Mar 19, 2020

UNH Launches Cold-Hardy Hydrangea Research Project

New Hampshire has seen a dramatic increase in cut flower farms, underscoring the need for reliable research to support the state’s flower industry. To that end, University of New Hampshire researchers have launched the first study to evaluate plants from three cold-hardy hydrangea species for cut flower and landscape use in New Hampshire. 

“The floriculture and bedding plant industry is a top agricultural commodity in New Hampshire, and the number of farms producing field-grown cut flowers has increased by a staggering 60 percent from 2007 to 2017. This dramatic increase suggests that cut flowers are an increasingly important horticultural crop in the state and illustrates that consumer demand is strong for regionally grown flowers,” said Kaitlyn Orde, research associate who will oversee the project at the Woodman Horticultural Research Farm, a facility of the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station.

“However, no studies have been conducted to evaluate these species in the Northeast, making providing information to the commercial farming community on characteristics and performance nearly impossible,” said Orde, who will conduct the research with experiment station researcher Becky Sideman, professor of sustainable agriculture and food systems and UNH Cooperative Extension professor and specialist in sustainable horticulture production, and Cathy Neal, retired experiment researcher and extension landscape horticulture specialist.

In the three-year project, researchers will evaluate 14 hydrangea cultivars from the cold-hardy panicle, oakleaf, and smooth species. They will measure several factors to determine cultivar suitability for both landscape and cut flower use, including winter survival, plant vigor, bud-hardiness, stem length, stem number, head size, flowering time and duration, color, and any notable pest and pathogen challenges. They also plan to measure the vase life of the cut stems, as a life of at least seven days has been cited as an important factor by florists in the area.

“We will generate and share information on plant hardiness, cultivar characteristics, and the suitability of cultivars for cut flower use. This information will hopefully allow growers, florists and landscapers to confidently select cultivars for their intended purpose,” Orde said.

Researchers also plan to showcase the hydrangea cultivars at annual field days at the Woodman Horticultural Research Farm, as well as twilight meetings hosted by UNH Cooperative Extension. This will allow commercial growers and landscapers the opportunity to view the cultivars and gather information on specific cultivars.

For more information, please visit www.colsa.unh.edu.