Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Hydrangea aspera ‘Monpulsel’
Plum Passion Improved Hydrangea
- Family
- Hydrangeaceae
- Height
- 5 to 6 feet
- Width
- 5 to 6 feet
- Flower color
- Bi-color blush/lavender lacecap
- Foliage color
- Large dark green with purple undersides
- Bloom time
- Summer
- Light
- Partial shade
- Water
- Regular
- Maintenance
- Light pruning to shape the plant
- Growing zone
- USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 10
- Wildlife
- Flowers attract pollinators and shrub may also provide habitat for birds.
About this plant
Hydrangea aspera 'Monpulsel' produces broad lacecap flower clusters in summer, with tiny fertile purple-pink flowers surrounded by larger pale pink sterile florets. Broad, velvety leaves emerge green-purple before deepening to rich purple with rosy-purple undersides, creating dramatic foliage color throughout the growing season. In autumn, the upper leaf surfaces develop golden tones while the purple undersides remain, extending the colorful display beyond flowering. Strong, densely branched stems hold the flowers upright and create a full, substantial framework.
Developed at Monrovia Nursery in Dayton, Oregon, 'Monpulsel' was selected in 2013 from seedlings of 'Koki' for its heavier foliage, strong branching, and compact form. Marketed as Plum Passion® Improved, it is especially effective in woodland gardens, shaded borders, mixed shrub plantings, and containers, where its richly colored foliage provides season-long interest.
Works well in
Shade Gardens · Foundation Plantings · Cut Flower Gardens · Cottage Gardens
Companion plants
Sweet box · Bleeding heart · Pieris · Foam flower · Lungwort · Ajuga
Design tip
‘Plum Passion Improved’ offers two distinct layers of interest: coarse, purple-toned foliage and delicate lacecap flowers. The contrast between substantial leaves and airy blooms gives the shrub visual complexity without relying on bold flower color alone.
