Endless Summer® Pop Star® Hydrangea

Endless Summer® Pop Star® Hydrangeas thrive in a location that offers morning sun and afternoon shade, making them perfect for part sun to part shade environments. While they need at least 4 to 6 hours of sunlight per day to bloom their best, too much direct afternoon sun—especially in hotter climates—can cause leaf scorch or reduce bloom longevity. A site that receives gentle morning light and dappled afternoon shade will help preserve their vivid lacecap flowers and deep green foliage while keeping the plant healthy and hydrated.

In cooler regions, Pop Star® Hydrangeas can tolerate more sun and may even perform well in full sun, provided they receive adequate water and are planted in moist, well-draining soil. However, in warmer zones (USDA 8–9), partial shade becomes crucial to prevent heat stress and dehydration. Ideal for foundation beds, woodland edges, or mixed borders, these compact hydrangeas offer versatility and season-long blooms when planted in the right light conditions. With the proper sun-to-shade balance, your Endless Summer® Pop Star® Hydrangea will reward you with continuous, colorful flowering from spring through fall.

Endless Summer® Pop Star® Hydrangea is a unique reblooming variety that flowers on both old and new wood, giving it a distinct advantage over traditional hydrangeas. This dual-blooming ability means that even if a late frost damages the previous year’s growth, you’ll still enjoy vibrant lacecap flowers on the new season’s stems. The early flush of blooms appears on the old wood in late spring, followed by a second wave of flowers on the new growth through summer and into fall. This extended blooming period makes Pop Star® an ideal choice for gardeners seeking season-long color and consistent performance.

Because Pop Star® Hydrangeas bloom on both old and new wood, pruning should be approached carefully. In early spring, focus only on removing dead, damaged, or weak stems without heavily cutting back the plant, so you don’t sacrifice the early blooms that form on last year’s growth. This flexibility allows Pop Star® to rebound quickly after harsh winters and still deliver a full season of colorful blue or pink blooms, depending on soil pH. Perfect for foundation plantings, containers, or small-space gardens, this hydrangea ensures reliable flower production and easy care from spring through fall.

Endless Summer® Pop Star® Hydrangeas are not considered fully deer resistant, as deer may browse on their tender new growth, especially in areas with high deer pressure or limited food sources. While hydrangeas are not at the top of a deer’s preferred menu, they can still be vulnerable—particularly during the early spring flush of foliage. If you’re planting in a deer-prone area, it’s a good idea to use deer repellents or protective barriers to safeguard young plants. Once more mature, Pop Star® may be slightly less appealing to deer, but caution is still advised.

Despite this, the compact size and versatility of Endless Summer Pop Star make it an excellent choice for protected areas in the landscape, such as enclosed gardens, patio borders, or near entryways where deer activity is minimal. Planting alongside more deer-resistant companion plants, such as boxwoods, lavender, or ornamental grasses, can also help reduce browsing. With proper protection, you can enjoy the season-long blooms and vibrant color of Pop Star® hydrangeas, even in areas where deer might be a concern.

Changing the color of your Endless Summer® Pop Star® Hydrangea is a fun and simple way to personalize your garden’s color palette. This unique hydrangea produces pink or blue lacecap blooms, depending on the pH level of your soil. For blue flowers, you’ll need to acidify the soil to a pH below 6.0. This can be achieved by adding aluminum sulfate or soil acidifiers like sulfur or peat moss. These amendments increase the availability of aluminum in the soil, which is what gives the flowers their rich blue hue. Be sure to test your soil first so you know where you’re starting from.

If you prefer pink blooms, the soil should be alkaline or neutral, with a pH above 6.5. To raise the pH, you can apply garden lime to the soil around your Pop Star® hydrangea. This reduces the availability of aluminum, shifting the bloom color toward pink or even deep rose shades. Always apply amendments gradually and follow label directions to avoid shocking the plant. Water thoroughly after each application to help nutrients move through the soil. Keep in mind that it can take several weeks to a few months to see a visible change in flower color.

Whether you’re planting your Pop Star® Hydrangea in a container or in the ground, consistent soil management is key to maintaining your desired bloom color. For container-grown plants, changing soil pH is even easier, since you have more control over the soil mix and amendments. Regularly monitor soil conditions, and continue to feed your plant with a fertilizer formulated for hydrangeas, especially one labeled for acid-loving plants if you're aiming for blue blooms. With the right balance of nutrients and soil pH, your Endless Summer® Pop Star® Hydrangea will provide vibrant, color-shifting flowers from late spring through fall.

Endless Summer® Pop Star® Hydrangeas are not native to North America. They are a cultivated variety of Hydrangea macrophylla, which is native to Japan and parts of Asia. Bred for their compact size and ability to bloom on both old and new wood, Pop Star® Hydrangeas have become incredibly popular in American landscapes due to their vibrant lacecap blooms, long flowering season, and adaptability to various climates. While not native, they are non-invasive and well-behaved in garden settings, making them a reliable choice for ornamental use.

Despite not being native, Pop Star® Hydrangeas offer several ecological and aesthetic benefits in the landscape. Their nectar-rich flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, particularly during late spring and summer when they are in full bloom. They provide long-lasting color in foundation plantings, borders, container gardens, and small-space landscapes, enhancing biodiversity when used alongside native shrubs and perennials. Their compact size and reblooming nature make them especially well-suited for urban and suburban gardens where space is at a premium.

If your garden design emphasizes native plantings, Endless Summer® Pop Star® Hydrangeas can still be used effectively as part of a broader pollinator-friendly or mixed ornamental garden. When paired with native species such as coneflowers, bee balm, or black-eyed Susans, they offer visual interest and seasonal color without disrupting the ecological balance. While they may not support specialized native insects in the same way native shrubs do, Pop Star® Hydrangeas are an excellent choice for gardeners who want both style and pollinator support in a compact, easy-care package.

Nursery pot sizes are called gallon sizes. You’ll see one-gallon, two-gallon, etc. This can be misleading to gardeners as a one-gallon pot would lead you to believe that the pot would hold one gallon of milk. This is not the case. Gallon is just a term of reference leftover from the days of nurseries growing plants in metal containers.

• 1-gallon (#1) pot for example, can hold 3 quarts of soil yet they are still considered a 1-gallon pot.
• 2-gallon (#2) pot holds about 1.5 gallons of soil
• 3-gallon (#3) pot holds about 2.9 gallons of soil
• 5-gallon (#5) pot holds about 4.6 gallons of soil

What you actually should be concerned with is the dimensions of the pot rather than capacity because let’s face it the size of the hole you dig is dependent on the dimensions, not the capacity.

These are approximate measurements and dimensions vary from manufacturer to manufacturer but all dimensions fall in the following specifications.

• 1 Gallon Pot - 6.5 to 7.5 inches wide by 7 to 8 inches deep
• 2 Gallon Pot - 8.5 to 9.5 inches wide by 8 to 9 inches deep
• 3 Gallon Pot - 10.5 to 11.5 inches wide by 9.5 to 10.5 inches deep
• 5 Gallon Pot - 12 to 13 inches wide by 11 to 12.5 inches deep

These are approximate measurements and they do vary from supplier to supplier.