Types of Hydrangeas

When I think of hydrangeas, I think of a Nancy Meyers movie starring a bungalow beach house set in a beautiful coastal town filled with wit, Diane Keaton, and Ina Garten recipes. Or I think of an Elin Hilderbrand book taking place on a cobblestone road in serene Nantucket. Hydrangeas to me signify class, wealth, and the ocean.

The funny this is hydrangeas are one of the more affordable shrubs and you can plant them just about anywhere. I live in Southeastern Wisconsin zone 5, far away from the beauty of Nantucket, and Hydrangeas are abundant in my area.

Today I want to cover 5 types of Hydrangeas, simply because I have hydrangeas in my yard and have no clue what type they are. This is to help you and me. For all these examples I am using Proven Winners as a reference.

Here they are!

1. Big Leaf Hydrangea

Big leaf hydrangeas do in fact have bold beautiful leaves. They are not "huge" but they definitely are strong and have a deep green color.

Here are the stats:

Light requirement: Part to full sun

Blooms on: Old Wood

Easy to grow? Easy Peasy

Blooms in: Early, Mid, and Late Summer

Hardy Zone: 5a - 9b

Water Needs: Average

Perfect for: Landscapes

2. Panicle hydrangeas or Hydrangea Paniculata

Panicle hydrangeas are some of the easiest to grow and they are the most sun tolerant of the varieties. They don't require pruning but you can certainly do so since they bloom on new wood. You can also pop them in a container which is great if you are in one of the colder zones.

Here are the stats:

Light requirement: Part to full sun

Blooms on: New Wood

Easy to grow? Easy Peasy

Blooms in: Early, Mid, and Late Summer

Hardy Zone: 3a - 9b

Water Needs: Average

Perfect for: Landscapes, containers, boarders, cut flowers

3. Oakleaf Hydrangeas

Oakleaf Hydrangeas have a cone like flower and personally, they are not my favorite. To me they look too floopy but if you love them, don't let me stop you from planting them! They they grow a whopping 6 feet tall and wide. These would be the perfect boarder plant or next to your house or garage.

Here are the stats:

Light requirement: Part to full sun

Blooms on: Old Wood

Easy to grow? Easy Peasy

Blooms in: Early, Mid, and Late Summer

Hardy Zone: 5a - 9b

Water Needs: Average

Perfect for: Landscapes

4. Hydrangea macrophylla - Reblooming

These beauties grow 2 feet tall and get 3 feet wide. I have the "Let's Dance Blue Jangles" in my yard and I'll tell you now....the second year it was in my garden, I thought it was dead. I left the blooms on it all winter and come spring I noticed little green leaves all around the base. Alas! It was alive! In early summer it looked like the picture below. I couldn't find myself to cut any of the blooms because there were so few and they were so pretty.

Here are the stats:

Light requirement: Part to full sun

Blooms on: Old Wood

Easy to grow? Easy Peasy

Blooms in: Early, Mid, and Late Summer

Hardy Zone: 5a - 9b

Water Needs: Average

Perfect for: Landscapes

5. Mountain Hydrangea - Reblooming

What in the world is a mountain hydrangea? One that grows in the mountains? Well, maybe. I'm not sure. As long as it gets enough sun and water I'm sure it would be fine. They grow 2 feet tall to 2 feet wide and produce these sweet looking blooms. It reminds me of butterflies fluttering around a flower.

Here are the stats:

Light requirement: Part to full sun

Blooms on: New or Old Wood

Easy to grow? Easy Peasy

Blooms in: Early, Mid, and Late Summer

Hardy Zone: 5a - 9b

Water Needs: Average

Perfect for: Boarders or landscapes.

Watch a video about them