Panicle hydrangea (see Hydrangea paniculata at C313 herein) is a vigorous, upright, rapidly growing, somewhat coarsely textured, deciduous shrub that is native to China and Japan. It typically grows to 8-15’ (less frequently to 25’) tall, and features oval to ovate dark green leaves and upright, sharply-pointed, pyramidal terminal panicles (to 8” long) containing both fertile and sterile white flowers that bloom late summer into fall (sometimes to first frost). 'Interhydia' is a more compact cultivar that is cultivated under the trade name of PINK DIAMOND. It typically grows in a rounded, upright form to 5-10’ tall and as wide. It was developed in the 1980s as a seedling of Hydrangea paniculata 'Unique'. It is noted for producing dense, pyramidal, cone-shaped panicles (to 12” long and 8" across) of sterile and fertile flowers at the ends of red-stemmed branches. Flowers emerge white but mature to a rich pink. The smaller fertile flowers are somewhat hidden beneath the showier, sterile ones. Strong stiff stems hold the flower panicles upright with no drooping. Flowers bloom from July through September. Elliptic to ovate, serrate, dark green leaves (to 6” long) produce generally undistinguished, yellow to purple-tinged fall color. Panicles may be cut for fresh arrangements or for drying, or may be left on the plant where they will persist well into winter.

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