I am often asked to help someone identify what kind of hydrangea they have. A lot of people have plants that they got when they bought their house, that someone gave them, that they lost the tag on, etc. You may wonder why this matters. It matters ‘cause in hydrangea-land you treat different kinds of hydrangeas different ways. I’m here to tell you all is not lost. I can help you figure out what kind you have.
Hydrangeas are one of the most popular flowering shrubs grown in gardens today. With their large, showy blooms in colors like pink, blue, purple, red and white, it’s easy to see why they are so beloved.
But when it comes to caring for hydrangeas, it’s important to know what type you have. The 6 main types of hydrangeas have very different growth habits, pruning and care needs. So properly identifying them is key to getting the most flowers and having a healthy plant.
In this article, we’ll go over the best ways to tell hydrangea types apart. We’ll cover simple identification tips based on flowers, leaves, and growth habits. We’ll also look at some of the most popular hydrangea varieties so you can match your plant to a picture
Look at the Flowers
The flowers are the first thing people notice about hydrangeas, so they can provide some good clues for identification Here are some things to look for
-
Shape – Are the flowers round mopheads, cone-shaped panicles, or delicate lacecaps? The flower shape narrows it down to 1-2 types.
-
Color – While some hydrangea flowers change color based on soil pH, others are reliable – blue flowers mean Bigleaf, while white panicles indicate Panicle hydrangea.
-
Size – Panicle hydrangea flowers can grow over 1 foot long, while Mountain hydrangeas top out around 4 inches across. Flower size is a hint to the type.
-
Flowering habit – When it blooms can indicate if it flowers on old wood (last year’s growth) or new wood (current year stems). This is crucial for pruning.
Examine the Leaves
The leaves can also provide clues as to the hydrangea type. Here’s what to look for:
-
Shape – Oakleaf hydrangea is the only one with lobed, oak-shaped leaves. Heart-shaped leaves means Smooth hydrangea.
-
Size – Bigleaf hydrangeas have leaves 4-6 inches long, while Mountain hydrangeas have daintier 2-4 inch leaves.
-
Surface & edges – Smooth hydrangea leaves have a matte finish and serrated edges. Bigleaf hydrangea leaves are glossy with smoother edges.
-
Growth pattern – The way leaves are arranged along the stems can help – Bigleaf and Oakleaf hydrangea leaves grow in clusters, Smooth hydrangeas alternate one by one.
Study the Growth Habit
Finally, you can ID hydrangeas by their overall growth habits:
-
Height – Climbing hydrangeas become 20-40 ft vines, while Mountain hydrangea is a compact 3-5 feet tall shrub. Height shows relative vigor.
-
Branches – Oakleaf and Panicle hydrangeas have sturdy branches with peeling bark, while Bigleaf and Smooth hydrangeas have thin, flexible stems.
-
Spread – The width of the plant is another clue – Lacecap hydrangea grows in a neat mound about as wide as tall, while Panicle hydrangea can spread 8-12 feet.
Putting together clues from the flowers, leaves, and growth habit should allow you to accurately identify most hydrangeas.
Popular Hydrangea Varieties
Being able to match your plant to a named hydrangea variety makes identification much easier. Here are some of the most common ones:
Bigleaf Hydrangeas
-
Nikko Blue – the classic mophead with blue or pink flowers
-
Endless Summer – reblooming mophead, blue or pink
-
Twist-n-Shout – re-blooming lacecap, blue or pink
Panicle Hydrangeas
-
Limelight – large conical white flowers turn pink
-
Quick Fire – early blooming white panicles
-
Pinky Winky – two-toned flowers
Smooth Hydrangeas
-
Annabelle – huge round white flowers on a bushy plant
-
Incrediball – an improved Annabelle with massive blooms
-
Invincibelle Ruby – dark pink to ruby red mophead flowers
Oakleaf Hydrangeas
-
Alice – long white panicles fade to pink
-
Gatsby Gal – compact grower with white blooms
-
Ruby Slippers – turns from white to deep pinkish red
Climbing Hydrangea
- Hydrangea anomala – the classic climbing hydrangea with white lacecap flowers
So there you have it – a few simple tips that will help you identify what type of hydrangea you have. Proper identification ensures you can give your plant the care it needs to thrive.
HYDRANGEAS: IDENTIFY WHAT KIND YOU HAVE BY LOOKING AT THE FOLIAGE
Be aware that a round pink or white flower could also be a woodland/smooth hydrangea (arborescens). Here again the foliage will tell you which one it is.
Woodland hydrangea flowers are never blue, only white, pink, and green (so far).
HYDRANGEAS: IDENTIFY WHAT KIND YOU HAVE BY LOOKING AT THE FLOWER
When it comes to identifying what kind of hydrangea you have, it all starts with the flowers. Take a look at them and determine if they are round balls or football shaped/cones. If the flower is round, find out what color it is. If it is pink or blue (or can change between those two colors), it might be a big leaf hydrangea, which is also known as a French hydrangea or hortensia.
It might also be a mountain (Serrata) hydrangea. Look at the foliage to identify your type of hydrangea. Mountain hydrangea foliage has serrated edges that are often tinted maroon at the edges.
The round hydrangea flower form comes in what is called a mophead or lacecap version. The lacecap flower has outer petals that surround the pollen capsules in the center.
How to Identify Your Hydrangea // Garden Answer
FAQ
How do I tell if my hydrangea blooms on old or new wood?
What kind of hydrangea tree do I have?
How do you identify a hydrangea without knowing its flowers?
The first section (green section) has been designed so that you can identify an hydrangea without knowing anything about its flowers. This is very useful if you are trying to figure out why your plant is not flowering. The second section (blue section) works through a process of identification using flowers.
What are the different types of Hydrangea?
There are several types of hydrangea and they don’t all take the same growing conditions. The type is based on the plant genetics – what species was used to develop the plant. Here is a brief list of the types that will be discussed in this post. Macrophylla hydrangea have been bred using mostly Hydrangea macrophylla and Hydrangea serrata.
What does a hydrangea look like?
Hydrangea paniculata usually grows to be a much bigger bush than other types (up to 12 feet high and wide). Its flowers have more of a cone shape than the ones on the big leaf hydrangea, but they are equally as showy. They tend to start out as a white or greenish color and then turn to a shade of pink or red.
How do you know if a hydrangea is climbing?
Hydrangeas have three different growth habits. If the plant is climbing, it will be a climbing hydrangea – this one is easy. If the hydrangea is a tree with a single trunk, the plant is a paniculata type. If the plant is a shrub, move on to Leaf Shape. If the leaf has an oak shape as pictured below, it is oakleaf type.
What colors do hydrangeas bloom?
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. Other types of hydrangea bushes include smooth hydrangeas, oakleaf hydrangeas, climbing hydrangeas, panicle hydrangeas, and mountain hydrangeas.
How do you know if a hydrangea is a paniculata?
If the hydrangea is a tree with a single trunk, the plant is a paniculata type. If the plant is a shrub, move on to Leaf Shape. If the leaf has an oak shape as pictured below, it is oakleaf type. If the leaf is not an oak shape, move on to the Number of Leaves Per Node. A node is the point on the stem where one or more leaves are attached.