A most unusual plant whose flowers are waxy, small, cupped upwards at the edges, and lightly fragrant, soft china-blue to rose-pink; rather more like the flowers of a lilac than of a hydrangea. The floral heads are quite large, and the plant can be very vigorous. The foliage has a lovely, rubbery gloss and feel. Though its origins are a bit mysterious, recently in the Korbel Winery gardens an old plant of Ayesha reverted in part to the old cultivar Otaksa Monstrosa (or Sir Joseph Banks.) We were curious to find that of all the authors we've read who have written about the hydrangea, only Graham Stuart Thomas notes that Ayesha is probably a sport of Sir Joseph Banks. Ayesha has a tremendous propensity to produce many late flowers, and does not seem limited to blooming only from a few terminal growth buds. Joseph Banks is rather more vigorous and rarely sends up late flowers, resenting pruning, after which it will not usually bloom well |
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