This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) named `Frau Taiko` which originated as a seedling from the inventor's controlled hybridization of the Hydrangea macrophylla cultivars `Crystal` and `Silver Edge` and is distinguished from its parents and all other varieties of Hydrangea macrophylla of which I am aware by the combination of the distinctive pigmentation pattern of its sepals which gives the florets an appearance of being sharply outlined by a tiny white line; its compact growth habit; the ease with which it can be forced in a greenhouse; and its large, dense, long-lasting inflorescence having a strong peduncle which does not require staking for support, making it ideal for pot culture. Sepal pigmentation of individual Hydrangea macrophylla plants depends on the nutrients and pH of the growing medium. The sepals of `Crystal` are uniformly blue and the sepals of `Silver Edge` are uniformly red with a white edge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of the Saxifragaceae 
family. The botanical name of the plant is Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.). 
The varietal denomination is `Frau Taiko`. The new cultivar originated as 
a seedling from the inventor's controlled crossing as pollen and seed 
parents, respectively, the varieties known as `Silver Edge` and `Crystal` 
in Tochigi-Prefecture, Japan. `Frau Taiko` was discovered and selected as 
one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated parentage in a 
controlled environment. `Frau Taiko` is distinguished from its parents and 
all other varieties of Hydrangea macrophylla of which I am aware, by the 
combination of the distinctive pigmentation pattern of its sepals; its 
compact growth habit; the ease with which it can be forced in a 
greenhouse; and its large, dense, long-lasting inflorescence having a 
strong peduncle which does not require staking for support, making it 
ideal for pot culture. 
The naturally occurring colors of Hydrangea plants are either uniformly 
pink, blue or white depending on the pH and nutrients of the soil. 
Hydrangea plants having mixed white and pink or white and blue flower 
coloring are relatively new and not in common use. The sepal color of 
`Frau Taiko` begins uniformly green and turns color starting at the outer 
tips of the sepals, and at maturity is predominantly colored with a tiny 
border of white around the circumference of the sepal. The white border 
around the edge is so small and even that it gives the appearance of being 
a sharp outline of each sepal, and of each floret in the inflorescence. 
The sepal coloration of the seed parent `Crystal` is uniformly blue, and 
the sepal coloration of the pollen parent `Silver Edge` is uniformly red 
with a white edge. 
This new cultivar has been successfully asexually reproduced by vegetative 
cuttings under controlled environmental conditions at a commercial nursery 
in Tochigi-Prefecture, Japan, under the direction of the inventor over a 
ten year period from 1986 to 1996, with its distinguishing characteristics 
remaining stable.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT 
`Frau Taiko` has not been observed under all possible environmental 
conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in 
environment such as temperature, light intensity and day-length. The 
following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as forced under 
the prevailing day-lengths at Half Moon Bay, Calif. under commercial 
greenhouse conditions at a time appropriate for the sale of the cultivar 
in the spring. The color determinations were made with The Royal 
Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Colour Chart. 
The Plant 
Origin: Seedling. 
Parentage: 
Seed parent.--Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb) `Crystal`. 
Pollen parent.--Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb) `Silver Edge`. 
Classification: 
Botanic.--Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) `Frau Taiko`. 
Commercial.--Florist Hydrangea `Frau Taiko`. 
Form: Upright, compact shrub. 
Height: Flowering shoots reach 32 cm. in a 4" pot. 
Growth: Upright, vigorous growth habit; when forced to bloom in greenhouse 
the addition of growth regulators is necessary to control height. 
Flowerhead: Terminal; composite, rounded clusters of small florets; 
dome-shaped and dense; composed of florets carried on sturdy peduncles. 
Stems: Lenticels are reddish on the stem; lateral buds are reddish at the 
tip; reddish coloration above leaf attachment sites. 
Foliage: Abundant. 
Size of leaf.--As large as 104 mm wide by 120 mm long. 
Shape of leaf.--Elliptic with acute base and apex; margins are serrate. 
Texture.--Glabrous; veins dominate on the underside of the leaf and are 
sunken on the leaf surface. 
Color.--Upper side is R.H.S. 137 A (green group); under side is R.H.S. 138B 
(green group); veins are R.H.S. 145 C (yellow-green group). 
Petioles.--33 mm long. 
The Bud 
Form: Globose; with 4 to 5 connate petals. Buds in the very center of the 
inflorescence are nonsepalous. The majority of buds have sepals. 
Nonsepalous buds color prior to sepal coloration. 
Size: Sepalous buds 3 mm; nonsepalous buds 4 mm. 
Aspect: Smooth. 
Rate of opening: Buds with sepals opening more slowly than buds without 
sepals. 
Color: Mature stage is R.H.S. 116B blue green group; green stage is 145C 
yellow green group. 
Arrangement: Borne on 4 to 5 branched panicles, usually 5. 
Inflorescence 
Time of blooming: Forced in approximately 80 days at 19.degree. C. night 
temperatures. 
Form: Paniculate. Both sterile, sepalous florets and fertile, nonsepalous 
florets borne on same panicle. 
Size of Inflorescence: Individual inflorescence size is dependent on the 
number of inflorescences per plant. The large inflorescences have been 
measured with a 15.5 cm diameter, and a 47 cm. circumference on a 3+ bloom 
plant. Usually 46 cm circumference and 15.5 cm diameter. 
Shape: Spherical clusters of small florets; sepalous florets are flat and 
overlap one another. Sepals are persistent. Sepals elongate and mature as 
the inflorescence matures. Nonsepalous, are inconspicuous and hidden by 
sepalous florets. The inflorescence is dense. 
Appearance: Showy. 
Persistence: 4 or more weeks. 
Fragrance: Faintly sweet. 
Fruit: None. 
Reproductive organs: 
Stamens.--usually 8. Pollen is white. 
Stigma.--2 to 4 pronged stigma; usually 2 pronged on sepalous florets and 
usually 3 pronged on nonsepalous florets. 
Sepalous florets: 
Number of sepals.--3 to 5 sepals per floret, usually 4. 
Aspect of sepals.--Smooth. 
Shape of sepals.--Reniform with acuminate apex; edges smooth -- not 
serrated. 
Size of sepals.--Usually one large dominate sepal; two smaller but of equal 
size, and one small. Largest single sepal measured 41 mm wide by 34 mm 
long. 
Size of one large 4 petaled floret.--70 mm. wide by 66 mm. long. 
Coloration of sepals.--Sepal color varies according to the soil pH and 
nutritional amendments supplied. The tiny white border is influenced by 
the dominance and closeness of the blue or pink pigmentation and does not 
appear to be "true white."Pink flower: R.H.S. purple violet group 82B at 
mature selling stage. Blue flower: R.H.S. violet group 88B at mature 
selling stage. Edge: R.H.S. white group 155A.