The Best Hydrangea Bush for Every Yard and Growing Condition
Updated: Sep. 13, 2022
Discover what makes hydrangea bushes so versatile and our top picks for full sun, shade, pots, cut flowers and more!
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
How to Pick a Hydrangea Bush
A hydrangea bush in full bloom can stop you in your tracks and—even better—there’s a type for nearly every yard. They thrive in almost any garden, according to Miranda Niemiec, a horticulture content specialist at hydrangea.com, as long as you know a few hydrangea facts.
Miranda emphasizes that you only need to know two main things to be successful. She says to always be aware of “what hydrangea species you have and whether it blooms on old or new wood.”
Bigleaf, mountain, oakleaf and climbing hydrangeas all bloom on old wood. If you must prune your hydrangea, do it sparingly. Panicle and smooth hydrangeas flower on new wood. Give them a light trim in late winter or early spring to encourage even more flowers.
Now that you know the secret to success, all you need to do is pick the right plant. These cultivars listed below boast some of a hydrangea bush’s best attributes.
Best Cold Weather Hydrangea
Limelight Prime Panicle Hydrangea
Zones 3 to 8
Chilly temps can cause some hydrangeas not to bloom, but not this cultivar.
“Panicle hydrangeas are the best for cold climates, even down to Zone 3,” Miranda says. She explains that panicles, such as Limelight Prime, bloom on new wood, which grows only after cold winter temperatures have passed. They bloom earlier in the summer and flowers boast stunning fall colors.
Best Hydrangea for Full Sun and Heat
Let’s Dance Can Do! Bigleaf Hydrangea
Zones 4 to 9
Long hot summers are challenging for some hydrangeas, but panicle, oakleaf and bigleaf varieties usually tolerate the heat—and Let’s Dance Can Do! is no exception. “It is a reblooming hydrangea bush that sets more flower buds than any other,” says Miranda. “Southern gardeners can enjoy nonstop flowers.”
Best Hydrangea for Cut Flowers
Incrediball Smooth Hydrangea
Zones 3 to 8
With oversized flower heads and sturdy stems, Incrediball makes a real statement in an arrangement. Miranda notes that its blooms slowly change hue, saying, “While the flowers start white, they age to jade green as the season progresses.”
Best Hydrangea for Shade
Gatsby Pink Oakleaf Hydrangea
Zones 5 to 9
As understory plants, oakleaf hydrangea shrubs love shade. Sometimes the lack of sun means fewer blooms—but not for Gatsby Pink. Miranda says, “It produces white, fragrant flowers that age to pink, which will surely brighten your shady spots.”
Best Hydrangea For Pots
Tiny Tuff Stuff Mountain Hydrangea
Zones 5 to 9
Miranda promises that this one lives up to its cultivar name—its truly a shrub for small spaces. She says, “As one of the smallest mountain hydrangeas on the market, at only 2 feet tall and wide, Tiny Tuff Stuff is perfectly sized for containers.”
Best Blue or Pink Hydrangea
Let’s Dance Big Band Bigleaf Hydrangea
Zones 5 to 9
All bigleaf hydrangeas are chameleons, depending on the soil acidity. But Let’s Dance Big Band is an especially easy hydrangea bush to change color. “They turn a vibrant pink in basic soils, a deep blue in acidic soils, or a rich violet if your soil falls somewhere in the middle,” Miranda says.
Next, learn why the ‘Wee Bit Giddy’ hydrangea is the GORGEOUS flower missing from your garden.
Originally Published: September 13, 2022
