The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) has included Proven Winners ColorChoice Bobo Hydrangea paniculata in its 2021 list of Gold Medal Plants.
Bobo H. paniculata blooms in summer with large, lacy, white flowers that age to a soft pink. The compact cultivar reaches heights/widths of 2.5-3’ and is hardy in USDA zones 3 - 8 (-40°F/-40°C).
Bobo hydrangea is one of seven plants awarded the 2021 PHS Gold Medal award. Plants are selected for the program based on hardiness, ease of growing, weather tolerance, and pest resistance. According to the PHS website, the award “recognizes exceptional perennials and pollinator-friendly plants as judged by a committee of PHS horticulturists, expert gardeners, nursery owners, and more.”
When notified about the award, breeder Dr. Johan Van Huylenbroeck of the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture remarked, “When we selected Bobo in 2005 in our hydrangea breeding program, I never thought that this dwarf plant could become such a giant for garden lovers. This award is a great recognition of our efforts to develop sustainable, healthy, and good-looking garden plants. It encourages us to continue in this direction.”
Bobo joins ‘Limelight’ as a PHS Gold Medal Award-winning panicle hydrangea. Both are Proven Winners ColorChoice varieties, introduced by Spring Meadow Nursery.
Tim Wood, breeder, and product development manager at Spring Meadow Nursery remarked in his Plant Hunter blog, “I had no idea how good this plant was until it spent a few years in our trialing program. I knew it was a good container plant, but I soon discovered it was an even more remarkable garden plant that simply glows in the landscape. It is compact and dwarf in habit, and the flowers cover every inch of the plant right down to the ground.”
A longtime admirer of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the work they do, Tim found this endorsement of Bobo to be very meaningful, saying, “I think I can speak for everyone at Spring Meadow when I say how proud we are that Bobo® has been recognized with this important award.”
For more information:
Spring Meadow Nursery
12601 120th Ave.
Grand Haven, MI 49417
SpringMeadowNursery.com