In North America, hydrangeas come in 5 different primary varieties. This comprehensive guide was created to make it simple for you to recognize different types of hydrangeas by looking at pictures for reference and key traits that they typically feature. For more thorough information on each type, click through. To read through the content quickly, there is a simple guide at the end of this post.
How many different hydrangea species are there?
There are as many as 80 different species of hydrangea, according to some sources, while others only list 23. Regardless of the number, only six varieties are frequently planted in American gardens.
Which hydrangea is the most widely grown?
More hardy, showier kinds of hydrangeas are created every year, which contributes to their growing appeal.
Best Hydrangea Varieties: Top 10 from Reliable Winners
- H. “Limelight”
- Lime Little H.
- Amazing Ball H.
- Hydrangea with Fire Light Panicle.
- Bobo H.
- H. Pinky Winky
- Spirit of Invincibelle II H.
What various hydrangea varieties are there?
Also known as hortensia, florist’s hydrangeas, and French hydrangeas. The most typical variety of hydrangea to be found in the US is this one. Mophead, lacecap, and mountain hydrangeas are the three different varieties of hydrangea macrophylla. As long as the winter is not too harsh and dry, some mophead hydrangeas can survive in colder climates. After a prolonged warm weather, hydrangeas are most vulnerable when exposed to a freeze. Additional protection could be needed there.
What kind of hydrangea do I have, and how can I know?
The aforementioned plant traits make it simple to distinguish between climbing and oakleaf hydrangeas, hence they will not be covered in this section.
Shape of the Flower Head
- A paniculata type is most likely present if the flower head is formed like a cone.
- It is either a macrophylla or an arborescens kind if the flower head resembles a ball or a flat disk. Visit the section on Flower Color.
Robert Pavlis’ photograph of a hydrangea arborescens from the side, highlighting the flower’s dome-shaped crown
Flower Color
- A macrophylla type is present if newly opened blooms feature blue, purple, or pink blossoms.
- An arborescens type is present if the flower buds initially seem green, then turn white, and finally turn green or greenish brown as they ripen.
- You likely have a macrophylla kind if the flowers are white when they first open and remain white as they age. Although they are less common, white flowered macrophylla varieties do occur.
Note: Recent breeding is beginning to develop arborescens with flowers that have a pink tint, such as “Eco Pink Puff.” Future cultivars should have a stronger version of this pink.
What hydrangea is the most beautiful?
Endless Summer BloomStruck Hydrangea, which can withstand extremes of heat and cold, is comparable to Summer Crush in that it consistently blooms on both old and new growth. From early summer until late fall, it will produce lovely blooms. Depending on the soil pH, BloomStruck has deep blue-purple or deep pink flowers with super-strong red stalks and a more compact growth habit.
Let’s Dance Can Do
Let’s Dance, We Can As opposed to most bigleaf hydrangeas, which only produce flower buds at the top of the stem, hydrangeas produce flower buds all the way down the stem. This means that even if there is a late-season frost, flower buds may still form in the early summer. Depending on the soil, the plant has gorgeous lavender or strawberry pink lacecap blooms.
Limelight Prime
Large blooms on limelight hydrangeas that shine in direct sunlight are their trademark. From bud to bloom and beyond, the new Limelight Prime panicle hydrangea outperforms the old Limelight in every way. With bolder, better flower color and much stronger stems, it blooms earlier. It is also one of the easiest hydrangeas to grow and is a more useful, compact size.
Fire Light Tidbit
The smallest and cleanest panicle hydrangea is Fire Light Tidbit. Its height and width are only 2 to 3 feet, yet it has a lot of low-maintenance beauty. It has large, dense panicles of early- to mid-summer white mophead blooms that almost completely cover the textured green foliage. It produces a compact, mounded plant that looks great in landscapes, flower gardens, and even in containers because to its strong, thick stems.
They are hardy
The species of hydrangea most tolerant of freezing temperatures is the panicle. They are dependable shrubs or tiny trees that thrive with little effort. Their sturdy, reddish-brown branches range from being straight to arching and occasionally bow from the weight of the enormous blossoms. Although something closer to 6 or 8 feet tall and wide is more typical, something up to 15 feet tall and wide is possible. Panicle hydrangeas are typically too large for small gardens, but anybody may enjoy them with careful pruning or by picking a tiny variety like ‘Dharuma’ or Quick FireTM.
Pruning doesn’t affect bloom
Panicle hydrangeas don’t mind being clipped, unlike bigleaf hydrangeas (H. macrophylla cvs., Zones 69). Typically in early spring, I advise trimming the plants back by about half of their height before the leaves appear, though this is optional if you have space for a larger plant. Due to space limitations in the trial beds, we had to start trimming, but the better habits and results we saw afterward encouraged us to keep doing it. The size of the hydrangeas with annual pruning is depicted in the chart below. Contrary to many bigleaf varieties, panicle hydrangeas bloom on new wood, thus trimming won’t stop them from producing blooms and might even make them bigger. Annual trimming, in contrast to some accounts, did not promote long, feeble stems that were unable to sustain the weighty blossoms. All the cultivars, with the exception of “Dolly,” were robust enough to support their blossoms.
Flower type and size vary
Panicle hydrangeas produce a mixture of beautiful, sterile florets and frothy, fertile florets in their flowers. The showy florets, which vary in size and number depending on the cultivar, create the protracted bloom show, which is accentuated by a transformation from white to various pink tones. Unsurprisingly, the breeding trend has been to enhance the pink hue of the wilting blooms. I employ the words “To distinguish between the two floral varieties of panicle hydrangea, use the terms lacy and “mop.” In contrast, Lacy describes an open panicle with showy florets scattered throughout the fertile flowers “Mop is a sign of an excess of colorful florets with fertile florets buried beneath.
Watch the pHbut don’t worry about deer
I discovered that the alkaline nature of our soils at the Chicago Botanic Garden, particularly in hot, dry weather, may contribute to panicle hydrangea foliar chlorosis. Consistent watering will guarantee healthier foliage and more robust bloom output in hot conditions. Panicle hydrangeas are resilient to urban environments and rarely encounter pests or illnesses. While some cultivars are frequently praised for their mildew tolerance, none of our plants ever developed powdery mildew. Deer also favor bigleaf hydrangeas, but they usually show less interest in panicle varieties.
They have some winter interest
I’m not crazy about going into detail about a plant’s winter characteristics, but I disagree with detractors who claim that panicle hydrangea lacks any winter appeal. When rimmed with frost or covered in snow, the faded brown blossoms add some color and structural interest. I prefer to leave them on till spring because I’m a lazy gardener at heart and I’ll be pruning the branches anyway. When the crispy panicles break off and roll across the garden like tiny tumbleweeds, it’s entertaining.
What type of hydrangea is the simplest to grow?
Why are oakleaf hydrangeas so straightforward? They are not particular! In comparison to other hydrangeas, oakleaf hydrangeas can withstand cooler temperatures, greater sunlight, drought, and pests and diseases, and they do better in sandy soil.
a. hydrangea a.
Big, powerful, and gorgeous! The University of Georgia declared Alice the most resilient and trouble-free hydrangea. Beware, Alice is a large gal who can reach a height of 15 feet and a width of 15 feet.
Features:
- Native
- beautiful fall foliage with burgundy and copper hues
- a little deer resistant
Enjoy the beauty of snowflakes in the middle of summer with the snowflake hydrangea. The snowflake variety of oakleaf hydrangeas blooms for the longest period of time. Additionally, it truly stands out because to its double flowers! It’s understandable why this hydrangea is one of the most well-liked varieties.
June till the end of summer. Snowflake-like, stark white, double flower blossoms that first turn pink then brown.
- rapid growth
- doubling up
- Stunning maroon foliage in the fall.
Red-leafed hydrangea little but mighty This small hydrangea, which only reaches a height of 4′, produces nine flower blooms at once. And the duration of those flowers is up to two months. Think again if you believe you lack space for a hydrangea. Even a tiny garden will suit Ruby Slippers!
In the early to mid-summer. massive white flowers that quickly become pink in color
- Compact
- enduring pink flowers
- thrives in hot, dry conditions with inadequate soil.
- striking red fall foliage that persists till the beginning of winter
After it has grown, fertilize your oakleaf hydrangea every spring with Espoma’s Plant-tone.
Which hydrangeas are the hardiest?
While many hydrangea species do well in the shadow, panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) do best when grown in full sunlight. Large clusters of white blooms are produced by these summer-blooming bushes for several weeks. The colorful blossoms dry to a beige color after fading to pink or crimson hues. The blossoms on the plant typically dry in the fall and retain their aesthetic quality for the whole of the winter. One of the toughest species, Hydrangea paniculata, thrives in Zones 4 to 8.
Outstanding Panicle Hydrangea Varieties
- The name “Grandiflora” is also used for peegee hydrangeas. It can grow to be a 20-foot-tall miniature hydrangea tree or a huge shrub.
- From summertime to late fall, ‘Limelight’ blooms with pale lime green flowers. It grows to be eight feet tall.
- Large clusters of white flowers on Vanilla Strawberry (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Rehny’) fade to strawberry pink as the season progresses. About seven feet is how tall it gets.
What hydrangea is the hardiest?
People have so many inquiries about hydrangea. It makes sense because there are numerous types with various applications and ideal environments.
The most durable garden plants in our region, white hydrangeas consistently perform well. White Hydrangeas come in a variety of varieties.
Hydrangea Arborecesens are the white mopheads. They go by the names Incrediball or Annabelle. They produce enormous flowers in late June through July and are quite hardy. Pink-colored variants include Invincible Spirit. Native to the eastern United States, this species puts on fairly consistent performances and requires minimal care. They will tolerate sun or partial shade and consistently produce blooms each year.
The taller PGs are some other white people. PGs typically have upright cone-shaped flowers that bloom in late summer or early fall. Unique, with its lacey upright blossoms, Limelight, with its enormous, long-lasting flowers, Pinky Winky, which turns a lovely shade of pink as the blooms mature, and Quick Fire, with its early blooms, are just a few examples of the many distinct types that fall under this category. Of all the Hydrangeas, these are the hardiest. They can withstand circumstances with some dryness and full sun. The plant is typically resistant to deer, and the blossoms are highly dependable.
Oakleaf Hydrangea, or Hydrangea Quercifolia, is another indigenous plant. These erect cone-shaped midsummer bloomers can also put on a great fall display with their stunning scarlet foliage. Depending on the cultivar, the oakleaf can withstand a decent amount of sun and can reach heights of 4-5′.
The magnificent climbing hydrangea, which blooms in June, is the last of the white flowers. In our climate, this vine thrives, especially on exposures to the north. Even though the lace cap type flowers only survive a few weeks, they are still highly valuable and will give you many years of carefree enjoyment.
The cousins in this family that are more colorful are Hydrangea Macrophylla. Although they are a little more picky about the ideal growing conditions, when they are planted in the appropriate area, they are well worth the extra effort. In the past, only coastal regions like Cape Cod or our own local shoreline would have truly good specimens. This is due to the fact that they frequently begin actively growing early in the spring and continue until the late fall. Due of this propensity, they are vulnerable to the effects of cold on the flower buds. Shoreline conditions have a moderating impact, which enables them to reliably bloom. Breeding and selection innovations over the past few decades have produced new types that not only bloom on buds from the previous year (which are vulnerable to frost and cold over the winter), but also bloom on fresh growth like the PGs. With this discovery, you can anticipate blooms all season long, sometimes even up until frost, in addition to the usual fantastic exhibit in June and July. Choosing the appropriate kind for the desired hue is one trick for getting the greatest color on these types. There are many others, including bi-colors like Edgy Hearts, Endless Summer or Penny Mac for blue, Bloomstruck for purple/blues, and many others. Knowing the pH of your soil is the other trick. Use acidifying fertilizers like Holly Tone or the proper soil additions, such as Aluminum Sulfate, to produce deep blues. You may also use lime to elevate the pH to produce better pinks. The Lace-cap types are likewise included in this same group. They have flat-topped flowers with vividly colorful cores, giving your garden a whole new appearance. In general, macrophyllas are a little pickier about their placement and like some shade from the intense mid and late day sun. Ample water should be available for them.
There is a lot of information here, so if you need assistance deciding what would be best for your yard, stop in and talk to one of our horticulturalists to make the best decision.