Plant Patent Applied For. Cultivar: 'Ragra'
Another Cityline™ has come to deliver big blooms on compact, disease-resistant shrubs! Rio is the latest in this remarkable family, which has made Hydrangea accessible to small gardens, patios and porches, and northern climates (where it may be overwintered in a frost-free location). Just as free-flowering as its cousins Berlin and Venice, it has the additional bonus of an extraordinary color in alkaline (lime) soils: instead of the usual pink, its blooms are a deep, rich purple!
Rio is a stocky, very well-branched little shrub, reaching just 2 to 3 feet high and wide. It's perfect for large containers or the front of the shrub border. And unlike its habit, its flowers are full size, each floret starred with a pale green eye and base that shades into blue or purple. As the florets mature, the green recedes. In acidic soils, Rio is one of the most intense and strongest blue Hydrangea on the market, simply radiating cool, hard-to-find azure tones. Lovely!
Rio blooms a bit earlier than many other Hydrangea, starting in earliest summer and continuing all season. The blooms arise on strong stems, refusing to flop. They are great for cutting, and make long-lasting fresh or dried arrangements. The foliage stays handsome even in hot, humid climates, resisting the mildew that plagues many older Hydrangea varieties. An all-around beautiful shrub, it thrives in partial shade in all but the most northerly climates. Don't miss it! Zones 5-9.
