Hydrangea paniculata

This hydrangea is a vigorous, upright, rapidly growing, somewhat coarsely textured, deciduous shrub that typically grows to 8-15 (less frequently to 25) tall. It features upright, sharply-pointed, pyramidal terminal panicles (to 8î long) of mostly fertile flowers. The distinctively pyramidal shape of the flower clusters of this native of China and Japan is very similar to the pyramidal shape of the flower clusters of the American native H. quercifolia (see D380 herein). The showy white sterile flowers are somewhat loosely packed in the panicles and slowly turn purplish pink with age. The much... more »

This hydrangea is a vigorous, upright, rapidly growing, somewhat coarsely textured, deciduous shrub that typically grows to 8-15 (less frequently to 25) tall. It features upright, sharply-pointed, pyramidal terminal panicles (to 8î long) of mostly fertile flowers. The distinctively pyramidal shape of the flower clusters of this native of China and Japan is very similar to the pyramidal shape of the flower clusters of the American native H. quercifolia (see D380 herein). The showy white sterile flowers are somewhat loosely packed in the panicles and slowly turn purplish pink with age. The much smaller, fluffy, fertile flowers are partially visible beneath the showier, sterile ones. Larger flower panicles can be obtained by thinning the plants to 5-10 primary shoots. In full bloom, the weight of the flower panicles will typically cause the branches to arch downward. Blooms from mid summer into September, one of the latest shrubs to bloom. Oval to ovate, serrate, dark green leaves (to 6î long) with undistinguished, yellow to purple-tinged fall color. (less)