Catch a Shooting Star

I love my Shooting Star Hydrangea macrophylla! It blooms off and on for me throughout the year from spring to fall. It belongs to the lacecap group with flattened flowerheads and does very well in many different areas (USDA zones 5-10). Whether in a container or in the landscape, it is a fantastic plant that boasts pure alabaster white double flowers, shaped like stars within stars on long stems against a backdrop of deep, lush forest-green leaves. The long-stemmed flower clusters give the impression of falling or shooting stars. Best of all it holds its pure white color for 4-6 weeks before morphing into a greenish hue for another 4-6 weeks. All I do to keep it happy is water regularly and feed every 4 weeks during its growth period with cottonseed meal (such as Whitney Farms) to keep its acid-loving appetite filled and top with a layer of Denali Gold.