Spotlight on PopStar®

Photos courtesy of Bailey

When it comes to new plants, genes are important. Pop Star® Bigleaf Hydrangea is the newest addition to the Endless Summer® hydrangea series, offering improved genetics that benefit growers and consumers.

The original Pop Star® seedling was discovered in 2014 at Plant Introductions, Inc. (PII), the breeding facility previously owned by Dr. Michael Dirr, Jeff Beasley and Mark Griffith. PII and its catalog of genetics was sold to Bailey Nurseries in 2015, and David Roberts was hired in 2016 to lead the Bailey Innovations™ breeding program. Each year, we review thousands of seedlings, looking for the best characteristics. At the time, Dr. Dirr and his colleagues were seeking a hydrangea that would stand out with compact genetics and outstanding rebloom ability. After years of rigorous trialing both on and offsite, Roberts and the Bailey team decided to introduce Pop Star® to the market in 2023.

Pop Star® is the most compact plant in the Endless Summer® series, along with Summer Crush®, maturing at 18-36 inches tall and wide. Pop Star® has several advantages for growers that reduce inputs and maximize output. This plant has short internodes, allowing the blooms and stems to remain upright. Because it’s compact, Pop Star® can be grown in production with less PGRs. To make life easier for growers, Pop Star® is highly disease resistant. Bailey offers a variety of liner options to give you flexibility for your planting schedule.

Once the production cycle ends, retailers get to experience the benefits of Pop Star®, starting with its rebloom ability. In our trials, we discovered that it forms new flower buds 4 weeks after cutback, which is several weeks earlier than other Hydrangea macrophylla. Roberts notes Pop Star® is “arguably the best rebloomer we have seen in trial. In our production trials, Pop Star® leads the pack when it comes to the quickness to rebloom and the quantity of blooms it produces.” The quick rebloom extends the shelf life for retailers and encourages impulse purchases for consumers. Another unique aspect of Pop Star® is the lacecap blooms, featuring fertile florets that are attractive to pollinators.

In the landscape, Pop Star® shines alongside annuals, perennials and shrubs, adding unique texture with the lacecap blooms and large foliage. The compact size is ideal for small landscapes and areas next to sidewalks or patios. While it grows vigorously, Pop Star® requires no pruning, adding to its low maintenance reputation. Pop Star® was bred in Georgia and has excellent heat tolerance, allowing the foliage to remain fresh throughout the season. Like other Endless Summer® hydrangeas, Pop Star® is hardy to Zone 4. At our Minnesota farm, it has thrived after experiencing temperatures of -35° F. Like all Endless Summer® Hydrangeas, Pop Star® blooms on both old and new wood, meaning you’ll have blooms from the new growth that emerges in spring.

Its compact habit is excellent for deco pots, where it can be grown by itself, or mixed with seasonal plantings. The sturdy stems hold the plant upright, allowing a tidy appearance throughout the season. As a bonus, the electric blooms can be used in fresh or dried arrangements to bring elegant style to a room. Another benefit of Pop Star® is the different bloom colors, with bright pink in alkaline soil, or electric blue in acidic soils.

Pop Star® will raise the standards for reblooming hydrangeas. As spring continues, growers, retailers and consumers will experience the improved genetics and rebloom of Pop Star®. For more information on Pop Star®, please visit baileynurseries.com/endless-summer.