(Big Leaf Hydrangea) Big, funky flying saucer lace-cap flowers emerge pink and white and mature to hot pink atop black satin stems on Abracadabra™ Star. Plants can be cool and fun. That's the whole idea behind Abracadabra™ Hydrangeas.  Abracadabra™ Star ads unusual color to any summer garden. The distinctive black stems add interest even when the plant is not in bloom. You’ve never seen such fun and funky flowers on top of showy black satin stems. Use as a specimen, or in groupings and masses, shrub borders, screens, hedges, and for cut flowers. Flower color is affected by soil pH. For blue flowers, the soil must be more acidic and for pink flowers, the soil must be more alkaline. Abracadabra™ Star prefers moist, well-drained soil. Supplemental water may be needed in very hot weather. It may do better in part shade in more southern areas. Protect over winter in northern states. Fertilize in early spring by applying a slow release fertilizer specialized for trees & shrubs. Follow the label for recommended rate of application. As a young plant it is best to prune or pinch your plant in order to build a full-bodied, well-branched plant. If the plant is leggy when you purchased it, shear the plant back hard by 1/3 to 1/2 its original size. Once it puts on an inch or two of growth, pinch the branch tips to remove just the growing tips, these tips control branching. Once growing tips are removed the buds below it will turn into stems. Once these new branches grow an inch or two, pinch the tips out again. You can repeat this throughout the first growing season as you are tending your garden. Although you will sacrifice blooms, this technique results in a well-branched, full-bodied plant that will have more flowers in subsequent years. The second season in the ground, repeat the pinching practice (or lightly shear) up until mid-August. Stop pruning after mid-August, because the flowers are on old wood this would allow time for the flower buds to form prior to winter. During the third and subsequence seasons, prune or pinch as necessary after flowering and before buds set in mid-August. Do not be afraid to prune or shear your plant harder if you wish to maintain a shorter size. Introduction Year: 2010 Patent Strings: Abracadabra™ Star Hydrangea macrophylla 'Horabstra' PP: 21636