Hydrangea paniculata
Panicle Hydrangea, Panicled Hydrangea
Mature Size, Growth, Longevity
Grows to 10-20' tall & wide, but variable & often under 10' tall. Upright-spreading form, with branches slightly arching under weight of flowers, often rather straggly & unkempt with age. Fast growth rate.
Native Range
Japan, Sakhalin Island, Taiwan, and eastern to southern China. Introduced from Japan in 1861/1862.
Flower and Fruit Details
Flowers are white changing to purplish-pink, long-lasting, July into September, in pyramidal panicles 6-8" long, 4-6" wide at base. Many flowers in the panicle are fertile but not showy. Showy flowers are composed of 4 or 5 sepals, and are infertile. Fruits are tan to light brown capsules, not ornamental. Sept-October, with the floral inflorescences persisting later, into winter, if not removed. Best to remove the spent inflorescences.
Leaf and Bark Features
Deciduous: Simple leaves, opposite, sometimes whorled, elliptic to ovate, 3-6" long, 1.5-3" wide, dark green and sparingly pubescent above, pubescent beneath especially on veins, on a 0.5-1" long petiole. Leaves are frost-resistant. Fall color green, hint of yellow, sometimes reddish-purple, never spectacular. Reddish brown bark, vertically streaked with gray, older bark often pealing, gray-brown, ridged-and-furrowed.
Culture and Care
Prefers good loamy, moist, well-drained soil in full sun (best) to part-shade. Tolerates urban conditions and almost any soil except wet. Difficult to kill. Flowers on new wood, so prune late winter or early spring before new growth starts. Remove old spent flowers in September when turning brown and no longer showy. Zones 3-8. Hydrangeas typically trouble free. Some reports of bacterial wilt, bud blight, leaf spot, powdery mildew, rust, aphids, oystershell scale, and others, can be serious if they occur.
Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts
Showy in flower. Provides good summer flowers when little else is in bloom in the landscape. One of the most winter-hardy of all hydrangea species. 3-season interest: Spring, Summer and Fall. The extremely coarse texture, large size and unsightly spent flower heads make this species difficult to blend into landscapes - needs a very large area. However, many of the newer cultivars are smaller and easier to keep in a desirable appearance.
Suggested Uses
Good for borders and large gardens, or use for cut or dried flowers. (Since it blooms on new wood, it can be cut to ground every year to keep plant smaller.)
Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA
The following taxa are (or were) represented in the collections at Boone County Arboretum. Additional taxa may be available in the trade that are not included here.
Hydrangea paniculata 'Bulk' // Quick Fire® Panicle Hydrangea, Quick Fire® Panicled Hydrangea
Shrub. Blooms up to one month earlier than most panicle-type hydrangeas, in late spring, starting to bloom by late May or early June, continuing through summer. Flowers are white to pink, then reddish. Fertile flowers evident. Showy sepals sparse. Good, soft-orange fall foliage color. Grows to 6-8' tall & wide. Zone 3-8. May have 'Dharuma' as a parent, but Quick Fire grows faster. Use in hedges, containers, mass plantings, cottage garden, or for cut flowers.
Bed 44Hydrangea paniculata 'Dvppinky' // Pinky Winky® Panicle Hydrangea, Pinkie Winky® Panicled Hydrangea
Shrub. Compact, upright habit, reaching 5-8' tall and 5-6' wide. Conical floral inflorescences, 6-12" long, are held stiffly upright. Flowers white, then some turn to pink, or even reddish, causing a two-toned look. Yellow to purplish fall color. A seedling variant of 'Pink Diamond' from Belgium in 1999. Very cold-hardy, Zone 3-8. Needs full sun to part shade. Air pollution-tolerant. Makes a good hedge plant, cut flower/dried flower.
Bed 54Hydrangea paniculata 'Grandiflora' // PeeGee Panicle Hydrangea, PeeGee Panicled Hydrangea
Shrub. Inflorescences are tight, triangular, sterile, large panicles, 6-8" long. Huge flowers,12-18" long and 6-12" wide, can be possible through selective pruning to just 5-10 primary shoots, and adding fertilizer. Open white, late-July, then purplish-pink, then eventually to brown, lasting into September. Blooms on new wood, so prune early March. Grows to 10-20' tall. Introduced from Japan in 1862.
Bed 46Hydrangea paniculata 'ILVOBO' // Bobo® Panicle Hydrangea, Bobo® Panicled Hydrangea
Shrub. A very compact, dwarf plant from Belgium, just 30-36" tall, & 3-4' wide. Gold Medal Winner & Proven Winner. Blooms reliably on new growth, plants covered with large blooms mid-summer (July) to fall (September) on strong stems. Flowers initially white, age to pink. Good in sun to part shade. Best in a sunny, well-drained spot, with some afternoon shade in southern states. Tolerates most soils if not soggy wet. Zones 3-8. Prune in early March. Good for containers, terraces, borders, cut flowers.
Bed 54Hydrangea paniculata 'Jane' // Little Lime Panicle Hydrangea, Little Lime Panicled Hydrangea, Jane Panicle Hydrangea
Shrub. A compact cultivar, only 3-5' tall & wide, growing as an upright, rounded mound. Large, mophead type (5" panicles), with sterile flowers emerging soft, light green, then changing in the fall to pink and burgundy. Flower panicles eventually turn brown, and persist into winter. Has a free branching habit & strong stems, so flowers don't droop. This is a hybrid from Michigan, with one of the parents being 'Limelight Variegated'. Makes a good specimen, accent, hedge, cut or dried flower.
Bed 165Hydrangea paniculata 'Kyushu' // Kyushu Panicle Hydrangea, Kyushu Panicled Hydrangea
Shrub. Vigorous upright grower, to 5-8' tall and 3-5' wide, with bright, glossy green leaves. Many showy white flower panicles with mostly fertile flowers. A heavy bloomer, even when young. Holds its blooms later than most. However, no fall foliage color. Tolerates clay & most soils, if not wet and soggy. Keep moist and mulch to avoid drought damage. Tolerates pH 5-7.5. Selection made in Belgium, but plants originated from seeds collected in Kyushu, Japan. Good for patio gardens, cottage gardens, cut flowers, specimen or containers.
Bed 227Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' // Limelight Panicle Hydrangea, Limelight Panicled Hydrangea
Shrub. Does well in containers, where it stands upright and produces a dense crop of flowers. When grown in gardens, it may get floppy by the end of season. A moderately growing, wide-rounded shrub becoming 6-10' tall and 5-7' wide. Emerging sepals of flowers are light green, aging to rosy-pink. May have bright lime-green coloration, with 10-12" panicles on strong stems. Reddish fall foliage color. A Proven Winners / Color Choice variety.
Bed 50Hydrangea paniculata 'Pink Diamond' // Pink Diamond Panicle Hydrangea, Pink Diamond Panicled Hydrangea
Shrub. Compact, rounded, upright form, 5-10' tall & wide. Large, dense, pyramidal, cone-shaped flower panicles, to 12" long and 8" wide, changing from creamy white to rich pink, starting early in the summer. The sepals turn rosy-red as they age. Easy to grow. Best in full sun. Pruning in early March to a smaller plant creates larger flowers. Prefers pH 5.5-6.0. Zones 3-8. Can train into a tree. Use as a specimen or accent, in hedges, massed, or for cut or dried flowers. Selected in Belgium.
Bed 46Hydrangea paniculata 'Renhy' // Vanilla Strawberry™ Panicle Hydrangea, Vanilla Strawberry™ Panicled Hydrangea
Shrub. Grows to 6-8' tall and 4-5' wide, upright to cascading form. Flower panicles 7" by 5", are mostly showy, sterile flowers (sepals), blooming on new growth, summer to fall, changing from white to pinkish-red, yet keeping both flower colors on each panicle. The multi-colored ("vanilla/strawberry"), then more reddish, flower color effect is continued for about 4 weeks, before eventually turning brown. A hybrid, developed in France. U.S. Plant Patent in 2010.
Bed 50Hydrangea paniculata 'Tardiva' // Tardiva Panicle Hydrangea, Tardiva Panicled Hydrangea
Shrub. Similar to 'Floribunda', but flowers are 5-8" long, wider at base, late summer to early October. Vigorous, upright, coarse-textured, grows to 10' or more, often 8-12' tall, but occasional to 15'. Upright, pyramidal, pointed flower panicles, to 8" long. The white flowers slowly turn purplish-pink with age. Larger flowers may be attained by pruning the plant in early March to 5-10 primary stems. One of the latest woody shrubs to bloom. Yellowish fall color, not reliable.
Bed 45 - BS009127 - BS009128 - BS009129