Hydrangeas: Selection, Planting & Care

Smooth, Hills of Snow, Snowball (Annabelle type) Hydrangeas

Hydrangea arborescens (pictured above)

• Shade garden, mixed border, dried flowers
• Grows 3 to 5’ tall and wider
• Prefers partial shade, full sun if soil is kept moist
• Moist, well-drained soil preferred
• Fertilize with low nitrogen/ organic fertilizer early spring to improve flowering
• Soil pH (acidity) does not influence flower color
• Blooms on new growth – prune during dormant season
• Varieties
  • Annabelle – large white flowers, 4’ tall x 5’ wide, tolerates full shade
  • Invincibelle Spirit – Pink flowers
  • Incrediball – Large round flowers. 5’ tall and wide
• Pruning Tips
  • Prune late winter after the worst of winter has passed /early spring before growth begins (You’ll enjoy the winter interest & increased hardiness
    • OR prune in fall for a neater appearance over winter
  • Prune all stems back to 12 to 15” above the ground, then prune half of these back to ground level for less floppy growth
    • OR All stems back to several inches above the ground – results in floppier growth

Panicle Hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata

• Screen, hedge, specimen, mixed border
• Dwarf varieties 3 to 6’ tall & wide, Large varieties up 10’+ tall & wide
• Performs best in full sun will tolerate partial shade
• Moist, well-drained soil preferred
• Soil pH (acidity) does not influence flower color
• Blooms on new growth – prune during dormant season if needed
• Varieties
  • Bobo  - 2 to 3’ x 3 to 4’ wide, compact mounded plant with lots of long lasting large white flowers that eventually fade to a purplish pink
  • Limelight – 6 to 10’ x 5 to 6’ wide, lime green flowers fading to rose
  • Little Lime – 3 to 5’ tall and wide. Lime green flowers fading to rose
  • Little Lamb – 6 to 8’ x 4 to 6’ wide, large fluffy white flowers
  • Pinkie Winky – 6 to 8’ x 5 to 6’ wide, large, white & pink flowers fade to dark pink
  • Quickfire – 6 to 8’ tall and wide – earlier bloom, white to pink to rosy red
  • Tardiva – 8 to 12’ x 5 to 7’ wide – late bloom, lacy white flowers fades to purplish- pink
  • Vanilla Strawberry - 6 to 8’ x 4 to 5’ wide – large white flowers fade to pink and then a strawberry red
• Pruning Tips
  • Minimal pruning needed
    • Thinning plants to 5 to 10 primary shoots will encourage larger flowers
    • Pruning to ground level will result in weak floppy growth Prune in late winter after the worst of winter has passed /early spring before growth begins

Bigleaf Hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla

• Shrub or mixed border
• Grows 3 to 6’ tall & wide
• Grow in full sun with moist soil, afternoon shade
• Moist, well-drained soil preferred
• Soil pH (acidity) influences flower color
  • Blue flowers in acidic soil
    • Aluminum sulfate (per label directions spring through July)
  • Pink flowers in alkaline soil
• Blooms on old growth
  • Improve flowering on Endless Summer & Twist and Shout
    • Moist, not wet soil spring through summer
    • One application of Milorganite fertilizer in spring. It contains plant available – non leaching phosphorous (P). Plus as the microorganisms release the nutrients from Milorganite they also release some of the P bound to our soil – P promotes flowering
• Varieties
  • Endless Summer – 3 to 4’ tall & wide, spherical blooms on old and new wood
  • Twist and Shout – 3 to 4’ tall & wide, lace cap flowers on old and new wood
• Pruning
  • Allow plants to stand for winter
  • Remove winter-killed stems (this may be all of them to the ground)
  • No further pruning is usually needed in our area

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Hydrangea quercifolia

• Shade garden, four season interest, hedge, mixed border
  • Deep green oak shaped leaves
  • Bronze, maroon and purple fall color
  • Cinnamon colored exfoliating bark
• Grows up to 8 feet tall and wide
• Grow in partial shade or sun
• Moist, well-drained soil preferred
• Blooms on old wood

• Varieties
  • Alice – 5 to 8’ tall & wide, large 10-14” white flowers fading to pink then brown Bronze, maroon, purple fall color & orange exfoliating bark
  • Pee Wee – 3 to 4’ x 2.5 to 3’ wide, compact, less suckering, flowers white, fade to pink, then brown - Bronze, maroon, purple fall color & orange exfoliating bark
• Pruning – minimal
  • Remove deadwood
  • Prune after flowering if need/want to control the size

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