Do you want a plant that will bring vibrant color and beauty to your garden year after year? Look no further than the magnificent hydrangea! This is your one-stop shop to learn more about all the different types–let us help you build your dream garden.
What is a Hydrangea?
From red to white to blue, hydrangeas come in just about every hue. They are easily one of the most popular flowering shrubs in home landscaping, thanks to their intense flowering season and showy blooms.
Hydrangeas grow panicles, or clusters, of smaller flowers that can range in size from only a couple of inches tall to cone-shaped panicles that reach an incredible length of up to 20 inches. Depending on which variety of hydrangea is chosen, it can stay a nice and neat two feet tall and wide or grow into a large shrub. Hydrangeas feature panicles, or clusters, of smaller flowers, varying in size from a mere couple of inches to impressive, cone-shaped panicles reaching up to 20 inches in length. Depending on the chosen variety, hydrangeas can maintain a compact size of two feet tall and wide, or develop into a substantial shrub.
Easy to care for, long-blooming, and with so many options to choose from, it is easy to see why hydrangeas are so popular.
Caring for Hydrangeas
With so many different types of hydrangeas, determining how to care for one can be overwhelming. There are six families of hydrangeas that each have unique characteristics. Each family of hydrangea requires slightly different care, so this is a guide intended to explain not only the different types of hydrangea, but their needs as well.
Regardless of which hydrangea, some care requirements remain true across the entire family.
When planting hydrangeas, dig a hole twice the size of the root ball, backfill with compost, and water deeply. They thrive in moist, well-draining soil with ample organic content.
Watering deeply about twice a week during the growing season is often best. Pay attention to the weather, soil, and leaves of the plant to see if it requires more or less watering. They prefer consistently moist, but not soggy or dry soil.
Mulching retains moisture and protects their shallow roots, especially in winter. For optimal blooms, apply slow-release fertilizer in late winter to early spring, following instructions to avoid excessive foliage growth.
Types of Hydrangea
Each family has something unique that makes it stand out, and every hydrangea has different needs from another. With six families and over 70 cultivars, it can be difficult to know how to care for a hydrangea or to make a choice on which one is right for you. Each of the following sections highlights how a family is different from the others, both in appearance and care.
Bigleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla
Even within the family, bigleaf hydrangeas boast quite a variety. Different bigleaf hydrangeas have lacecap flowers or globe-shaped panicles; some are reblooming, and others change color depending on the acidity of the soil. Their range of colors includes pink, red, purple, blue, and occasionally white.
What truly distinguishes bigleaf hydrangeas as a family, despite their differences? Bigleaf hydrangeas are unique for their glossy leaves and compact size (under four feet tall and wide). Regardless of their distinctions, all hydrangeas in this family share the same care requirements.
Since bigleaf hydrangeas bloom on old wood, pruning should only be done after they finish flowering. Even then, only dead branches should be removed.
Bigleaf hydrangeas are usually reblooming. To encourage more flowering, apply half of the fertilizer in late winter to early spring and the other half in midsummer. If your hydrangea doesn’t have a second bloom in its first couple of years of being planted, there is no need to worry. They often need some time to mature.
Eclipse Hydrangea
Endless Summer Hydrangea
Let's Dance Can Do! Hydrangea
Climbing Hydrangea
Hydrangea petiolaris
Unlike all other hydrangeas, climbing hydrangeas can reach immense heights of up to 50 feet when given a climbing structure. Their white lacecap flowers, combined with the smallest leaves of any hydrangea, create a beautiful texture with a delicate appearance. Climbing hydrangeas will attach themselves to a fence, trellis, or even wind themselves around the trunk of a tree. Despite being known for climbing, these slow-growers work wonderfully as a groundcover.
Climbing hydrangeas require support for upright growth. They bloom on old wood, so prune only after flowering. Remove only dead or misplaced branches. While they tolerate more sun, light shade is ideal, and increased sunlight leads to more blooms. Fertilization is unnecessary for the first few years as they establish, unless yellowing leaves are observed.
Climbing Hydrangea
Mountain Hydrangea
Hydrangea serrata
Similar to but hardier than bigleaf hydrangeas, mountain hydrangeas have lacecap flowers that come in pink, red, purple, or blue. They also have a more compact growth habit. Like bigleaf hydrangeas, some varieties are reblooming, and other varieties will change color depending on the acidity of the soil. Their disc-shaped leaves are unique amongst hydrangeas.
Avoid pruning for the first few years after planting to allow this hydrangea to become fully established. It blooms on old wood, so even once it is mature, it should only be pruned immediately after flowering is finished. Some branches may need to be removed to allow air circulation on mature plants.
For reblooming cultivars, you can split the fertilizer application. Apply half before new growth in late winter to early spring, and the remaining half in mid-summer to promote a second bloom.
Tiny Tuff Stuff Hydrangea
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia
With beautiful fall color, oak leaves unlike any other hydrangea, a preference for light shade, and huge clusters of flowers, oakleaf hydrangeas have plenty of qualities that make them stand out. Each cylindrical panicle of white flowers grows anywhere from six inches to over a foot to create a stunning display. These flowers may occasionally be pink. Oakleaf hydrangeas also tend to be significantly larger than the mountain or bigleaf hydrangeas.
No pruning is necessary as oakleaf hydrangeas bloom on old wood. Thanks to their winter hardiness, it is rare that even dead branches have to be removed.
They prefer more shade than most hydrangeas and still flower beautifully when placed in shady areas. This makes them the perfect hydrangea to underplant large trees or to tuck against the more shaded side of a home.
Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea
Alice Oakleaf Hydrangea
Pee Wee Hydrangea
Panicle Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata
Panicle hydrangeas produce the largest flower clusters of all hydrangeas. Their cone-shaped panicles continuously grow, displaying a multicolor cluster as new flowers emerge in one color and mature into another. Colors consist of white, green, pink, and red, depending on the cultivar.
Many panicle hydrangeas grow to be larger than the other families of hydrangeas. Since they bloom on new wood, pruning should be done in late winter to early spring when fertilizer is applied. Yearly pruning will prevent the plant from becoming too large and out of control while maintaining a neater form.
If a panicle hydrangea isn’t blooming within the first couple of years of being planted, there is no reason to worry. They require some time to mature and become established before dedicating the resources to flower production.
Limelight Hydrangea
Pinky Winky Hydrangea
Quick Fire Hydrangea
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
Smooth hydrangeas produce massive balls of flowers that come in white, pink, or green. A handful of varieties produce lacecap flowers rather than globe-shaped panicles. There are also a few cultivars that rebloom! Smooth hydrangeas are also known as Annabelle Hydrangeas.
Since they bloom on new wood, pruning should be done at the same time as fertilizing. Fertilizer should be applied before new growth appears in late winter to early spring. For reblooming varieties, applying only half the fertilizer before the season starts and the other half in midsummer will encourage more flowers.
Most hydrangeas prefer to have more sun and will produce more flowers the more sun they receive, and smooth hydrangeas are no exception. While light shade is tolerable, they would perform better with more sunlight.
Invincibelle Spirit Hydrangea
Annabelle Hydrangea
Incrediball Hydrangea
Fertilizer and Soil pH
Milorganite and Bio-tone are both excellent fertilizers for hydrangeas. They are both slow-release, high in nitrogen, and Milorganite is even made in Wisconsin.
For hydrangeas that shift color depending on the acidity of the soil, Epsoma Holly-tone can be applied in place of fertilizer to slightly increase the acidity of the soil. Increasing the organic content of the soil by applying compost will turn the soil slightly alkaline.
Milorganite
Espoma Bio-tone
Espoma Holly-tone
With 6 distinct families and plenty of variation within each, hydrangeas can seem daunting at first glance. However, once you understand the specific needs of your chosen hydrangea, the journey becomes much more simple. A little knowledge is all it takes for anyone to cultivate a thriving hydrangea and enjoy its beauty.
Still have questions about hydrangeas? Give us a call or stop by the garden center. Our knowledgeable staff can guide you in choosing the right variety, offer detailed care advice, and help troubleshoot any challenges you may be having. We're here to make sure your garden thrives.