Gatsby Glow Ball® is a cultivar shrub in the hydrangea family (Hydrangeaceae) developed by Dr. Tom Ranney of NCSU. It is a compact specimen growing 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. Gatsby Glow Ball® grows best in organically rich, well-drained soils with medium moisture. It does well in full sun to part shade. The plant does need some sun in summer for best blooming. Mulching helps keep the soil moist. Because blooming occurs on old wood, prune if needed immediately after flowering. Winter-damaged stems may be pruned in early spring. It blooms in summer with rounded clusters of white flowers that mature to lime green. It grows in an attractive, dense, rounded shape with the oversized oak-shaped leaves that turn red in the fall giving it three seasons of interest. Use this hydrangea as a foundation plant, as a specimen, in groups as a low hedge or in a large patio container. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. Aphids and spider mites are occasional visitors. Some susceptibility to leaf blight and powdery mildew. More information on Hydrangea quercifolia .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.