Horticultural Science and Technology ISSN:1226-8763(Print) 2465-8588(Online) 원예과학기술지

The Hydrangea ‘Moonlight’ cultivar was registered in 2020 by Chonnam National University. In 2015, mophead-type H. macrophylla ‘Adria’ and mophead-type H. macrophylla ‘Ocean’ were crossed, and the progenies were grown in 2016. We screened and selected for disease resistance lines during a field trial in 2016, and investigated the flower type, floral color, and growth type from 2017－2018. Finally, we selected the distinctive line D15009. The showy sterile flower’s (sepal) color was pinkish (RHS Color Chart Purple Group 75C) and the floral head type was mophead. The inflorescence width and height were 7.80 and 14.84 cm, respectively. The average number of showy sterile flowers (calyces) per inflorescence was 152.3, and they were scentless. The average plant height was 56.83 cm and the growth type was semi-erect with stems that were bowing. Leaf length and width were 11.22 and 7.20 cm, respectively. ‘Moonlight’ was a late flowering garden cultivar. Flowers began to bloom in mid-April in the greenhouse, but in early June in the outer fields. There was a wide variation in flower color, ranging from pink, dark purple, and blue in accordance with the measurement of soil pH during gardening and pot cultivation. A new Hydrangea cultivar, ‘Moonlight’ was registered with the Korea Seed and Variety Service (plant variety protection number: 8059).