Winter-Hardy Hydrangeas

Choose smooth and panicle hydrangeas for more reliable flowering, hardier plants, and bountiful summer displays

If you have n’t noticed , there are abruptly more hydrangeas ( Hydrangeaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) for northerly gardeners than ever before . If you ’ve become discomfited with getting a hydrangea to bloom in the Northeast , you have the wrong species . It ’s easy to become mixed-up with hydrangeas , as most are sold under their miscellany names . Also , many of the showiest ( the blue and pink varieties ) pass to be the least wintertime - hardy hydrangea in the Northeast — or at least their flower buds are .

Best cold-hardy hydrangeas

If you ’re just have foliage and no flowers most of the time , the job most likely is winterkill . This occur when you have a specie that blooms on older woods . Any of the name varieties ofbigleaf hydrangea(Hydrangea macrophylla , Zones 5–9 ) are notoriously shy bloomers in the Northeast , as this is a coinage that forms its flower buds in the previous year . The efflorescence buds then may be killed off with the freezing and unthaw cycles in belated wintertime and early spring . The beneficial news is that in the past 20 yr , much progress has been made with the species that form flower buds on novel outgrowth — panicle hydrangea(Hydrangea paniculata , Zones 3–9 ) andsmooth hydrangea(Hydrangea arborescens , Zones 3–9 ) . These plant are hardy , and you ’ll have an easier fourth dimension with their attention and pruning , especially in areas with cold winters . Here are some of the good cultivars of these two species to await out for .

Panicle hydrangeas are cold hardy and drought tolerant

Panicle hydrangea are not only the easiest hydrangeas to develop , but some newer variety are also drought patient of and quick ontogeny . They can also range from dwarf variety show suitable for container or entrance planting to tall , individual - trunked specimen . Limelight ™ (Hydrangea paniculata‘Zwijnenburg ’ , Zones 3–9 ) is hardy to Zone 3 , grows 8 fundament marvellous , and has flowers that get going off Green River and slicing to white , then red in fall . Candelabra ™ ( Hydrangea paniculata‘Hpopr013 ’ , Zones 3–9 ) is unparalleled due to its larger flowers , which are white and disappearance to pink . They are also slightly fragrant and able to withstanddroughtand wilting . slight Hottie ® (Hydrangea paniculata‘Bailpanone ’ , Zones 3–9 ) offers the feeling of a smooth hydrangea with greater cold hardiness . It is lower growing , maxing out at 4 feet tall , with nebular head teacher of bloodless flowers on stiff stem .

For a cold-hardy variety with bigger blooms, go with smooth hydrangeas

If you ’re face for Hellenic mophead displays or more colouring pick , it ’s hard to bewilder smooth hydrangea cultivar , of which there are many today to choose from . Favorites include the now classic‘Annabelle’(Hydrangea arborescens‘Annabelle ’ , Zones 3–9 ) or Incrediball ® (Hydrangea arborescens‘Abetwo ’ , Zones 3–9 ) variety , but even these have been improved and expanded upon by plant breeders . Incrediball ® Blush ( Hydrangea arborescens‘NCHA4 ’ , Zones 3–9 ) has smaller florets with a raspberry - pink color . Lacecap lovers will be overjoyed with the carrying out ofInvincibelle ® Spirit(Hydrangea arborescens‘NCHA1 ’ , Zones 3–9 ) and the mammoth flower of ‘ Haas ’ Halo ’ ( Hydrangea arborescens‘Haas ’ Halo ’ , Zones 3–9 ) , which has the add together benefit of 12 - column inch - wide flower heading on stem that do n’t hang over .

How to prune panicle and smooth hydrangeas

Both panicle and smooth hydrangeas can , and should be , crop heavily in former leaping just as novel growth is egress . Smooth hydrangeas should be clip back to 6- to 8 - inch - tall stem for the largest blooms , while panicle hydrangea can be either bring down gently for a with child plant or cut back to the most satisfying new shoots for maximal essence . If panicle hydrangeas are crop hard , it can stimulate new growth and often magnanimous blooms , but if they ’re allowed to ramify out , it often results in many smaller blooms .

For more on how to prune unlike types of hydrangeas , check outPruning Hydrangeas .

Common hydrangea pests

Leaftiers and leafrollers

While few pests nettle hydrangeas in the Northeast , a common trouble is leave that come along to be sewn together in the late springiness . This unique exercise is the craftiness of the tiny larva of an insect group fuck as the hydrangealeaftiers . The larva of these moths produce a slick thread that essentially glues a pair of leaves together , ordinarily in mid - May .

exchangeable harm can be caused byleafrollers , who typically roam a single leaf rather than folding two together .

How to manage leaftiers and leafrollers

seldom do these insect larvae affect flower bud formation , as the harm occurs early in the time of year . However , it can cause unsightly leaf damage . These gadfly ’ life are short . you’re able to either choose to exit them alone or gently pull aside the two leaf without tearing them , find the petite green worm deep down , and destruct it .

For more hydrangea recommendations , check out :

And for more Northeast regional reports , click here .

Matt Mattus is the author of two book : overcome the Art of Flower GardeningandMastering the Art of Vegetable Gardening . He garden in Worcester , Massachusetts .

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hydrangea

‘Annabelle’ smooth hydrangea is a well-loved variety for its massive, bright white, mophead blooms. Smooth hydrangeas are very hardy and do well in the Northeast.Photo: Matt Mattus

Limelight panicle hydrangea

Limelight™ panicle hydrangea is beloved for its large flowers that emerge bright green, change to white, and then fade to burgundy in fall.Photo: Michelle Gervais

Haas Halo smooth hydrangea