The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea arborescens and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘KOLPINBEL’. ‘KOLPINBEL’ represents a new smooth hydrangea, a perennial shrub grown for landscape use.
‘KOLPINBEL’ was derived from an ongoing controlled breeding program directed by the Inventor in Boskoop, the Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new cultivar of Hydrangea arborescens with inflorescences that are pink in color on sturdy stems. ‘KOLPINBEL’ arose from a controlled cross made by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands in June of 2010 between Hydrangea ‘NCHA1’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,765) as the female parent and ‘Abetwo’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,571) as the male parent. ‘KOLPINBEL’ was initially selected a single unique plant from amongst the resulting seedlings for further evaluation in 2012 and characteristics confirmed in July of 2014.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands in July of 2012. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.