Top 20 Hydrangea Varieties

Advantages

• Spectacular blooms;
• frost proof.

Disadvantages

• Demanding of soil quality.

Phantom

Rating: 4.7

This variety is a powerful spreading shrub that grows rather quickly and usually exceeds two meters in height. Young shoots are red-brown in color, and older ones are gray. Large inflorescences have a conical shape and blunt apex. Phantom is disease resistant and does not suffer from fungus even when planted in wet soil. After the harsh winter months, the bush is back to normal and blooms lushly. It can grow in the same place for more than thirty years. It can be successfully propagated by petioles and offshoots. Horticultural experts advise choosing sunny places for planting.

Advantages

• Spectacular honey-scented inflorescences;
• Excellent adaptability to climate and soil conditions.

Disadvantages

• Requires annual pruning.

Lime-light

Rating: 4.6

Hydrangea

Advantages

• Is not susceptible to disease;
• Tolerates the winter months well;
• Unique shade of petals.

Disadvantages

• The need for soil with emergent properties;
• The need for nutrition.

Vanilla Frase

Rating: 4.5

One of the most beautiful varieties of hydrangea Vanilla Fras is its big pyramidal inflorescences up to 30 cm long which change color: at first they are creamy white, then turn pink and by the end of blooming they become deep dark red. Several contrasting shades can develop on the bush at the same time – they depend on the place of planting, weather and soil type (optimal acidity pH 4-6.5). Most interesting transitional period, when light-colored flowers begin to turn red at the base. Colorful and stems and leaf petioles – they are burgundy. The shrub grows sprawling – its diameter can reach one and a half meters, in height on average 1.5-2 meters.

Hydrangea Vanilla Frase blooms for a long time, in July-September, with favorable weather in early to even mid-October. For the inflorescences to develop properly and enjoy as long as possible, the shrub should be planted in a darkened or semi-shaded place, with constant exposure to intense sunlight the plant develops more slowly, the flowers become small, but in areas where there is little sun during the season, planting in open areas is allowed. It is important to moisten the soil well under the shrubbery – dry climate is unacceptable for the plant, not for nothing its name translates as “vessel of water”. Can be planted singly or in groups.

Advantages

• Flowers change color as they develop;
• Does not require any special decoration;
• Grows well in the shade and penumbra;
• can be planted individually or in groups;
• Long flowering time July-October.

Disadvantages

• The shrub requires acidity of the soil.

Pinky Winky

Rating: 4.4

The Pinky Winky bunchy hydrangea, introduced in Belgium in 2003, is a rounded shrub with flowers that vary in color from cream to purple-pink. Flowers are not fruiting, blooming standardly from July to September, rarely persisting until October. The shrub grows up to two meters in height, it has good frost resistance down to -34 degrees, but young shoots in frosts can freeze. A well-moistened, acidic soil is important. For the proper development of hydrangea requires sufficient light, the ideal place for it – the penumbra, scalding sunlight for it is destructive, planting in a windy place is also inadmissible.

In general, the Pinky Winky variety is a little less capricious than its relatives – it is resistant to frost, the crown does not fall apart, to the soil essential requirements except intensive alkalinization is not, accepts any complex fertilizers. The plant is propagated by cuttings and grafts.

Advantages

• Strong blooming colors;
• Frost-resistant, increasing with age;
• Develops well in the shade and penumbra;
• The crown does not fall apart.

Disadvantages

• Strongly alkaline soil conditions are not acceptable.

The best varieties of tree hydrangeas

Shrubs, like a tree, grow up to three meters. They are unpretentious and hardy. Plants in this category can tolerate weather with little precipitation and grow beautifully after spring pruning.

Annabelle

Rating: 4.9

The variety is particularly popular among garden builders and deserves a place in the ranking of the best. The Anabel shrub grows no taller than 150 centimeters. Globular inflorescences range in size from fifteen to twenty-five centimeters. Initially they are greenish, after becoming white. Leaves are green till the end of autumn. This hydrangea variety shows good frost resistance. It grows quickly and regenerates in the spring. In the same place the shrub can grow for about 50 years.

Advantages

• is not afraid of short-term drought;
• Keeps green till the cold.

Disadvantages

• Need for a large planting area due to wide crown.

Diamante Rouge

Rating: 4.8

Considered to be the most compact of the other panicles. In height it does not exceed one and a half meters. It has strong and strong shoots. Diamante Rouge delights landscape designers with magnificent inflorescences of vivid red. They reach a length of forty centimeters. Owners of garden plots note that it is one of the most attractive varieties. Petals are white in July, turning pink some time later and red after three weeks. In August the flowers are purple. They are a joy to behold for weeks.

Advantages

• Long blooms;
• Strong shoots;
• gorgeous appearance.

Disadvantages

• Poor drought tolerance;
• Soil selection is important.

Grandiflora

Rating: 4.7

Hydrangea grandiflora is grown as a small tree or shrub. Its flowers form large pyramid-shaped inflorescences. They are creamy white initially, but turn a delicate pink at the end. In fall you may notice the reddish-green petals of Grandiflora. If the planted bush does not unfurl petals for a long time, you should wait a little. It is necessary to provide it with favorable conditions for development and growth. In the urban area, the bush takes root only with regular and sufficient watering. Grandiflora is prone to infection by diseases, so connoisseurs of gardening use fungicides for its treatment.

Advantages

• Rich blooms;
• fast growth;
• Long life (over 35 years).

Disadvantages

• The need for regular spraying;
• Requirement for soil quality.

Sterilis

Rating: 4.6

The Sterilis Hydrangea is well known in landscape architecture. It has medium foliage and looks a little loose. The shrub reaches a height of over one meter. Lush flowers consist of large heart-shaped petals. When they fully bloom, they become a boiling white color. The variety has an excellent winterhardiness index. Despite this, in areas with harsh climates, special sheltering of bushes is required. The plant quickly builds up the leaves with buds, it needs pruning in the spring.

Advantages

• An excellent growth rate;
• Voluminous and lush flowers.

Disadvantages

• The need for annual pruning;
• Heavy inflorescences provoke withering of shoots.

Pink Bella Anna

Rating: 4.5

Of all the hydrangea varieties in the ranking, this is the youngest species. White Anna delights her owners with pink colors. Its growth reaches one hundred and thirty centimeters. Flowers appear in the first year. Blossoms over the whole summer. It stops when the first frost arrives. Upright shoots can sag under the weight of large inflorescences. The plant shows high winter hardiness and prefers soil with a high emergence rate. Cannot tolerate stagnant moisture.

Advantages

• Excellent appearance;
• Good winterhardiness.

Disadvantages

• Capricious in relation to soil composition;
• shoots ducking under the force of the flowers.

White House

Rating: 4.4

Tree White House has a rounded crown and large leaves. Its dome-shaped inflorescences measure up to 25 centimeters in diameter. There are fertile flowers in the center and large flowers around the edges. White House blooms from late June to the middle of the first autumn month. White petals have a pleasant scent that attracts butterflies. The bush can hold its shape without additional support. It grows quickly, gaining 20 cm in height each year. Young bushes may freeze, adult plants winter without insulation.

Advantages

• The original appearance of the inflorescences;
• Strong shoots;
• high frost resistance.

Disadvantages

• poor development without proper care.

The best large-leaf hydrangea varieties

Large-leaved shrubs do not grow taller than two meters. Hardy frosty in harsh winters. Grows well in acidic soils.

Nico Blue

Rating: 4.9

Nikko Blue is probably the brightest and most beautiful of the large-leaf hydrangeas. Its name is due to the blue-blue color of the flowers. The plant is up to 1.5 meters tall. Its leaves are richly green and quite large, they have jagged edges. The hue of the inflorescence strongly depends on the soil composition. Pale blue petals are produced in mildly acidic soil, while bright blue inflorescences appear in highly acidic soil; neutral acidity makes them pinkish. Not a hardy plant, so shelter it after a cold snap.

Advantages

• Duration of flowering;
• A showy variety.

Disadvantages

• Vulnerability to disease;
• Unstable to cool climates;
• capricious and pampering.

Endless Samme

Rating: 4.8

This is a well known variety of hydrangea that tops all sorts of rankings. It belongs to the group of remontant species. Endless Summer blooms even after severe colds. It got its nickname “endless summer” thanks to the ability to form buds more than once a year. Petal color varies from pink to bluish depending on soil composition. Sometimes there are multi-colored petals on one shrub. Plant breeders advise to protect the soil with mulch and insulate bushes for wintering with non-woven material.

Advantages

• Flowering in the first season of planting;
• High index of winter hardiness;
• Immunity to powdery mildew.

Disadvantages

• Demanding to the soil composition;
• The need for a certain amount of light;
• need for pruning in spring.

Alpengluchen

Rating: 4.7

Long-lasting red flowers of the Alpengluchenes. It is grown in the middle belt of Russia and covered for the winter. It is worth taking care of the acidity of the soil, the shrub prefers to grow in soil with a certain percentage of it. Lime soil is destructive to it. The variety blooms in midsummer. Under moderate winter conditions, flowers appear in May. Alpengluchen likes warmth and constant plentiful watering. Flowers are ball-shaped and up to 25 centimeters in diameter. Ovate leaves have a rich color of green.

Advantages

• abundant flowers;
• Early flowering of petals;
• prolonged flowering period.

Disadvantages

• Requires regular watering;
• Frost hardy.

Schniebol

Rating: 4.6

The next plug is a compact shrub with shiny, deep green leaves. The height of an adult specimen reaches 120 centimeters. Round inflorescences have white color and serrated petal edges. Likes diffused light, penumbra. Don’t forget to water the Schniebol. Up to minus 25 degrees, it can do without shelter. Duration of decorative effect – from mid-summer to September. Judging by the reviews of gardeners, it is not the most fastidious type of hydrangea. It can grow in a variety of conditions. However, a lush bush can only be seen in well-drained, humus-rich and acidic soils.

Advantages

• compactness of the bush;
• high winter hardiness.

Disadvantages

• The difficulty of growing for beginners;
• fastidiousness in care.

Peppermint

Rating: 4.5

The winter-hardy ForeverEver family includes the remontant Peppermint. In June the shrub pleases with inflorescences from last year’s buds, and then petals from new shoots blossom. It attracts the attention of plant breeders by its bicolor. The petals of the inflorescences can be pink or bluish in the middle and white at the edge. The bush usually does not grow taller than 0.9 m. It has a compact ball-shaped crown. For the plant to develop fully, it needs a sunny site.

Advantages

• original color of flowers;
• The remontant type.

Disadvantages

• Requires proper care.

Cotton Candy

Rating: 4.4

The American variety of hydrangea Cotton Candy is the result of crossing the serrated and broad-leaved members of the family. Features of this plant – bright pink flowers with cream-colored core and compact size of the shrub – it grows to a height of 0.8 meters, about the same is the diameter of a rounded crown with strong branched shoots. For this reason, the plant can be planted in containers in winter gardens, on insulated loggias. The inflorescences of Cotton Candy are free-form umbrellas – they have no symmetry and are about 12-20 cm in diameter.

Requirements to the soil in hydrangeas are minimal – the soil should be moist, preferably with a neutral pH balance. The type of environment determines the hue of the flowers – in alkaline soil they become red or purple, and in acidic soil – blue. The variety prefers a sunny or semi-shady location and requires adequate light for its development. The problem for gardeners in cold regions is the preservation of hydrangea in winter, it has a relatively high threshold of frost resistance to -24 ° C. To prevent the buds from freezing out, they need to be wrapped for the winter.

Advantages

• compact size;
• can be grown in winter gardens, on loggias;
• Double-colored flowers;
• No major soil requirements.

Disadvantages

• Does not tolerate frosts below -24°C.

The best varieties of oakleaf hydrangeas

Dubolous hydrangea varieties – an elegant plant that is resistant to negative weather conditions. It is tolerant of temperature changes, but it is not advised to overcool it. Large leaves are shaped like oak leaves.

Snowflake

Rating: 4.9

Luxurious Snowflake brushes will provide a real winter garden in the countryside. Thick bushes in the form of snow-white balls please the surrounding people from spring to the end of summer. By the end of flowering the petals become reddish-green in color. Its unusual appearance is provided by its oak-shaped leaves. They turn a darker shade of maroon in the fall. Snowflake is not as demanding of regular watering as other types. Hydrangeas have an average growth rate. It prefers acidic soils and tolerates changing weather conditions well. Young plants are advised to cover before winter.

Advantages

• Good drought tolerance;
• original appearance;
• long flowering time.

Disadvantages

• Picky to soil composition.

Snow Queen

Rating: 4.8

Oak-leaved variety Snow Queen – a unique shrub native to southeastern America. Crown diameter up to 1.8 meters. moderate growth rate. Conical inflorescences consist of snow-white petals. Compared to panicles Snow Queen is not as hardy. That’s why it is recommended to cover the bushes by ducking the shoots. But this variety grows well even in dry or too wet soil. It is important to ensure drainage when planting, so that the root neck is not affected by fungus. If you know how to properly care for the Snow Queen, you can enjoy snow-white flowers in June and July, and at the end of the season admire the petals of a deep burgundy hue.

Advantages

• Good endurance of adult bushes;
• beautiful appearance.

Disadvantages

• Many planting and care features.