Hydrangea paniculata Vanilla Strawberry™ ‘Renhy’
Overview
Uses: Specimen plantings, hedges, mixed borders, and cut flower gardens.
Benefits: Large cone-shaped blooms open creamy white and deepen to strawberry pink and red, so the plant shows several colors at once from midsummer into fall. Very cold hardy and blooms on new wood.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–8
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Upright — sturdy, slightly arching stems.
Bloom Color: White to Pink to Red
Mature Height: 6–7 feet
Mature Width: 4–5 feet
Bloom Season: Midsummer to fall
Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast
Summary
Three flower colors on one shrub, all at the same time.
Vanilla Strawberry™ is a panicle hydrangea known for its changing color. The large, cone-shaped blooms open creamy white in midsummer, then turn pink and finally strawberry red, starting at the base of each flower head and working upward. Because the heads open over several weeks, a single plant carries white, pink, and red blooms together through late summer and into fall.
The plant grows upright to about six to seven feet tall and four to five feet wide. The flower heads are big and heavy, and the stems arch slightly under their weight, which gives the shrub a soft, full look in a border or as a stand-alone specimen.
It flowers on new wood, so it blooms dependably in cold climates and after spring pruning, and it handles full sun in all but the hottest regions. The blooms are excellent for cutting, fresh or dried.
Care
Vanilla Strawberry™ Panicle Hydrangea Care
Plant in full sun to partial shade. Full sun brings the deepest pink and red tones; in hot southern gardens, a little afternoon shade keeps the blooms from fading early.
Any average, well-drained soil works. The color change comes from the age of the blooms, not soil pH, so no soil amendments are needed for color.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first season, then during extended dry spells once established. A layer of mulch helps hold moisture and keeps roots cool.
Feed with a slow release fertilizer in early spring.
Prune in late winter or early spring, before growth begins. Cutting the stems back by about one-third each year keeps them thick and better able to carry the heavy flower heads. Plenty of sun also helps the stems stay strong.
Size
What Size is the Vanilla Strawberry™ Panicle Hydrangea for Sale Online?
Our Vanilla Strawberry™ 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 Vanilla Strawberry™ Panicle Hydrangea Grow?
Expect about 6 to 7 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide at maturity, in an upright shape with gently arching stems. Space plants about 4 to 5 feet apart for a flowering hedge.
Additional Information
What are some common names for this plant?
It is usually called panicle hydrangea, and panicle types are also sold under the older name peegee hydrangea.
Why do the flowers change color?
The color change is part of how the blooms age. Each flower head opens creamy white, then gradually turns pink and red, a shift that strengthens as nights cool in late summer and fall. Unlike bigleaf hydrangeas, panicle hydrangeas do not change color with soil pH, so the same white-to-red show happens in almost any garden soil.
Can it be used as a hedge or screen?
Yes, as an informal flowering hedge. At six to seven feet it blocks views through the growing season and is in full color from midsummer into fall. Because it drops its leaves in winter, pair it with evergreens if you need year-round privacy. See more options in our Privacy Trees & Shrubs.
How is it different from Strawberry Sundae® hydrangea?
Both open white and age to pink, but Vanilla Strawberry™ is the larger plant, reaching six to seven feet with long, cone-shaped blooms that go all the way to red. Strawberry Sundae® stays around four to five feet with fuller, rounder heads, which suits smaller beds. Browse both in our Shrubs & Bushes.
