New Hydrangeas for the Northern Plains

These improved varieties are hardier, better performing, and easier to grow

Hydrangeas(Hydrangeaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) have become one of my favorite shrubs when design gardens for my client . They come in many sizes and shapes and have various flower form and colors . Their large , buxom blooms are hard to vanquish , and they rarely suffer from the trouble that plague my past favorite shrub , roses . Even though there are many great varieties on the market , here are five of my favorite improved cultivars for the Northern Plains .

Seaside Serenade®Bar Harbor smooth hydrangea

H. arborescens‘SMHAMWM ’ , Zones 3–8

This hydrangea is an offspring of the dear ‘ Annabelle ’ hydrangea ( H. arborescens‘Annabelle ’ , Zones 4–9 ) . flower with large and reliable sterile florets , ‘ Annabelle ’ reaches 5 feet grandiloquent and 6 feet panoptic . Seaside Serenade ® Bar Harbor will only reach 4 feet tall and wide and is well suitable for properties with less room to garden . A fast - growing option of a aboriginal shrub , it will adorn you with large balls of creamy white bloom on sturdy , upright stanch in summertime . They will guard their own through our heavy Northern Plains pelting and wind . Seaside Serenade ® Bar Harbor adopt full sun to fond nuance and is extremely winter hardy . It blooms extravagantly on raw woodwind ; cut it back before new growth appear in the spring .

Fire Light Tidbit®panicle hydrangea

H. paniculata‘SMNHPK ’ , Zones 3–8

In smaller garden , it can be a challenge to discover hydrangeas the good size to soften the edges of a design without taking over the space . Fire Light Tidbit ® panicle hydrangea may be the smallest panicle hydrangea to become available to the populace . Only reach a sizing of 2 to 3 pes grandiloquent and wide , it can be used in a small hedge , in front of a fundament planting , or within a repeated border . It looks groovy planted in front of ‘ Green Mountain ’ boxwood ( Buxus‘Green Mountain ’ Zones 4–9 ) , creating a winning combination for a busy nurseryman desire seasonal color and easy care . Fire Light Tidbit ® takes full sun to fond spook and has large white mophead flowers that emerge in former summer . They turn a bright shade of garden pink as they age , and when declination make it their red color will rival the turn leave .

Little Hottie®panicle hydrangea

H. paniculata‘Bailpanone ’ , zone 3–8

small Hottie ® is the outcome of genetic rearing and years of visitation to produce a plant life that endures not only frigid winter but also summertime estrus . It grow 3 to 5 feet tall and panoptic with a rounded sort . expectant , impressive bloom flower on muscular fore , bring out a bold show even in the middle of summer . Rich fleeceable leaf is the gross foil for the unclouded green florets . They call on a crisp livid , fading to ping in the fall . Preferring fond tone , Little Hottie ® is utterly felicitous in well - run out soil either as an accent or in a mass planting .

Quick Fire Fab®panicle hydrangea

H. paniculata‘SMNHPM ’ , zone 3–8

When you need a bombastic shrub to fill a niche , screen out a view , or just make you smile , Quick Fire Fab ® panicle hydrangea is there . This is an improved version of Quick Fire ® hydrangea ( H. paniculata‘Bulk ’ , Zones 3–8 ) . you could ask a farsighted time of year of flowered video display as well as large , striking mophead flower . This panicle hydrangea has the same reliability of other bloom and easy care as Quick Fire ® but with sturdier stalk and superscript performance . Growing 6 to 8 ft high and 5 to 6 metrical foot foundation wide , it is one of the earliest bloom hydrangea for the Northern Plains . It ’s adaptable to a wide diverseness of soil type , but keep it in evenly moist soil in full Sunday to fond shade and you will be rewarded with three month of blooms from too soon to tardy summer . The flowers start out white , then shift to rap and red , calculate like marble ice .

Seaside Serenade®Newport bigleaf hydrangea

H. macrophylla‘HORTMANI ’ , Zones 4–9

When you are a hydrangea junkie in the Northern Plains , it ’s hard to resist grow at least one of those moody bigleaf hydrangeas ( H. macrophylla , Zones 5–9 ) and trying to get it to bloom . With Seaside Serenade ® Newport , we now have a combat chance in this battle . Bloom coloration is dependent upon the soil pH , with acidic filth get blooms with more blue - reddish blue flowers and alkaline soils bring forth pink heyday . Even though this hydrangea is spawn for hardiness , you should put up it with extra wintertime protection if you want to see those large mophead blossom bloom . It take in fond shade and requires moist dirt . Do n’t prune except to deadhead ; otherwise , you risk removing the next flush of flowers . In the saltation after new growth emerges , dead wood can be remove , and you’re able to prune to shape if necessary . A fast - growing shrub , Seaside Serenade ® Newport can live up to 20 years in an ideal place .

These five improved hydrangeas are by no mean our only options , but they are a delicious collection of specimens that together occupy a unspecific range of motive in the landscape . One of these will surely be the veracious plant life for your situation .

For more on hydrangea , ascertain out :

And for more Northern Plains regional reports , click here .

— Marti Neely , FAPLD , owns and operates Marti Neely Design and Associates in Omaha , Nebraska .

Fine Gardening commend Products

Bee Watering Station with Vivid Flower Design

o.k. horticulture receives a commission for items buy through connection on this site , include Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising program .

Black and Decker 22 - inch Cordless Hedge Trimmer

Get our late tips , how - to articles , and instructional videos sent to your inbox .

Hardy, Fragrant Vines for the Northern Plains

Underappreciated Trees for the Northern Plains

Satisfying Your Zone Envy in the Northern Plains

Deciduous Trees for Winter Interest in the Northern Plains

link up o.k. horticulture for a free engaging live webinar featuring Dr. Janna Beckerman , a renowned industrial plant diagnostician as well as professor emerita at Purdue University and the ornamental expert handler …

When I pick out a special sand dollar cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few months ago , I know I was in trouble . With a delicious color pattern …

When we only prioritise plants we want over plants our landscape motivation , each time of year is filled with a never - terminate lean of chores : pruning , pilfer , lacrimation , treating , amending , and fertilizing , with …

Video

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be careful when you enter the backyard of garden graphic designer Jeff Epping — not because you ’re likely to trip on something , but because you might be dive - bomb by a pair …