Flowers are a double white. The inflorescences are full and are in cascading abundance. The flowers are double white to begin the flowering season, after many months the flowers will change to a light pink. The new blooms            appear on the new growth                 from the old wood Dormancy brings on the vision of purplish to black colored young stems. One of the more beautiful Garden Hydrangeas, seldom seen in cultivation.

Small foliage upon contrasting young purplish black branches is interesting on the sweet hydrangea, but the overabundance of white clusters of sterile flowers that line the branches of ‘Hanagasa’ is a glorious sight in late spring. A deciduous small shrub that is upright with spreading and irregular branches, it is native to the southern islands ofJapanincluding theRyukyu Islands. It flowers upon the current season’s new growth.

Lean to Grow web site say: The leaves are a bright medium green and small tapered lances. They occur in tufts along the upright and lightly arching branches that have a dark colored bark on young twigs. In the warmth of late spring, a massed, domed cluster of flowers appears from each tuft of foliage. The fertile flowers are tiny and pale yellow-tan. They are outnumbered by the showy sterile flowers of white, each having double rows or three or four white sepals (flower bud leaves). The sepals each have a tiny spot of red. Bees and butterflies pollinate the tiny, hidden fertile blooms. Overall the flower clusters will look like melting heads of ice cream cones and will age to a light pink by midsummer.

Grow Hanagasa sweet hydrangea in partial sun to lightly shaded situations in a fertile, moist, well-drained soil that is neutral to acidic in pH. This is an exquisite shrub for a cottage garden or woodland border where its irregularly upright yet fountain-like habit can be under planted with woodland wildflowers and shade perennials for a delicate display.

Gardens found in the 28 pre 2000 surveyed:  MS (as scandes Hanagasa)

UK Plant Finder Not listed. (but at: www.prideofplaceplants.com 2005)