Help identifying a flower bush. Any experts?

I need help identifying this flower bush, I have no idea what it is. Also, any tips on caring for this bush will be appreciated. When it blossoms it produces many gorgeous flowers, but it attracts a lot of bugs, then the flowers die. What is the best way to care for this bush? Any experts out there?

Pictures are linked below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64407250@N00/sets/72157594309206314/

2006-10-02T08:01:55Z

I live in the Chicago suburbs

2006-10-02T08:02:44Z

I don't know if this bush is native to this reigon or not, it was planted. The land where my house stands now used to be a corn field.

2006-10-02T08:09:12Z

Also, it is not potted it is in the ground. Should I cut all of the dead flowers?

?2006-10-03T22:31:21Z

Favorite Answer

It is a type of hydrangea. The flowers do not have to be cut off, they do dry up but have a little winter interest when the leaves are gone. You may want to trim the shrub in late spring to remove any dead flowers left and dead branches. Hydrangea leaves sprout later in spring sowhen you can see the green buds on stems, check for branches with no green buds and they can be removed. They are fairly hardy and will flourish even more with a general fertilizer applied in spring. Use one for flowering plants. A foolproof fertilizer like osmocote is applied once and is slowly released over the next few months. good luck John

Anonymous2006-10-02T15:05:26Z

I have to disagree with the person who said that it is a hydrangea - hydrangeas have much larger leaves, and are generally either pink or blue, depending on the soil in which they are planted; I've included a link to a good picture of hydrangeas below. That being said, I don't know what it IS - but it looks healthy, so I'd say just keep doing whatever you're already doing!

Anonymous2006-10-03T08:12:36Z

I don't think this is a hawthorn or a viburnum. Its hard to check from the photo but if it has 4 petal like sepals to each 'flower' then I agree it is probably a Hydrangea. There are ten's of varieties and most come in a white colour.

keepsondancing2006-10-02T22:44:39Z

It looks like an Annabelle hydrangea to me too, though the flower cluster in your hand looks too small. Annabelles have a flower about the size of a grapefruit. At any rate it looks healthy and fine. No need to water; it's established. Give it benign neglect and enjoy!

organic gardener2006-10-02T15:43:59Z

It looks like an Annabelle Hydrangea to me. Go to some sites on flowering shrubs to see if you can find a picture. I hope this helps.

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