Most hydrangeas prefer only morning sun. Yet one type of hydrangea can soak up the sun all day: the panicle hydrangea. While they can stand the sun, these do just fine in partial shade, too. Plus, panicle hydrangeas are the hardiest hydrangeas.
“If you are familiar with the classic white Annabelle hydrangea, you'll love Incrediball hydrangea,” she says. “It has massive white blooms held up on sturdy stems, so they don't flop over.”
I discovered a better hydrangea variety than the Annabelle. The Incrediball has the same familiar big white blooms but unlike the Annabelle, its stems are much stronger and they don't flop down.
Panicle hydrangeas are a fantastic choice for adding late-season interest to your garden. As other plants start to fade, panicle hydrangeas burst into bloom, stealing the spotlight with their showy panicles of flowers. Their long-lasting flowers persist well into the fall, extending the beauty of your garden.
'All Summer Beauty' macrophylla blooms on both old and new wood, stunning blue mophead hydrangea that blooms all summer long. Hydrangeas traditionally bloom on “old wood”, meaning last year's growth but 'All Summer Beauty' is one of a new breed that reblooms on the current year's growth as well!
Endless Summer Hydrangeas live up to their name, blooming massive pink or blue mophead flowers on both old and new wood all summer long. Endless Summer Hydrangeas are unique, taking the traditional hydrangea to the next level.
The “beginner” hydrangea, or one that requires the lowest maintenance, are the oakleaf varieties. Not only do they tolerate colder weather and can withstand drought, but they are also more resistant to diseases and pests.
Plant Size
'Annabelle' typically reaches around 3-4'/. 9-1.2m tall and 4-5'/1.2-1.5m wide. Incrediball is a bit taller at 4-5'/1.2-1.5m tall but equally as wide.
All they need is well-drained soil, some water and a little bit of shade during hot summer days. Find out even more about hydrangea care in our Complete Hydrangea Guide! Oakleaf varieties are the easiest type of hydrangeas for beginners to grow.
Bigleaf is divided into two flower types – lacecap and mophead. Both are among the most heat-tolerant hydrangeas, although mophead prefers a bit more shade. Panicle hydrangea (H. paniculata) – Panicle hydrangea is one of the most sun tolerant hydrangeas.
Can hydrangeas grow in full sun? Hydrangeas like morning sun, but do not do well if they're in direct, hot afternoon sun. Partial shade in the later parts of the day is ideal for these beauties.
'Annabelle' hydrangeas are famous for their huge clusters of greenish-to-creamy white flowers, which can grow up to a foot across over a period of time. The shrub itself reaches 3 to 6 feet tall and wide. The flowers will grow whiter as they mature over summer.
Limelights have cone shaped flowers that open green, mature white, and pink with age. The flowers are many, but modest. The 'Annabelle' hydrangea is absolutely beautiful, but the overly large snowball shaped flowerhead and weak stems make the shrub a challenge to keep off the ground.
The standard hydrangea that you have H. paniculata 'Limelight' has a tendency to flop and split under the weight of their blooms.
Hydrangeas do not require strict reqular pruning; simply keep them healthy by removing dead wood and they will grow and flower well.
But there's one key aspect of ensuring hydrangeas return bigger and better every year: deadheading. The practice of removing spent flowers from a plant, deadheading encourages stronger, more bountiful blooms later on.
Hydrangeas are long-lived shrubs, sometimes living for up to 50 years if properly cared for. They enjoy morning sun but afternoon shade, and they need frequent watering during the growing season. Prune them in the fall after the blooms fade so they can grow on strong stems the following summer.
Reblooming Hydrangea Varieties
One of the first introduced was 'Endless Summer,' a blue mophead variety, but there are many others now available. In fact, rebloomers are so popular there are many varieties such as: Forever and Ever – Pistachio, Blue Heaven, Summer Lace, Fantasia.
TOO MUCH SUN
Conversely, too much direct sun may stress hydrangea plants, which can force them to conserve energy by not forming flowers.
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bailmer' ENDLESS SUMMER - Plant Finder.