What is a hardy variety of hydrangea?
Hardy hydrangea -
Hydrangea paniculata is one of the hardiest species; it thrives in Zones 4-8.
Oakleaf varieties are the easiest type of hydrangeas for beginners to grow. Why are oakleaf hydrangeas so easy? They aren't picky! Oakleaf hydrangeas can tolerate colder weather, handle more sun, withstand drought, are more disease/pest resistant and grow in sandy soil better than other hydrangeas.
Yet one type of hydrangea can soak up the sun all day: the panicle hydrangea. While they can stand the sun, these do just fine in partial shade, too. Plus, panicle hydrangeas are the hardiest hydrangeas.
Best Panicle Hydrangea: Fire Light
This plant grows about 8 feet tall in sun to part shade and has strong stems that won't flop over despite the weight of its football-size flower heads. It is also very hardy, overwintering in Zones 3-8.
Panicle hydrangeas are among the most reliably blooming and cold-tolerant hydrangeas available to today's gardeners.
Panicle hydrangeas are a fantastic choice for adding late-season interest to your garden. As other plants start to fade, panicle hydrangeas burst into bloom, stealing the spotlight with their showy panicles of flowers. Their long-lasting flowers persist well into the fall, extending the beauty of your garden.
'All Summer Beauty', a bigleaf hydrangea, is a deciduous flowering shrub offering year-round interest. Super-floriferous, creating a long, seasonal floral display, 'All Summer Beauty' blooms in showy mophead inflorescences on old wood in midsummer and reblooms on new wood into fall.
If watered properly, Endless Summer® Hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) will bloom on both old and new wood throughout the summer. Another advantage to planting these repeat blooming hydrangeas is that if there is a cold winter, it will only kill back the early flower buds.
The most adaptable hydrangea is the panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata). It can be grown in full sun and tolerates drier conditions. In addition, some cultivars of smooth and oakleaf hydrangeas can also tolerate sun and fared better during our recent heat wave.
What is the most shade loving hydrangea?
Oakleaf hydrangeas are the best choice for shady conditions. They earn the name from their dramatic oak-shaped leaves! It's easy to enjoy oakleaf hydrangeas in all four seasons with fuzzy spring buds, giant flowers in summer, vibrant fall foliage, and peeling winter bark.
Just like Hydrangeas getting too much sun, a Hydrangea getting too much sun may develop wilting and yellowing leaves, even some brown spots. These spots, yellow leaves, and wilting can be caused by fungal problems that develop from too much moisture in the shady area of your garden.
Shade-Loving Hydrangeas
Annabelle, Invincibelle, and Incrediball are three hydrangeas that perform well in mostly shaded sites. All three of these like plenty of moisture and protection from the afternoon sun for best blooming.
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bailmer' ENDLESS SUMMER - Plant Finder.
Bigleaf Hydrangeas
These are one of the most well-known varieties of hydrangeas. Their large, rounded flower heads are most often pink or blue—and are stand-outs in any garden. As with other hydrangea types, gardeners can achieve a multi-colored or color change effect by adjusting the soil's pH.
It's famous for its striking white blooms. How do we love thee, hydrangea?
Also take into account the mature size of your hydrangeas. Some only grow to about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, while others grow up to 6 feet tall with a 6 foot spread.
You should deadhead throughout the blooming season to keep your hydrangeas looking their beast and encourage new flower growth. However, stop deadheading hydrangea shrubs in mid to late fall, leaving any spent blooms in place.
For instance, in areas with winter freezing and snow, hydrangeas should be planted in early spring or early fall (as soon as summer heat breaks). In warmer regions with mild winters, the window for planting hydrangeas is longer, from fall all the way through to early spring.
Hardiness Zones
Endless Summer Hydrangeas grow in Zones 4-8, able to thrive in more parts of the country than other hydrangea varieties. They are cold-hardy enough to withstand frost and can tolerate some heat. However, in warmer climates, they should receive minimal afternoon sun.
Why won't my Endless Summer hydrangea flower?
The most common reasons for Endless Summer hydrangea not blooming are pruning too much or at the wrong time of year, excessive application of nitrogen-rich fertilizer, overwatering the plant, the leaves receiving too much or too little sunlight, or overly extreme temperatures (cold winters, hot summers).
Best grown in rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils in part shade. Tolerates full sun only if grown in consistently moist soils.
Hydrangea 'Limelight', Hydrangea paniculata PP#12,874, CBR#2319 will be Proven Winner's® 2023 Hydrangea OF The Year. Lime green flowers are held upright on strong stems, maturing to an incredible combination of green, pink, and burgundy in fall.
Bigleaf Hydrangeas
Also known as florist's hydrangea or hortensia, this is the kind with the big, glossy, leathery leaves and pink, blue, or purple (and sometimes white) blooms.
Limelight is one of the easiest and fastest growing hydrangeas around! This hydrangea is a truly stunning flowering shrub!
How do you keep Endless Summer hydrangeas blooming? The best location to ensure continuous bloom is one where the plant receives morning sun and afternoon dappled shade. In too much sun, they might stop blooming.
- Plant panicle hydrangeas in all-day sun or afternoon sun.
- Water them during a drought, especially if you notice wilting.
- Add plenty of organic matter (such as compost) around the plant.
- Limit any drastic pruning to early spring, just before new growth emerges.
Yarrow is one of the longest flowering perennials that grows best in full sun with well-drained soil of average fertility; over-fertilizing can cause the stems to flop over. Flower colours can range from soft pastels to rich jewel shades. Deadhead spent flowers by clipping the flower stem back to the main foliage.
Panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata)
Not all hydrangeas are drought-tolerant, but the panicle hydrangea is a dry climate superstar.
It's best to start adding coffee grounds to the soil months before the blooming season begins, ideally in the late fall. You can repeat the process with your typical fertilizing schedule.
How do you keep hydrangeas alive in extreme heat?
Tucking containers into the woods, or along a shady wall of your home would be a great place to keep them cool. Just do not forget to water them! Planting in lighter-colored pots will help with the heat stress on potted hydrangeas.
Oakleaf Hydrangeas can tolerate full shade. Oakleaf Hydrangeas are the most adaptable to different sun and shade conditions.
There's nothing quite as breathtaking as a mature hedge of Incrediball hydrangeas in full bloom in the summertime. Unlike its predecessor, the much beloved 'Annabelle', you'll get to enjoy its blooms perched upright on far stronger stems that hold up even after a summer rain.
The hydrangea should be watered thoroughly at least 3 times a week. Always water the plant all the way around the container, not just in one place. Water should come out the bottom of the pot. Never let it sit in water which will cause the roots to rot away.
Hydrangeas like morning sun, but do not do well if they're in direct, hot afternoon sun. Partial shade in the later parts of the day is ideal for these beauties.
In late winter or early spring, these shrubs can be cut all the way back to the ground. Smooth hydrangeas will produce much larger blooms if pruned hard like this each year, but many gardeners opt for smaller blooms on sturdier stems.
Transplanting hydrangeas in spring
'Your USDA plant hardiness zone will influence the best time to transplant hydrangeas during the spring,' says Searle. 'For warmer zones 7-9, it's best to move it in early spring, during March to April, but in cooler zones 4-6, mid to late spring is a good time – ideally by mid-May. '
Plant your hydrangeas where they will get morning sun and afternoon shade. This seems to be the combo they prefer, however they should still do well in an area that has partial shade or even full sun. While they don't require much shade, a little in the afternoon certainly helps.
*We don't recommend oakleaf hydrangeas because they don't often look their best when grown in a container. They flourish when planted in the ground. But if you enjoy the look, go for it!
Because hydrangeas prefer to grow in partial shade, they usually do best when planted in a north- or east-facing site, where winter temperatures remain somewhat constant.
What is the hardiest hydrangea?
Panicle hydrangea are considered the most cold hardy of the species. They are reliable shrubs or small trees that require minimal fuss for success.
Most hydrangeas prefer only morning sun. Yet one type of hydrangea can soak up the sun all day: the panicle hydrangea. While they can stand the sun, these do just fine in partial shade, too.
The “beginner” hydrangea, or one that requires the lowest maintenance, are the oakleaf varieties. Not only do they tolerate colder weather and can withstand drought, but they are also more resistant to diseases and pests. These hydrangeas can even grow in sandy soil, and they love the sun!
The star-shaped blossoms of a Starfield hydrangea make them an unusual variety. Another hardy hydrangea variety that can withstand winter temps that dip down as low as -20°F (-30°C), the compact stems of Starfield™ reach just 3 feet in height and width.
Endless Summer® hydrangeas prefer morning sun and afternoon dappled shade. If they are planted in full sun, it may be too hot and intense for the blooms to produce. Also, over-watering and over-fertilizing your plants can inhibit bloom production.
"Bigleaf hydrangeas, such as Endless Summer, should be deadheaded when the first set of flowers sprouts from last year's growth in the spring, as it eliminates the faded flowers before the next flush appears," she explains.
Panicle hydrangeas from Proven Winners are the most reliably blooming, low maintenance, hardy hydrangeas you can grow. Since they bloom on new growth each summer, there is no chance for the flower buds to be damaged by winter cold because they simply haven't been formed yet.
- Smooth Hydrangeas - Hydrangea Arborescens.
- Panicle Hydrangeas - Hydrangea Paniculata.
- Oakleaf Hydrangeas - Hydrangea Quercifolia.
Best time to plant hydrangeas
Fall is the best season to plant hydrangeas, followed by early spring. The idea is to give the shrub plenty of time to establish a healthy root system before blooming.
Hydrangeas are long-lived shrubs, sometimes living for up to 50 years if properly cared for. They enjoy morning sun but afternoon shade, and they need frequent watering during the growing season. Prune them in the fall after the blooms fade so they can grow on strong stems the following summer.
Where is the best place to plant hydrangeas?
The best location is one that receives morning sun and afternoon shade. If you live further north, they will tolerate more sun (possibly full sun all day). Consider mature size, give it plenty of room to grow. Choose an area with excellent drainage.
