Hydrangea paniculata Berry White® ‘Renhy’
Overview
Uses: Specimen plantings, flowering hedges, back of the border, and cut or dried flowers.
Benefits: A panicle hydrangea with big cone-shaped blooms that open white in midsummer, then turn pink and finally deep raspberry red. Strong stems hold the flowers upright. Very cold hardy and blooms on new wood every year.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–8
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Upright, Rounded — strong stems that hold blooms upright.
Bloom Color: White, Pink, Red
Foliage Color: Green
Mature Height: 6–7 feet
Mature Width: 4–5 feet
Bloom Season: Summer, Fall
Growth Rate: Fast
Summary
Big cones of white that ripen to raspberry red, on a panicle hydrangea that blooms reliably even in zone 3.
Berry White® opens its large, cone-shaped flower heads white in midsummer. As the season goes on they blush pink from the base up and finish a deep raspberry red, so a single plant often carries white, pink, and red heads at the same time.
Strong stems hold the heavy heads upright instead of flopping after rain. At six to seven feet tall and four to five feet wide, it works as a specimen, a flowering hedge along a property line, or a backdrop at the rear of a border.
Panicle hydrangeas bloom on new wood and take more sun than bigleaf types. The color change comes from the plant and the season rather than soil pH, so it looks the same in acidic or alkaline ground. The heads also cut and dry well.
Care
Berry White® Panicle Hydrangea Care
Plant in full sun to partial shade. At least six hours of sun gives the strongest stems and the deepest red color; in hot southern summers, a little afternoon shade helps.
Panicle hydrangeas adapt to most soils, from sandy to clay, as long as they drain reasonably well. Soil pH does not affect flower color.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season while roots establish. Established plants handle normal summer weather but appreciate a deep watering during long dry spells. Mulch two to three inches deep to keep roots cool and moist.
Feeding needs are light. One application of a slow release fertilizer in spring is plenty.
Berry White® blooms on new wood, so prune in late winter or early spring before growth begins. Cut stems back by about a third to keep the plant shapely and the stems sturdy, and remove any weak or crossing stems at the base. You can leave the dried flower heads on through winter for interest and cut them off when you prune.
Size
What Size is the Berry White® Panicle Hydrangea for Sale Online?
Our Berry White® Panicle Hydrangea ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants ship dormant or near dormant in the off-season, so they may arrive with few or no leaves. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Berry White® Panicle Hydrangea Grow?
Expect about 6 to 7 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide at maturity, in an upright, rounded shape. Space plants about 4 to 5 feet apart for a continuous flowering hedge.
Additional Information
Does soil pH change the flower color?
No. Unlike bigleaf hydrangeas, panicle hydrangeas do not turn blue or pink based on soil. Berry White® opens white and ages to pink and raspberry red on its own. Cooler nights in late summer tend to deepen the red.
How is a panicle hydrangea different from a bigleaf hydrangea?
Panicle hydrangeas carry cone-shaped flower heads instead of round mopheads, bloom on new growth each year, and handle more sun and colder winters. That means pruning or a hard winter does not cost you flowers. Bigleaf hydrangeas offer blue and pink colors controlled by soil, but most need more shade and careful pruning to bloom.
Can it be used as a hedge?
Yes. Planted in a row four to five feet apart, it forms a dense, six-to-seven-foot flowering hedge from early summer through fall. Like all deciduous shrubs it is bare in winter, so it works best as a seasonal screen or paired with evergreens. Browse more Privacy Trees & Shrubs or all Shrubs & Bushes.
