The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is today, and many of us will be out supporting this effort to end breast cancer. As a breast cancer survivor and gardener, I'm thrilled about the new Invincibelle Spirit smooth hydrangea, which is not only a breakthrough in plant breeding with its new color but also benefits a good cause. One dollar from the sale of each of these garden shrubs is donated to the Breast Cancer Research Fund. So when you buy Invincibelle Spirit you are directly supporting a great cause, but is it a great plant?
You bet your tatas it is. Invincibelle Spirit comes from the same family as "Annabelle," which blooms once in white (twice if you deadhead old blooms) and which has been the most commonly available smooth hydrangea ( Hydrangea arborescens) on the market. In contrast, Invincibelle Spirit produces huge clusters of rosy pink flowers and is reported to repeat bloom through summer. Smooth hydrangeas are among the most disease-resistant, toughest hydrangeas, rarely beset by the leaf spot diseases that show up on mop-head and lace-cap hydrangeas in summer and fall. They're cold hardy, heat tolerant, easy to grow, long-blooming, showy in the landscape and make a great cut flower.
