

Hydrangeas
Botanical name: Hydrangea
Hydrangeas
Botanical name: Hydrangea


Description


Species of Hydrangeas


Hydrangeas 'Ayesha'
Hydrangeas 'Ayesha' is a showy deciduous shrub, prized for its large vibrant flower clusters that change color based on soil pH. It prefers moist well-drained soil and partial shade. Interestingly, in Japan, the plant is associated with gratitude and apology due to its changing flower colors symbolizing the giver's remorse.

Smooth hydrangea 'Candybelle Marshmallow'
Smooth hydrangea 'Candybelle Marshmallow' exhibits light pink blooms instead of the parent plant's creamy white ones. It's a cultivar of Hydrangea arborescens, more commonly known as the smooth hydrangea. Gardeners love this one for its showy blossoms and pleasing color.

Blue evergreen hydrangea
The blue evergreen hydrangea (Hydrangea febrifuga*)* is a beautiful shrub that can serve as an accent or hedge in your garden landscape. The plant attracts wildlife such as birds and butterflies. Its specific epithet is derived from the Latin words 'febris' and 'fugare 'which mean 'fever' and 'to expel,' as this plant is a widely known traditional medicine in Asia.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Madame Emile Mouillere'
Beloved by gardeners around the world, bigleaf hydrangea 'Madame Emile Mouillere' are a group of flowering shrubs, small trees, and woody vines. Many bigleaf hydrangea 'Madame Emile Mouillere' have large, showy flower clusters – hundreds of ornamental cultivars are available. In many places, their flowers are symbolic of love or passion.

Panicled hydrangea 'Phantom'
Panicled hydrangea 'Phantom' is an early-blooming hydrangea with white flowers that give it its ghostly name. It actually grows two types of flowers: small fertile blooms and larger infertile ones. This cultivar reaches 1.8 m high and 1.8 m wide and is therefore considered a medium size cultivar. It is native to Japan, China and Korea.

Oakleaf hydrangea 'Snow Queen'
Oakleaf hydrangea 'Snow Queen' is distinct for its very showy white blooms. A cultivar of Hydrangea quercifolia, its name refers to those flowers. Gardeners love this plant for its large, dense, upright flower heads and its oak-like leaves that turn bronze-purple and red.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Lanarth White'
Bigleaf hydrangea 'Lanarth White' is an attractive hydrangea that has been bred for its pure white flowers surrounding mauve florets. This coloration is very different from the pink or blue color of the parent plant's flowers. This showy garden favorite blooms for a long period from early summer through to fall.

Chinese hydrangea 'Silver Lining'
Chinese hydrangea 'Silver Lining' differs from its parent plant in one major respect: its leaves are a mixed green and white color. This is in marked contrast to the plain green leaves of the parent. Usually, the white leaf color is at the leaf edges, which explains this hybrid's name. This attractive shade-tolerant plant grows well along walls or fences.

Smooth hydrangea 'Annabelle'
Smooth hydrangea 'Annabelle' is a smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) cultivar, selected for its improved flowers, as well its excellent adaptability to cooler climates. One of the best-known cultivars of the species, it features large ball-shaped clusters of flowers that open lime-white and turn to pure white as they mature. It was named for Anna, Indiana, where it was first discovered in the wild.

Climbing hydrangea
An award-winning vine, climbing hydrangea is often used as a garden ornamental or landscape plant. This hardy shrub produces an abundance of extremely fragrant flowers from late spring to early fall.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Early Rosa'
Bigleaf hydrangea 'Early Rosa' is a member of the hydrangea family named for its distinctive and attractive pink-white flowers which differ dramatically from the blue color of the parent plant's blooms. It is these showy flowers that make this a popular garden plant.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Miss Saori'
This recently developed hybrid was awarded Flower of the Year at the 2014 Chelsea Flower Show for its lovely feminine blooms. Bigleaf hydrangea 'Miss Saori' differs from its parent plant in that it keeps the same flower color regardless of the pH of the underlying soil. It has white, double-petalled flowers with delicate reddish edges. This dwarf cultivar grows up to 1 m tall, just half the height of the parent plant.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Kardinal Violet'
A ph-sensitive cultivar, the bigleaf hydrangea 'Kardinal Violet''s provides an abundance of flowerheads that range from pink and violet to purple and blue. Neither its parentage, not the source of its name is known. However, the bigleaf hydrangea 'Kardinal Violet' is popular, even winning the Award of Garden Merit, as it is an easy shrub to grow.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Tricolor'
Beloved by gardeners around the world, bigleaf hydrangea 'Tricolor' are a group of flowering shrubs, small trees, and woody vines. Many bigleaf hydrangea 'Tricolor' have large, showy flower clusters – hundreds of ornamental cultivars are available. In many places, their flowers are symbolic of love or passion.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Möwe'
Bigleaf hydrangea 'Möwe' is a small shrub with highly ornamental pink or blue (depending on soil pH) flowers that surround a white center, quite different from the single-colored flower clusters of the parent bigleaf hydrangea. The showy flowers are this plant's main attraction to gardeners.

Mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird'
Where the parent plant typically has blue and pink flowers, mountain hydrangea 'Bluebird' is named for its stunning blue-centered flowers which are surrounded by a cluster of white four-petalled satellite flowers. This striking cultivar, prized by gardeners for its flowers, has received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.

Mountain hydrangea 'Diadem'
Mountain hydrangea 'Diadem' is a variety of mountain hydrangea that displays large heads of lace-cap flowers in shades of light pink and blue. The genealogy of this plant is unknown, but it's likely to have originated from Hydrangea serrata, the original mountain hydrangea. The term, "Diadem," is a type of crown - it's used here to refer to the flowers' shapes.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Star Gazer'
Bigleaf hydrangea 'Star Gazer' is a distinctive cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla that boasts unique star-shaped double-flowers (hence its name). The flowers are pink when grown in acidic soil and blue when grown in alkaline soil. These unique blooms can be found from early summer to fall. Gardeners favor this plant for its good mildew tolerance and its winter hardiness.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Nigra'
Bigleaf hydrangea 'Nigra' is unique not so much for its flowers, but for the color of its stems. A mophead cultivar, this variant was aptly named after the Latin word for "black," in reference to its nearly black stems. Bigleaf hydrangea 'Nigra' is preferred by gardeners for its contrasting colors, hardiness, and easy care.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Pia'
A peculiar hybrid, bigleaf hydrangea 'Pia' shows off bright pink blooms rather than blue ones like the parent plant, Hydrangea macrophylla. It's also dwarfed, making it a significantly smaller variety than the ancestral plant. We have no explanation for why it was named "Pia."

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Ami Pasquier'
Bigleaf hydrangea 'Ami Pasquier' is unique as a hydrangea cultivar for its showy, unusually early and long-flowering blooms, which range from wine pink to blue depending on the soil pH. This cultivar was raised and named in France in 1930 by E. Moillere.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Ayesha'
Beloved by gardeners around the world, bigleaf hydrangea 'Ayesha' are a group of flowering shrubs, small trees, and woody vines. Many bigleaf hydrangea 'Ayesha' have large, showy flower clusters – hundreds of ornamental cultivars are available. In many places, their flowers are symbolic of love or passion.

Panicle hydrangea
The panicle hydrangea is native to Japan and China. It is commonly used as a winter cultivated flower due to its hardiness. This small tree can grow between 91 cm and 5 m with a maximum diameter of 2.5 m. Its leaves contain cyanide and should not be ingested.

Smooth hydrangea
Smooth hydrangea (*Hydrangea arborescens*) is a deciduous shrub, naturally found on streambanks, gorges, and wooden slopes in many parts of Northern America. It is commonly recognized by its showy inflorescences - big white corymbs which bloom during summer. Smooth hydrangea is often cultivated as an ornamental, and it is an excellent choice for a border plant.

Oakleaf hydrangea
The oakleaf hydrangea is native to the southeastern United States, generally found from North Carolina down to Florida. Discovered by William Bartram in the 1770s, it is often used as an ornamental plant in gardens as well as parks.

Hydrangea sikokiana
Known as hydrangea sikokiana, this plant has unique leaves with fuzzy undersides and pinkish-purple flowers. It is a cool-climate shrub native to Japan and is suited for shady, moist areas. Hydrangea sikokiana is a popular ornamental garden plant and also has medicinal uses in traditional Japanese medicine.

Japanese hydrangea vine 'Angel Wings'
The name of japanese hydrangea vine 'Angel Wings' refers to its attention-grabbing flowers. Delicate cream-white blooms are surrounded by bold white bracts, or modified leaves, that give this plant a unique appearance. This cultivar is also very leafy, with attractive dark green leaves that look great when the vine is climbing a fence or wall.

Smooth hydrangea 'Ncha2'
Smooth hydrangea 'Ncha2' is an improved version of the pink-flowered smooth hydrangea 'NCHA1' cultivar (Hydrangea arborescens 'NCHA1') and is sometimes known by the name 'Invincibelle Spirit II.' This version has larger flower heads, darker foliage, and more sturdy stems. Unlike many pink-flowered hydrangeas, the color of this cultivar's flowers isn't affected by soil pH.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Snowball'
Bigleaf hydrangea 'Snowball' is a beautiful hydrangea cultivar that has large, pure white flower heads that resemble large snowballs. It is also characterized by rich, deep green foliage and a compact, rounded growth form. As the season progresses, the white flowers develop hints of pink and green.

Climbing Hydrangea
Hydrangea scandens is a flowering plant native to Japan. It is a self-clinging climber with small, fragrant, white flowers. Extreme caution is advised when handling this plant because parts of it are toxic.

Smooth hydrangea 'Grandiflora'
Smooth hydrangea 'Grandiflora' is a smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) cultivar, selected for its showy flower heads. This large shrub or small tree is prized for its large, rounded clusters of white flowers that become pink-tingled as the season progresses. This cultivar has gained the Award of Garden Merit by the British Royal Horticultural Society. 'Grandiflora' can be translated as "large flowers."

Woolly-leaved hydrangea
Also known as the woolly-leaved hydrangea, this plant has uniquely textured leaves that are covered in fine, silvery hairs. It is native to parts of China and Taiwan and is often used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various ailments.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Masja'
Bigleaf hydrangea 'Masja' is a dwarf cultivar and is smaller than the parent but also more resistant to cold. Given its beautiful blooms, it is popular as a cut flower. It features densely packed heads with numerous large pink or red flowers. It is considered a mophead hydrangea, which means a rounded flower head filled with large flower clusters.

Panicled hydrangea 'Silver Dollar'
Beloved by gardeners around the world, panicled hydrangea 'Silver Dollar' are a group of flowering shrubs, small trees, and woody vines. Many panicled hydrangea 'Silver Dollar' have large, showy flower clusters – hundreds of ornamental cultivars are available. In many places, their flowers are symbolic of love or passion.

Panicled hydrangea 'Vanille Fraise'
This panicled hydrangea is known as panicled hydrangea 'Vanille Fraise' due to its creamy white flowers that turn pink as the season progresses. Popular for cut flower arrangements, it also attracts bees and butterflies to the garden.

Panicled hydrangea 'Bombshell'
Panicled hydrangea 'Bombshell' is a naturally occurring mutation of the well-known Hydrangea paniculata cultivar 'Grandiflora'. Panicled hydrangea 'Bombshell' is noted for its compact dwarf growth form and its long flowering season, which starts early compared to other Panicled hydrangea cultivars.

Climbing hydrangea
Climbing hydrangea is named for its growth form, as its aerial rootlets allow it to climb walls, trees, and other structures. It can be grown in shady corners and has good resistance to rabbits and drought. Its bark has a history of use as a writing medium. Note, however, that this plant is moderately toxic when ingested.

Panicled hydrangea 'Kyushu'
Beloved by gardeners around the world, panicled hydrangea 'Kyushu' are a group of flowering shrubs, small trees, and woody vines. Many panicled hydrangea 'Kyushu' have large, showy flower clusters – hundreds of ornamental cultivars are available. In many places, their flowers are symbolic of love or passion.

Climbing hydrangea
Beloved by gardeners around the world, climbing hydrangea are a group of flowering shrubs, small trees, and woody vines. Many climbing hydrangea have large, showy flower clusters – hundreds of ornamental cultivars are available. In many places, their flowers are symbolic of love or passion.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Dark Angel Red'
Bigleaf hydrangea 'Dark Angel Red' is a hydrangea that has stunning deep red flowers that contrast dramatically with the blue and pink flowers of the standard bigleaf hydrangea. These rich and profuse flowers which bloom through the summer months make this attractive hybrid a garden favorite, thriving in full sun or partial shade.

Panicled hydrangea 'Limelight'
The panicled hydrangea 'Limelight' is a cultivar named for its white-and-lime green blooms. These appear in profusion in pyramid-shaped clusters and make the shrub perfect for filling out large garden spaces. It is hardier and more cold-resistant than many other cultivars. However, it is susceptible to gray mold, slugs, powdery mildew, rust, ringspot virus, and leaf spots.

Smooth hydrangea 'Abetwo'
Smooth hydrangea 'Abetwo' is an improved version of the smooth hydrangea 'Annabelle' cultivar (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'), and its awkward cultivar name likely stems from this being the second 'Annabelle' version. It sports much larger flower heads than its parent plant. As a bonus, this cultivar has sturdier stems, able to hold the flower heads upright, even when they're soaked with rain.

Oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin'
If you’ve seen "The Wizard of Oz", then you will correctly anticipate that oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin' is a dwarf hybrid of its parent, named for the diminutive Munchkins in the movie. This attractive hydrangea grows to a maximum height of 90 cm, shorter than most members of the hydrangea family.

Chinese hydrangea
Chinese hydrangea is an exotic and rare medium flowering shrub native to Taiwan. With white lace-capped flowers, this plant can withstand frosts and coastal conditions but prefers partial shade. It is very simple to grow and will complement any garden.

Hairy hydrangea
Hairy hydrangea is named for its hairy leaf undersides. The Latin aspera means "rough," and refers to the same thing. Despite this, hairy hydrangea is a beautiful, award-winning plant with showy flowers that attract butterflies and bees. This bushy, slow-growing shrub has a climbing tendency and so grows well along wall-side borders.

Bigleaf hydrangea
The bigleaf hydrangea is a deciduous shrub native to Japan, and is known for its lush, oval, colorful inflorescence. The two types of Hydrangea macrophylla are mopheads - with large, ball-shaped, sterile flower clusters, and lace capes - with small round fertile flowers in the center, and sterile flowers on the outer side of each inflorescence. Depending on soil pH, blooms can change color from pink to blue.

Mountain hydrangea 'Beni'
One of the most unique-looking hydrangea varieties, mountain hydrangea 'Beni''s carousel of pink blooms around tricolored lace-cap clumps is truly distinct. Cultivated as a hybrid of other mountain hydrangeas, this cultivar was named after its "red frame" of fall foliage. Mountain hydrangea 'Beni' is very popular for its unique ornamental value, reliable growth habit, and easy care.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Peppermint'
Bigleaf hydrangea 'Peppermint' is a stunning shrub with large, rounded clusters of pink and white flowers that bloom in summer. Known for its shade tolerance, it thrives in part-shade to full-shade locations and is a great option for woodland gardens.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'GeneraleVicomtesse de Vibraye'
Bigleaf hydrangea 'GeneraleVicomtesse de Vibraye' produces blue flowers in acidic soil, and pink in alkaline soils. These blooms are often used as cut flowers, with pink blooms drying into lime green and blue blooms drying into blue. This cultivar was bred in 1909 and was derived from Hydrangea 'Otaksa' and Hydrangea 'Rosea'.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Sumida No Hanabi'
Like the name says, bigleaf hydrangea 'Sumida No Hanabi' is known for its large leaves. This hydrangea cultivar shrub also creates showy, color-changing, double floret blooms ranging from pink to blue. Since the pH in the soil has an effect on the colors, it can be adjusted to achieve a certain hue. Gardeners often use this plant for cuttings or add them to flower beds for ornamental purposes.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Amethyst'
Bigleaf hydrangea 'Amethyst' is a mophead (or French) hydrangea notable for its large, round, and long-lasting flowers. The name of the cultivar comes from the flowerhead's coloration; it starts out as soft pink or soft violet (depending on the soil pH), matures into reddish-pink with lime green markings, and becomes fully lime-green in the end. In the final form, the blooms can last for weeks. Bigleaf hydrangea 'Amethyst' was bred by M. Haworth Booth in 1938.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Forever & Ever Pink'
Bigleaf hydrangea 'Forever & Ever Pink' is a copyrighted hydrangea hybrid named for its bright pink flowers which are much brighter than the pale blue and pink flowers of the parent plant. This plant is a member of the 'Forever and Ever' series of hydrangeas which boast hybrids in a range of colors from several shades of pink to cerise.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Little Pink'
The mophead hydrangea cultivar, bigleaf hydrangea 'Little Pink' is a deciduous shrub bred for its profusion of bright pink flowers. It is a hardy and versatile plant which adds color to any garden. They are easy to grow, and flowers can be left on the plant because they dry attractively. This variant is quite small but produces large flower clusters.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Early Blue'
This fast-growing cultivar produces early and vivid orbs of blue blooms. Bigleaf hydrangea 'Early Blue' was cultivated as a hybrid of other hydrangea variants and was named simply after its growth habit and blue coloration. Bigleaf hydrangea 'Early Blue' is popular among gardeners for its beautiful, quickly produced flowers; evergreen foliage; and usefulness in bouquets.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Black Steel Zambia'
Set apart by color, the broad-leafed bigleaf hydrangea 'Black Steel Zambia' changes color from lime green to deep pink. Although its parentage is not known, the bigleaf hydrangea 'Black Steel Zambia' received its name from its breeder Van Klaveren in 2008 for its shining black stems. Apart from its color, the bigleaf hydrangea 'Black Steel Zambia' appeals to gardeners for its hardiness and fast growth.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Ruby Tuesday'
As a compact cultivar with reliable leaves and color, the bigleaf hydrangea 'Ruby Tuesday' received the Best New Plant Award at Plantarium 2015. The bigleaf hydrangea 'Ruby Tuesday''s parentage has not been disclosed, and the meaning of its name is unknown. However, its red color could be a reason for its name. Gardeners may keep the bigleaf hydrangea 'Ruby Tuesday' for cutting, its hardiness, or to attract bees and butterflies.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Parzifal'
Bigleaf hydrangea 'Parzifal' is a compact hydrangea cultivar that boasts stunning large flower heads that are particularly attractive due to the heavily serrated sepals. This cultivar is also prized among gardeners for its strong stems that are able to carry large flowers.

Mountain hydrangea
The mountain hydrangea is a deciduous shrub that blooms in summer and autumn. It is native to Japan and Korea. The scientific name of this species, Hydrangea serrata, means "water vessel" and refers to the shape of its fruit. It is often planted on borders near homes and patios.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Big Daddy'
Beloved by gardeners around the world, bigleaf hydrangea 'Big Daddy' are a group of flowering shrubs, small trees, and woody vines. Many bigleaf hydrangea 'Big Daddy' have large, showy flower clusters – hundreds of ornamental cultivars are available. In many places, their flowers are symbolic of love or passion.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Europa'
The main difference between bigleaf hydrangea 'Europa' and its parent plant is its flowers which have large serrated petals that are packed tightly on stiff stems. These flowers make this cultivar a favorite for floral arrangements and cut flowers. This cultivar was bred in Germany, Europe by H. Schadendorf, explaining its name.

Bigleaf hydrangea 'Merritt's Supreme'
Beloved by gardeners around the world, bigleaf hydrangea 'Merritt's Supreme' are a group of flowering shrubs, small trees, and woody vines. Many bigleaf hydrangea 'Merritt's Supreme' have large, showy flower clusters – hundreds of ornamental cultivars are available. In many places, their flowers are symbolic of love or passion.

Hydrangea arguta
Hydrangea arguta (Hydrangea arguta) is the only hydrangea native to Hawaii, where it is known as kanawao. A medium-sized shrub, hydrangea arguta produces clusters of flowers in a wide array of colors from blue to yellow to pink. Both male and female plants flower, but only the female plants go on to produce clusters of red to maroon fruits.

Hydrangea involucrata
It is a deciduous shrub growing to 91 cm tall by 2 m broad, with oval leaves and clusters of blue or pink flowers in late summer.

Hydrangea integrifolia
Hydrangea integrifolia is a vine with adventitious roots that enable it to climb without assistance onto any nearby solid structure. The leaves are about 6 inches long dark green and glossy with a leathery texture. Their overall shape is elongated and ovate with undulating and toothed margins. Leaves are held opposite and in pairs along the stems. The petioles on newer or top growth appear bright red while others show yellow-green. Flower buds appear somewhat differently from other Hydrangeas in that they resemble over-sized golf balls prior to opening. H. integrifolia blooms open around summer with terminal cymes displaying many small white blossoms. Flowers resemble those of deciduous Hydrangeas in lace-cap form—though most often without the sterile blooms around the edges of the cyme. Spent blooms dry and are retained through the season. Fruits are dry brown capsules.

Ashy hydrangea
The inflorescence of ashy hydrangea is a corymb. The showy, sterile flowers (white to near white) are few (0–3 per flowerhead) and are borne around the periphery of the corymb; they are usually greater than 1 cm in diameter. Flowering occurs in late spring or early summer. The leaves of ashy hydrangea are large (8 to 15 cm long), opposite, serrated, ovate, and deciduous.

Hydrangea hirta
A small deciduous shrub reaching 91 to 122 cm in height.The leaves on this shrub are deep toothed, and are covered in stinging hairs. Hydrangea hirta has alternating leaves that are 5 to 8 cm long with an egg shape that comes to a pointed tip.The flowers of this shrub tend to grow in small clusters that are light blue to white in color.An individual flower of this species measures 5 cm in diameter with 5 petals and 10 stamens; this species lacks the ornamental bracts that many other hydrangea species possess.




Scientific Classification
