Hydrangeas are adapted to grow in many conditions from full sun to heavy shade and in a range of soil types. Different species bloom from early to late summer and a few for the entire season. Blooms can be left to dry in place for fall and winter interest, or cut for fresh and dried arrangements and wreaths.
Most hydrangeas are quite drought-tolerant once established, but they can wilt and will require lots of water during their first year of growth. You will be rewarded with a low-maintenance plant with incredible and long-lasting beauty!
Hydrangeas grow to a variety of mature sizes — there’s a hydrangea for every garden.
SMOOTH HYDRANGEA
Smooth hydrangeas grow quickly in spring from the ground or cut-back stems. Producing large white flowers in mid-summer, immature shrubs sometimes fall to the ground without support. Smooth hydrangeas are native from the east coast west to Oklahoma and Kansas.
‘Annabelle’ is the most common of the cultivated smooth hydrangeas. Newer varieties such as ‘Invincibelle Spirit II’ feature pink-colored blossoms with stiffer stems. ‘Haas’ Halo’ is a native selection recommended by the Mt. Cuba Center as the best pollinator available. Smooth hydrangeas bloom on new wood each spring and are extremely cold hardy.
SIZE RANGE: Mature sizes range from 3-4′ to 6-8′
PRUNING: Blooms on new wood
SUNLIGHT: Grow in sun or shade
Invincibelle® Spirit II Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens nvincibelle® Spirit II
An improved version of the original pink 'Annabelle' hydrangea, Invincibelle Spirit II has dark green foliage, sturdy, strong stems that prevent flopping, and large blooms of deep pink that age to green. A rebloomer with fresh flowers through fall. This North American native hydrangea selection grows in a wide range of climates, from cold zone 3 to tropical zone 8!
‘Annabelle’ smooth hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'
Naturally occurring cultivar, native from New York to Florida west to Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Blooms May-July with huge, showy, white clusters of white blossoms, with some scattered rebloom throughout summer to fall. Foliage turns yellow in fall. An absolute must for every garden, this hydrangea adapts to most conditions and will not disappoint! CLICK FOR RANGE MAP.
‘Haas’ Halo’ smooth hydrangea
Hydrangea quercilofia 'Haas' Halo'
This remarkable lacecap hydrangea produces giant blooms up to 14″ wide! A favorite of pollinators, Mt. Cuba Center recommends this selection for ornamental and pollinator value. Leathery, blue-green foliage, provides a lovely backdrop to the large blooms that dry on the plant, remaining attractive for months.
PANICLE HYDRANGEA
Panicle hydrangeas bloom on new wood but grow into both large shrub and small tree forms, so pruning is not often needed. ‘PeeGee’ hydrangea is the best-known of the group. Panicle hydrangeas are often planted in cemeteries because of their low-maintenance nature and reliable fall bloom. Newer selections feature blooms that open white and age to shades of pink. Panicle hydrangeas are native to eastern and southern Asia and are very winter hardy.
SIZE RANGE: Mature sizes range from 2-3′ to 6-8′
PRUNING: Blooms on new wood
SUNLIGHT: Grow in sun or partial shade
‘Fire Light Tidbit’ hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata
The most compact panicle hydrangea, this shrub tops out at just 2 to 3' tall and wide. Big panicles of white mophead flowers appear in early summer and age to bright pink and red tones that persist through first frost. Combined with its colorful autumn foliage, these hydrangeas make a spectacle from spring through late fall. Thick, sturdy stems help to create a neat, mounded, low-maintenance hardy shrub!
‘Tiny Quick Fire’ Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata 'Tiny Quick Fire'
This dwarf form of Quick Fire® hydrangea is the smallest of the panicle hydrangeas. Excellent front-of-border planting or mass planting in drifts. Blooms early with showy red-pink flower clusters. Trim in late winter or early spring.
‘Little Lime’ Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata 'Little Lime'
This petite panicle hydrangea tops out at 3-5’ tall and wide with lime green summer blooms on strong stems. Pink coloring emerges on flowers that dry in place through fall. Small enough to grow in containers and perfect for foundation plantings. Great cut flowers can be used fresh or dried. Blooms on new wood, so trim in late winter or early spring to encourage fresh growth and plenty of new buds. Flowers best in full sun or part shade.
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2016 Landscape plant of the year
2011 American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA) Management Clinic Best New Plant Award.
Quick Fire Fab® Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata Quick Fire Fab®
Early bloom time and big, full, showy blooms make 'Quick Fire Fab' a landscape must-have. White blooms age to blush pink, then bright pink, followed by red from the bottom up. More than three months of flowers with low-maintenance. Sturdy stems keep blooms clean, upright, and showy year round.
OAKLEAF HYDRANGEA
Oakleaf hydrangeas have oak-shaped leaves and upright panicle-shaped blooms that start out white and fade to pink by late summer. An American native noted for large flowers and beautiful fall foliage color, smaller selections make it possible for those with less space to include these amazing plants in their landscapes. Hardy in zones 5 to 9.
SIZE RANGE: Mature sizes range from 3-4′ to 6-8′
PRUNING: Blooms on old wood — do not prune
SUNLIGHT: Grow in sun or shade
‘Ruby Slippers’ Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers'
Extra large white blooms open in summer and age to deep pink. Blooms remain upright on sturdy stems even after heavy rain. Dark green, deeply lobed oak-like foliage turns mahogany in fall. It's compact size makes it possible to grow oakleaf hydrangea even in smaller landscapes. Great is mass, hedges, or borders.
Hydrangea ‘Gatsby Gal’
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Gatsby Gal'
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Gatsby Gal' produces massive flower heads over large green leaves that turn deep mahogany in fall. The long-lasting blossoms open pure white and mature to pink. The mounded form is perfect for mixed shrub and perennial borders, woodland gardens, or creating hedges. Plants grow 4-6' tall. Plant in moist, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade, and enjoy the show. NATIVE TO THE SOUTHEASTERN US.
oakleaf hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia
Hydrangea quercifolia is an upright, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub typically grows 4-6' and produces showy panicles of white blooms in summer that persist into fall as dry flowers. Exfoliating branches are covered with large, oak tree-shaped, dark green leaves that turn fabulous shades of dark purple and red in fall. Plant in moist, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade, and enjoy the show. NATIVE TO THE SOUTHEASTERN US.
MOUNTAIN HYDRANGEA
Native to woodland mountain valleys in Japan, these deciduous shrubs grow in a rounded habit. Flowers open in flattened lacecap clusters with scattered showy florets forming an outer ring. Grow in alkaline soil for pink blooms or in acidic soil for blue — fertilizer can also be used to change color. Leaves of Hydrangea serrata can be used to make a sweet tea, hence the common name tea of heaven. Prune out weak or winter-damaged stems in early spring. Winter hardy to USDA Zone 6.
SIZE RANGE: Mature size 18-24″
PRUNING: Blooms on old wood — prune when needed by cutting back flowering stems to a pair of healthy buds
SUNLIGHT: Grow in morning sun with afternoon shade
‘Tiny Tuff Stuff’ Hydrangea
Hydrangea serrata 'Tiny Tuff Stuff'
This super hardy reblooming hydrangea produces abundant lacecap flowers and reblooms. Flower color ranges from blue to pink to white. Small size is perfect for perennial beds and gardens with limited space. Feed with Espoma for acid-loving plants to encourage blue flower color, or let them do their own thing!
HYBRID HYDRANGEA
‘Game Changer’ is a newer hybrid that produces blooms on new wood. Delicate looking blooms cover these vigorous, fast-growing plants from late spring to fall.
SIZE RANGE: Mature size 18-24″
PRUNING: Blooms on new wood
SUNLIGHT: Grow in morning sun with afternoon shade
‘Game Changer Picotee’ hydrangea
Hydrangea spp Hyp.
Game Changer Picotee has been developed to bloom earlier and longer than most. Lacecap blossoms of stunning pink are made up of thousands of tiny flowers surrounded by large pale pink petals edged in darker pink. Easier to grow than macrophylas with reliable bloom, these new compact hydrangeas are a welcome addition for garden beds and containers. Many hydrangeas begin producing buds in summer when the day length is sufficient. 'Game Changer' hydrangeas are daylight neutral, so they start blooming in spring and continue through fall. In addition, Game Changer Hydrangeas bloom on new wood guaranteeing you blossoms spring through fall. An interspecific cross of three species.
CLIMBING HYDRANGEA
Climbing hydrangea is a woody vine hardy to zone 4 through 8. Vines produce white, lacy, fragrant flowers in early summer and grow well in part to full shade. The exfoliating bark has excellent winter interest. Slowly growing to 30-60 feet tall, these vines take time to get established but will thrive for years. Worth the wait.
Climbing Hydrangea
Hydrangea petiolaris
These beautiful climbing vines cling to surfaces by aerial rootlets. With a slow-growing, shrubby habit when newly planted, vines shift into overdrive producing long, fast-growing stems once established. Deep green foliage is covered with striking white lace-cap blooms in summer.