Hydrangeas

This collection brings together the main hydrangea groups grown for northern gardens: panicle hydrangeas with cone-shaped summer flowers, smooth hydrangeas with large rounded blooms, bigleaf and reblooming types with mophead or lacecap flowers, and climbing hydrangea for walls and fences.

Each group differs in size, bloom time, and how it handles sun, so the selection covers everything from compact foundation plants to large specimen shrubs.

Panicle hydrangeas are the most sun-tolerant group and bloom best with six or more hours of direct light in most climates. Smooth hydrangeas handle sun well in the North but appreciate afternoon shade in hotter regions.

Bigleaf and reblooming hydrangeas prefer morning sun and afternoon shade, especially where summers run hot. Product pages list the sunlight requirement for each variety.

Bigleaf hydrangeas shift between blue and pink depending on soil chemistry: acidic soil with available aluminum produces blue flowers, while alkaline soil produces pink. White-flowered varieties do not change.

Panicle and smooth hydrangeas are not affected by soil pH. Their flowers age naturally from white or lime to pink and red tones as the season goes on.

Panicle and smooth hydrangeas bloom on new wood, so they can be cut back in late winter or early spring without losing flowers. Bigleaf types that bloom only on old wood should be pruned right after flowering, if at all.

Reblooming bigleaf varieties flower on both old and new wood, so light cleanup in spring is enough. When in doubt, remove only dead stems and spent blooms.

Hydrangeas prefer consistently moist, well-draining soil and will wilt visibly in hot afternoons when they dry out. Deep watering once or twice a week during the first season helps roots establish.

A layer of mulch keeps the root zone cool and even. Once established, most varieties need supplemental water only during extended dry spells.

Hydrangeas are not considered deer-resistant. Deer browse buds, leaves, and flowers, with bigleaf and smooth types most often affected.

In areas with heavy deer pressure, plant hydrangeas close to the house, use repellents during the growing season, or pair them with more deer-resistant shrubs such as boxwood or spirea.