Find the best white hydrangeas to grow for their elegant blooms.
Hydrangeas are the rock stars of the shrub world, and white hydrangeas have a little extra elegance.
Select from these 19 varieties to fit the growing conditions you have.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Choosing the Best White Hydrangea
There are severaltypes of white hydrangeas(Hydrangeaspp.
), each needing specific locations and care to perform best.
Smooth hydrangeas flower best infull sun, but southern gardeners should site the plants in part shade.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Bigleafs grow best with partial shade in moist,well-drained soils.
Most arehardy to USDA Zone 5or to Zone 4 with winter protection.
Panicle(H. paniculata): Tough and easy to grow, panicle hydrangeas produce cone-shaped flowers.
Credit: Andre Baranowski
They prefer full sun and survive in all but the coldest climates.
Panicles bloom later than other varieties, usually in midsummer.
The heights range from 3 to 10 feet, depending on the variety.
Credit:Kindra Clineff
The white flower heads usually turn pink or tan as the weather cools.
Since then, Annabelle has become a popular favorite.
Name:Hydrangea arborescensAnnabelle
Hydrangea jot down:Smooth
Growing Conditions:Full sun to part shade.
Credit: Ralph Anderson
Provide extra water in extreme heat.
This shrub is tall and wide, making it perfect as ascreen or focal point in the landscape.
Like Annabelle, its cold-hardy, so a harsh winter wont affect this white hydrangeas summer blooming performance.
Credit: Courtesy of Proven Winners
It might even perform a little better in northern climates than in the south.
Name:Hydrangea arborescensIncrediball
Growing Conditions:Full sun to part shade.
Provide extra water in extreme heat.Prune in late winter to early springto encourage new growth and blooms.
Credit: Courtesy of Proven Winners
That would describe Haas Halo.
This lacecapsmooth hydrangea is drought-, humidity- and heat-tolerant.
Attractive peeling cinnamon-color bark adds interest in the winter after the leaves drop.
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Prefers well-draining soil with average moisture.
Name:Hydrangea quercifoliaGatsby Gal
Growing Conditions:Moist, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade.
They present an attractive quilted look that makes you want to run your fingers across them.
Credit: Courtesy of Proven Winners
The white panicles age to green over time, and the foliage turns a shiny burgundy in the fall.
This white hydrangea almost seems to glow in the evening.
In the fall, theflower color turns pink, and the leaves are burgundy.
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This is a white hydrangea youll want to see up close.
Name:Hydrangea quercifoliaGatsby Star
Little Lamb Panicle Hydrangea
Little Lamb is as cute as its namesake.
Tiny, densely clustered blossoms make each white flower head look like a fluffy baby sheep.
Credit: Jane Milliman
This variety beginsblooming in midsummer, and the flowers turn a rich pink in the fall.
Name:Hydrangea paniculataLittle Lamb
Hydrangea pop in:Panicle
Growing Conditions:Full sun to part shade.
Size:4 to 6 feet tall and wide
Zones:3-8
Polar Ball Panicle Hydrangea
Do you want it supersized?
Look for Polar Ball, with huge, snowy white blooms.
According to Wood, this hydrangea stands 6 to 8 feettall with outrageously oversized flowers.
Name:Hydrangea paniculataPolar Ball
Growing Conditions:Full sun to part shade.Tolerates drought.
Credit: Courtesy of Ball Ornamentals
While this white hydrangea cant be used to drill holes, itstands up to heat and droughtbetter than others.
Upright, sturdy stems hold white flower heads that transition by fall to a pale tan.
Size:3 feet tall, 3 to 4 feet wide
Wedding Gown Bigleaf Hydrangea
Say I do!
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
to Wedding Gown, a bigleaf white hydrangea.
Each small blossom that forms the flower head features double petals, like a wedding bouquet on a stem.
This smaller hydrangea variety can also begrown successfully in containers.
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Robust stems keep the large white mopheads upright.
Pruning can be done in fall, ordried blooms can be left on the stemsfor winter interest until spring.
Name:Hydrangea arborescensWhite Dome
Growing Conditions:Medium moisture.
Credit:Kritsada Panichgul
Full sun to part shade.
Provide extra water in full sun.
The shrub is covered in white flowers that quickly turn pink and then mature to a saturatedruby color.
Credit:KRITSADA Panichgul
Name:HydrangeaquercifoliaRuby Slippers
Growing Conditions:Fun sun to partial shade in well-drained soil.
The mature branches provide interesting color and texture in winter.
Name:HydrangeaquercifoliaAlice
Growing Conditions:Full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil.
Credit:Jack Coyier
Name:Hydrangea paniculataPeeGee
Growing Conditions:Full sun or partial shade in moist, well-drained soil.
Thisbig vineproduces large clusters of white flowers held against rich, dark green foliage in early summer.
Climbing hydrangeas latch onto supporting structures by aerial roots.
Credit:Matthew Benson
They grow slowly and wont flower for the first few years.
The blooms deepen to pinkish-rose in cool weather.
Name:Hydrangea paniculataLimelight
Growing Conditions:Full sun to part shade in medium moist, well-drained soil.
Credit: Jacob Fox
They are good choices for allergy-prone people.
The exceptions are dwarf hydrangeas, which can grow in large containers for several years.
Toxicology Answer: Take Care of Big Leaf Hydrangea.
