Overview
Uses: Specimen plantings, mixed borders, mass plantings, and cut flower gardens.
Benefits: Big, fluffy mophead blooms in a saturated lime green, held on very sturdy stems above dark green foliage. Blooms on new wood from summer into fall.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Mounding, Rounded — full, strong-stemmed.
Bloom Color: Green
Mature Height: 3.5–5 feet
Mature Width: 3.5–5 feet
Bloom Season: Summer through fall
Growth Rate: Moderate
Summary
Big lime-green blooms that keep coming from early summer to frost.
Most smooth hydrangeas are grown for white flowers. Invincibelle Sublime™ trades that for a fresh, saturated lime green. The dense mophead blooms are made of small florets with tiny pink eyes, and they sit above dark green foliage, so the whole plant looks cool and bright even in the heat of midsummer.
Flowers form on new wood, so the plant blooms every year no matter how cold the winter was or how hard it was cut back in spring. The show starts in early summer and continues through fall, often until the first frost.
Sturdy stems are the other reason to choose it. Older smooth hydrangeas tend to flop open after a heavy rain; these stems keep the blooms upright. At three and a half to five feet tall and wide, it fits a mixed border or a row along a fence, and the flowers cut well for vases.
It is a selection of a shrub native to the eastern United States. Left standing over winter, the hollow old stems can give native bees a place to nest.
Care
Invincibelle Sublime™ Smooth Hydrangea Care
Plant in full sun to partial shade. Six or more hours of sun gives the strongest stems and the most flowers; in hot southern gardens, afternoon shade keeps the blooms and leaves looking fresher.
Smooth hydrangea grows well in most average garden soils as long as they drain. It does not do well in ground that stays waterlogged.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first season. Established plants still appreciate water during dry spells, and the leaves will droop on hot afternoons to signal when they need it. A layer of mulch helps hold moisture.
Feed lightly with a slow release fertilizer in early spring.
Because it blooms on new wood, prune in early spring just as new growth begins. Cut the whole plant back by about one-third and remove any dead or weak stems. The dried flower heads can stay on through winter for texture and come off at the same time.
Size
What Size is the Invincibelle Sublime™ Smooth Hydrangea for Sale Online?
Our Invincibelle Sublime™ Smooth 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 Invincibelle Sublime™ Smooth Hydrangea Grow?
Expect about 3.5 to 5 feet tall and 3.5 to 5 feet wide at maturity, in a full, rounded shape. Space plants about 3 to 4 feet apart for a continuous flowering hedge or mass planting.
Additional Information
What is the botanical name of Invincibelle Sublime™ Smooth Hydrangea?
The botanical name is Hydrangea arborescens Invincibelle Sublime™ ‘SMNHRL’. It is a Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrub.
What are some common names for this plant?
- Smooth hydrangea
- Wild hydrangea
- Sevenbark
Is Invincibelle Sublime™ a native plant?
It is a selection of Hydrangea arborescens, which grows wild across much of the central and eastern United States. Garden selections like this one are often called nativars. Browse more Native Plants of North America.
Will the stems flop over after rain?
Much less than older smooth hydrangeas. Invincibelle Sublime™ was selected for thick, sturdy stems that keep the heavy blooms upright after a soaking rain. Plenty of sun and a spring cutback by about one-third both help keep the stems strong. For more flowering shrubs, see our Shrubs & Bushes.
