The Range of Hydrangea

Hydrangea have been a favorite of American gardeners since colonial times.  While the shrubs and their foliage can create a cottage feel for any garden, let's admit it...we grow them for the blooms.  Modern hydrangea have evolved quite efficiently, and there are hydrangeas available for every spot in every landscape.  They can be at home just as easily in a container or a small courtyard, as they can in a sprawling landscape.

There are several types of hydrangea.  Arborescens are native to the Eastern US.  Macrophylla, are the well known varieties that allow gardeners to choose bloom color depending on the soil pH.  If you have pink and want blue, add aluminum sulfate.  If your blooms are blue, but you want pink, then add lime.  A new Macrophylla is the Endless Summer which blooms repeatedly on same year growth.  Cityyline Macrophyllas have large blooms and strong stems that keep them from flopping over. Lacecap Macrophyllas have very distinctive blooms Paniculata are more tolerant of sun and are more cold hardy.  Petiolaris is a vine-like climber and Quercifolia has an oak leaf look.

Some of our favorite classics and modern varieties include:

Annabelle.  Its small snowball flowers gradually turn from green to pure white.

Incrediball.  Huge white blooms.

Invincibelle Spirit.  The first pink Annabelle.

Endless Summer.  Blooms repeatedly on same year growth.

Big Daddy.  Very large flowers.

Pia Dwarf.  Smaller plant, with pink color.

Berlin Cityline has the larges flowers of the Cityline varieties.

Vienna Cityline is the smallest growing of the Cityline group.

Twist and Shout Lacecap is a repeat bloomer and an Endless Summer Macrophylla.

Limelight is a sun tolerant variety with a lime-green hue.

Little Lime is the dwarf variety of the Limelight.

Petiolaris is a climber and blooms in the late summer. 

Pee Wee.  A Quercifolia with great fall foliage.

Snow Queen.  A Quercifolia wiht cone shaped flowers.