An Overview of the Top Hydrangea Tree Varieties

Hydrangeas are cherished for their lush full blooms and relaxed growing habit. By grafting hydrangeas onto standard trunks, these beloved shrubs transform into small flowering trees that make stunning accents in gardens. Different hydrangea species and cultivars can be trained into tree form, yielding a range of flower shapes, colors, and growth habits. Here is an overview of some of the most popular types of hydrangea trees available

Panicle Hydrangea Trees

Panicle hydrangeas produce large, cone-shaped flower clusters on strong upright stems. They make excellent candidates for tree form hydrangeas. Popular panicle varieties include

Limelight – Chartreuse flowers turn pinkish-red in fall. Grows 6-8 feet tall.
Vanilla Strawberry – Blooms emerge white then turn pink and red. Compact at 4-5 feet tall.

Quick Fire – Early summer white flowers become deep pink. Grows 6-8 feet tall.
Fire Light – Fiery red blooms in summer through fall. About 6 feet tall.
Strawberry Sundae – Blooms change from white to pink to red. Grows 5-6 feet tall.

Oakleaf Hydrangea Trees

Oakleaf hydrangea is prized for its bold foliage and impressive flower clusters. It lends great form and texture to gardens. Popular oakleaf varieties for tree form include:

Alice – Huge white blooms in summer. Foliage turns red in fall. Grows 6-8 feet tall.

Snow Queen – Abundant, dense white flower clusters. Red fall color. Grows 6 feet tall.
Little Honey – Dwarf variety with golden autumn foliage. White summer flowers. Grows 3-5 feet tall.

Bigleaf Hydrangea Trees

The classic, old-fashioned hydrangeas with full, pillowy flower heads make delightful tree forms. Popular bigleaf varieties include:

Endless Summer – Reblooming variety with mophead and lacecap flowers. Grows 3-4 feet tall.
Nikko Blue – prized for its large, spherical blue blossoms. Grows 4-6 feet tall.

Penny Mac – Stunning blue lacecap flowers with red veining appear all summer. About 4 feet tall.

Smooth Hydrangea Trees

Smooth hydrangea produces gorgeous white panicles of tiny fertile flowers surrounded by showy, sterile bracts. It’s a great choice where bigleaf hydrangeas struggle. Popular smooth hydrangea tree varieties:

Annabelle – Immense white blooms up to 12 inches across. Grows 5-6 feet tall.
Incrediball – An improved Annabelle with sturdy, strong stems to support enormous blossoms. Grows 4-5 feet tall.

Mountain Hydrangea Trees

Mountain hydrangeas are native to the southeastern U.S. They offer great foliar interest along with showy blooms. Popular tree form varieties include:

Blue Ridge – A dwarf variety that grows 3-4 feet tall with pretty white lacecap flowers.
Alice – White, lacecap-style blooms. Grows 6-8 feet tall with an upright form.

Climbing Hydrangea Trees

While not a true tree form, climbing hydrangea is sometimes grown as a free-standing shrub. It also makes a great focal point espaliered onto a support. Popular varieties like:

Zephyr – Produces airs white, lacecap-style blossoms. Foliage turns burgundy in fall.

Growing Hydrangea Trees

Plant in full sun to part shade. Morning sun is ideal.
Provide consistently moist, well-draining soil. Irrigate during dry periods.

Apply a slow-release fertilizer for flowers in early spring.
Prune panicle varieties in late winter. Prune bigleaf varieties after flowering.
Most are cold hardy to zone 3 or 4 with some protection.

With diverse options like these graceful flowering trees, it’s easy to find beautiful hydrangea trees to enhance gardens with lush, hydrangea-style blooms on unique tree forms. They make unforgettable focal points and specimen plants for landscapes and containers. Explore the many types of hydrangea trees available to discover new varieties to highlight your outdoor space with gorgeous flowers held high.

How Do You Care For Hydrangea Trees?

Some types of hydrangeas, like panicle hydrangeas, can handle full sun, but most of them do better with some shade. Hydrangea Trees love a deep watering, especially when it is hot out. Feed your hydrangea tree in spring with a slow release fertilizer. Hydrangea trees that have just been planted should be watered every day for the first week and then every two to three weeks for the first two to three months until they are well-established. Read more about Hydrangea Care.

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Water your tree in the container before planting. Make a hole that is twice as wide as the root ball and almost as deep. Place your tree level in the hole. This is especially important with Hydrangea Trees so step back and take a look before replacing the soil. The top of the root ball should be slightly higher than the existing soil line. Fill the soil back into the hole around the root ball. Water deeply until the water begins to pool. Apply 1 to 2 inches of mulch to help the soil retain moisture.

Why Limelight Standard Hydrangea Trees are a Bad Idea

FAQ

What kind of hydrangea grows like a tree?

A hydrangea tree is nothing more than a shrub that has been trained to grow tall like a tree. Hydrangea trees are considered a medium to small tree, so they shouldn’t take over any areas. You can plant them along walkways, near mailboxes and patios, in containers, or by themselves.

Is there a difference between a hydrangea bush and a hydrangea tree?

What is the difference between tree hydrangeas and hydrangea bushes? Tree hydrangeas are technically a shrub just like the bush varieties. They just have a more upright growth habit and can be trained into a tree-like form via pruning.

Which hydrangea tree blooms the longest?

Panicle Hydrangeas These beautifully easy-to-care-for shrubs are very long bloomers. Their giant football shaped flowers will bloom in early summer and last well into the fall. Panicle hydrangea flowers will stay on the stems of the shrubs well into the winter, unless you trim them off.

What is the hardiest hydrangea tree?

If You’re Looking For Cold-Tolerant Hydrangeas Some of the most popular cold hardy hydrangeas include the smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) and panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata).

What are the different types of hydrangeas?

This diverse group includes two main flower types, large mopheads like those of ‘Big Daddy’ and Dear Dolores™ Hydrangea, and frilly lace-caps. The flowers of bigleaf hydrangeas shift from blue to pink, depending on soil pH, and make excellent cut flowers. Bigleaf hydrangeas grow best with morning sun and afternoon shade.

What are hydrangea trees?

Hydrangea trees are hydrangea plants that have been pruned and trained into a tree-like form. Also called standard hydrangeas, these plants are low-maintenance flowering trees that make a feature statement in the garden. Hydrangea trees are available in a variety of costs, blossom colors, and flower shapes, many of which are very easy to grow.

What color are hydrangeas?

Hydrangeas are beautiful bushy deciduous shrubs with large, colorful, showy flowers and large bright to dark green leaves. Hydrangea flowers bloom in shades of blue, lavender, white, pink, red, green, and purple. The bigleaf hydrangea ( Hydrangea macrophylla) is the most popular of these flowering bushes.

What kind of Hydrangea grows in the mountains?

‘Tuff Stuff’ is a hardy hydrangea variety that grows in the mountains and prefers well-drained soil. ‘Tuff Stuff’ is a mountain hydrangea that has a look that’s a mix of lacecaps and big leaf varieties. Its leaves are lush, while their red, blue, and purple blooms grow in a similar disc shape as lacecaps.