GRAND HAVEN, Mich. – The Invincibelle Spirit hydrangea won a “Best in Show” award at the Independent Garden Center (IGC) Show in Chicago.
The very first pink-flowered form of the ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea, Invincibelle Spirit comes from Proven Winners ColorChoice.
A panel of six IGC retailers from across North America scouted the best products in eight categories from vendors exhibiting at Chicago’s Navy Pier. The panel chose Invincibelle Spirit as “Best in Show” winner for the plant category.
Following the initial selection, the top products in each category were discussed and scored from one to five under each of the following criteria: retailers’ “likelihood to purchase,” whether it “solves a problem,” its “uniqueness” and whether it is “inspiring.” The company and product scoring the most number of points in each category was awarded “Best of Show” for that category.
The Invincibelle Spirit Hydrangea blooms year after year, the company says, even after a harsh winter. At full maturity, it can produce more than 100 large pink blooms from midsummer until frost.
Because flower buds produce on new wood, this super-hardy hydrangea will still produce flowers even if the stems die back to the ground by extreme weather or cold. The blooms remain pink all season, regardless of the soil’s pH levels, the company says.