Some hydrangeas can be hard to grow in some locations. Try flowers that look similar to hydrangeas for big bloom clusters, long-lasting color, and more!
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Pinxterbloom Azalea
Rhododendron periclymenoides, Zones 4 to 9
Size: 4 to 7 feet tall by 3 to 6 feet wide
Azaleas are excellent alternatives to hydrangeas, providing early season flowers, but some can be invasive. Choose native species like this gem, found in the Eastern U.S. Give it rich, acidic, well-draining soil in part shade, but avoid clay soils and unshaded strong afternoon sun.
Why we love it: The flamboyant bright pink blooms are a treat up close and from a distance. Look for them in April to May, depending on your region.
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Mountain Rosebay
Rhododendron catawbiense, Zones 4 to 8
Size: 8 to 12 feet tall by 6 to 10 feet wide
Unlike azaleas, rhododendrons like mountain rosebay are generally evergreen, although they can drop their glossy, leathery leaves in winter in colder zones. Native to the southeastern U.S., this shade-loving plant can’t tolerate drought, so plant it in rich, moist, acidic, well-draining soils.
Why we love it: The beautiful big pink flower clusters attract butterflies in spring and early summer, and the shrub itself provides important shelter and nesting habitat for birds in cooler seasons.
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Mountain Laurel
Kalmia latifolia, Zones 4 to 9
Size: 5 to 15 feet tall and wide
Here’s another evergreen shrub native to the eastern U.S., filled with clusters of cup-shaped pink and white flowers in the spring. It enjoys part shade, but can tolerate more sun, especially in the morning. Mountain laurel performs best when it receives regular moisture and the roots are kept cool with a layer of mulch.
Why we love it: Native plants are so easy to care for when you plant them in the right place! Look for amazing cultivars like ‘Minuet’ or ‘Pinwheel’ for unique and gorgeous flower variations.
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White Meadowsweet
Spiraea betulifolia, Zones 3 to 9
Size: 3 to 4 feet tall and wide
Spireas can be tricky, as some varieties have a tendency to become invasive. This U.S. native spirea is easier to control, so it makes a great hydrangea alternative. White meadowsweet likes moist, well-draining soil in full to part sun. It attracts butterflies but is deer-resistant.
Why we love it: This long-blooming shrub boasts fragrant white flower clusters from May to July. Deadhead the spent flowers and you’ll be rewarded with new blooms! The cultivar Glow Girl from Proven Winners has striking yellow-green foliage.
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Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum, Zones 2 to 8
Size: 5 to 10 feet tall and wide
As with spirea, some non-native viburnums are invasive in some areas, so turn to locally native species like this one, found in the eastern U.S. Hydrangea lovers will delight in the showy ivory-white blooms in May and June. It tolerates a variety of growing conditions, but does best when it gets regular moisture.
Why we love it: With sprays of spring flowers and clusters of fall fruit (small dark drupes), this viburnum is a wildlife buffet! Bees and other pollinators prize the flowers, while birds feast on the fruits.
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Mockorange
Philadelphus spp.(coronarius, x virginalis and lewisii cultivars are available, Zones 4 to 8
Size: 6 to 12 feet tall and wide
This easy-care shrub thrives in full sun to part shade, and grows quickly (up to 2 feet per year). Late spring and early summer are its time to shine. The rest of the year the foliage is fairly unremarkable, so mix it with other shrubs that bloom throughout the summer. It also makes a terrific hedge plant.
Why we love it: Mockorange isn’t closely related to citrus, but the fragrant white spring blooms are an excellent substitute in cooler regions. The flowers grow like hydrangeas in clusters, plus they attract bees, butterflies, and sometimes hummingbirds. Northern gardeners should select cultivars bred for their flower bud hardiness like Glacier and Minnesota Snowflake.
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California Lilac
Ceanothus spp., Zones 7 to 10
Size: 6 feet tall and wide
In the western U.S., native California lilac is one of the best hydrangea alternatives. It loves full sun and well-draining soil, and has both evergreen and deciduous varieties. There are many different species, so check your local native plant nursery for their recommendations. Those in zones 4 to 8 can also grow the native New Jersey tea shrub (Ceanothos americanus) with showy white flowers.
Why we love it: Blue-flowered shrubs are not always easy to find, but ceanothus varieties’ blooms range from light azure to deep sapphire, as well as white. ‘Concha’ is a cultivar with cobalt blue blooms that are spring show-stoppers.
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Slender Deutzia
Deutzia gracilis, Zones 4 to 8
Size: 2 to 5 feet tall by 3 to 4 feet wide
As a member of the hydrangea family, it’s no surprise that this Japanese deutzia shrub has a similar appearance. Full sun and moist soil is best (though it can tolerate dry conditions); plan to prune immediately after flowering to keep its leggy growth more compact.
Psst—here’s when to prune your hydrangea.
Why we love it: The clusters of tiny white star or bell-shaped flowers open in April or May and give off a gentle fragrance. Growers love the cultivar ‘Nikko’ for its abundant blooms and burgundy foliage in the fall.
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Plumbago
Plumbago auriculata, Zones 8 to 11
Size: 1 to 6+ feet tall and wide, depending on location, pruning and support
Also called cape leadwort, this shrub-like perennial is much more tolerant of Deep South heat and humidity than most hydrangeas. It blooms in full sun, and is fairly drought-tolerant once established.
Why we love it: Plumbago flowers all the way through late fall (year-round in frost-free zones), with soft sky-blue flowers against green leaves. Though it’s not native to the U.S., it doesn’t show any invasive tendencies in most areas.
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Bluebeard
Caryopteris x clandonensis, Zones 5 to 9
Size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide
This low mounding shrub likes well-draining, loamy soil and all the sun it can get. It’s an easy-care plant; too much fertilizer will cause it to get leggy. In zones colder than 6, it dies back to the ground in winter, but returns in spring.
Why we love it: Scented blue bloom clusters cover this member of the mint family in summer, but the blue-green fragrant foliage makes this pick attractive from spring to fall. Bluebeard flowers provide a late season source of nectar and pollen for butterflies and bumblebees.
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