted on either side of it. Every Summer, each group of shrubs gently crosses over with a few branches, giving the impression that there is only one lovely bush on either side of the tree rather than two.
Can I transplant Pinky Winky Hydrangeas?
You can move your Pinky Winky hydrangeas, yes. The optimum time to accomplish this is when the plant is dormant, when there are no leaves on the stems. Typically, this occurs in the late fall or early spring.
Soil for Pinky Winky Hydrangeas:
Pinky Winky’s blossom color is unaffected by the pH of the soil, in contrast to a number of other hydrangea cultivars. In other words, the blossoms will always start off white, then change to pink in two tones, and then turn a darker rose pink.
Best fertilizer for Pinky Winky Hydrangeas:
Applying a slow-release fertilizer to your hydrangeas in the early spring, just after any pruning, is the ideal method to nourish them. Holly Tone by Espoma is my preferred organic slow-release fertilizer. *Amazon Affiliate link
Some gardeners don’t fertilize their hydrangeas at all, and the result is still lovely shrubs with an abundance of flowers.
Use of high nitrogen fertilizers can actually reduce bloom yield on the majority of hydrangea species.
Watering Pinky Winky Hydrangeas:
Regular watering is necessary, especially in the first year of the shrubs’ growth. Additionally, remember to water your plants frequently when the weather is hot.
The good news is that your Pinky Winky bushes grow more drought tolerant than some of the other hydrangea kinds after they become established.
Zones:
More resistant to cold temperatures than other Hydrangea kinds, like mophead bigleaf hydrangeas, are Panicle hydrangeas like Pinky Winky and Limelight.
How can you be certain that you can cultivate this flowering shrub in your particular zone?
If your neighborhood nursery sells them in the spring, they must withstand your region’s environment. If you’re unsure, always ask a nursery specialist.
Pruning Pinky Winky Hydrangeas
If you need to prune Pinky Winky hydrangeas at all, I’ve come up with this simple method after reading countless how-to articles on the subject and becoming frustrated by how complex some of the instructions were.
When investigating that new shrub or plant you bought, it might be rather scary. Am I correct?
It’s time to restart your garden after planting it in the ground last Spring. It can be difficult to know when and what to prune.
Dumb it down, Einstein!
When we totally renovated the landscaping in our front yard a few years ago, we also planted our Pinky Winky hydrangeas. From Proven Winners, they come.
Just one month after planting, the Pinky Winky shrubs are indicated by the arrows. On the other side of this big bed, there are two more planted.
When to prune Pinky Winky Hydrangeas?
Every year, Pinky Winky hydrangeas bloom on new wood, so don’t be concerned that you’re removing prospective flowers if you prune away brown twigs that have gotten too tall for your tastes.
How to prune Pinky Winky Hydrangeas the easy way!
(Almost wanting to apologize for my filthy gardening gloves. Almost. However, I’m being honest here, and these are typically how my gloves end up looking after some time!)
For winter interest, I like to keep the dried flower heads on all of our hydrangea varieties.
Strong gusts can sometimes cause them to be blown away, but most of the time they stay on the plants, and I like the way they appear.
First, begin at the end of the branch in question, which in my case will be the very tip of the blossoms.
Step two: Continue to follow the branch away from the tip until the first cluster of buds starts to appear.
After only one month of pruning, here is how one of the Pinky Winky hydrangeas appears.
Didn’t I mention possibly no pruning is needed with Pinky Winky Hydrangeas?
I simply don’t have time for that, despite the fact that there are numerous gardening books, articles, and blog posts available online regarding the correct technique to prune Pinky Winky hydrangeas, including trimming back specific branches to produce larger blooms.
You also don’t. (And if you do, congrats to you; I simply lack that kind of patience!)
You really aren’t required to prune your Pinky Winky hydrangeas if you don’t want to.
To maintain the shrub neat, many gardeners simply remove a few wayward branches here and there. Alternately, they might cut any branches that are touching or crossing over since it might lead the branches to start rubbing against one another and allow some sort of nasty, wicked fungus to grow.
We do our best to take care of the plants and bushes in our gardens, and as time goes on, we discover what works and what doesn’t exactly work.
Pinky Winky Hydrangea Images
In the Spring, lime-green buds that eventually develop into white blooms appear first, followed by new growth that is bright green. The lovely two-toned pink and white flower heads appear as the Summer progresses, and as Fall approaches, they continue to change into a stunning rose hue. In the winter scene, especially in the snow, the dried flowers look so lovely.