Pernell Gerver's Featured Plant of the Month Hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.) Hydrangea 'All Summer Beauty' Lacecap hydrangea 'Blue Billow' Closeup of lacecap hydrangea flower Hydrangea 'Annabelle' Oakleaf hydrangea Fall foliage of oakleaf hydrangea Climbing hydrangea Flowers of climbing hydrangea  To order Hydrangea from Pernell Gerver's Online Store click here.

One of the most attractive summer-blooming shrubs is hydrangea. There are many different types in the genus hydrangea each with a long bloom period from early summer to autumn. Bigleaf hydrangea is one of the showiest types of hydrangea. It has large, rounded clusters of blue flowers that appear at the tips of its stems. Bigleaf hydrangea grows three to six feet tall or more with a spread at least as wide if not wider. Its flowers last for four weeks or more and often change color as they mature. One of the most prolific varieties of bigleaf hydrangea is 'All Summer Beauty.' It bears large, blue mophead flowers that are in bloom over a very long season. Unlike other blue-flowered varieties of hydrangea, this particular variety blooms reliably each year. It grows four feet high and wide. The variety 'Alpengluhen' bears rounded, brilliant-red flowers that is quite a unique color for a hydrangea. It grows three to four feet high and wide. 'Blue Billow' is a lacecap type of hydrangea. The flat flowers have an outer row of sterile, showy blue (or pink depending on pH) flowers that surrounds a central cluster of fertile flowers. The outer petals are separated from the center by long stems. It grows three to four feet tall and wide. Hydrangea 'Annabelle' bears large, rounded globes of flowers that are very showy. In bloom in my garden right now, the flower clusters can be up to a foot wide and are uniformly shaped. The creamy-white flowers appear at the tips of the branches, nearly covering the plant when in bloom. When in full bloom, the weight of the flowers pulls the branches downward, creating an attractive arching shape. The flowers are very long lasting, remaining attractive for up to two months. Its large leaves are dark green. It's a compact variety that's good for a flower bed, growing only about three feet tall. It grows and blooms well in shade to sun. Oakleaf hydrangea is a unique hydrangea with many nice attributes. As its name implies, its foliage closely resembles oak leaves. The dark-green leaves can be up to eight inches long. Oakleaf hydrangea forms a wide, rounded shrub four to six feet tall. It begins blooming in late June and continues for several weeks. Its flower clusters are up to 12 inches long borne at the tips of its stems. The flowers often turn pink or lavender as they age. Along with its summer flowers, oakleaf hydrangea has handsome fall foliage. The leaves turn dark red to burgundy and often persist on the shrub into winter. Oakleaf hydrangea grows and blooms well in shade or sun. The variety 'Sikes Dwarf' is a very desirable cultivar. It has the same large, showy leaves and flowers, but on a compact plant. It only grows about two feet high with a spread of about four feet wide, making it a good choice for a small garden. Climbing hydrangea is a vining type of hydrangea that has attractive foliage and flowers. The glossy-green leaves are two to four inches long and nearly as wide. Its climbing stems cling to whatever it is growing on and can reach a mature height of 60 to 80 feet high. I've seen it growing up the trunks of tall trees as well as on brick walls. In early summer, large clusters of flowers appear. Each flower cluster is made up of an outer row of sterile, showy, white sepals that surrounds the fertile, green-white flowers in the center. The flowers are nearly 10 inches wide and remain attractive for up to six weeks. They slowly change color from white to green to brown as they age. Climbing hydrangea is an easy-to-grow, carefree vine that grows equally well in sun or shade. In my garden I planted one on either side of a large arbor in the shade a few years ago and they have already reached the top. To order Hydrangea from Pernell Gerver's Online Store click here. Back to the plant of the month archives