Panicle Hydrangeas Varieties and Care

Panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) are among the easiest hydrangeas to grow. You may see these easy-to-grow shrubs sold as peegee or hardy hydrangeas. They're fuss-free because they bloom on new growth every summer, so unless it's extremely cold, you don't have to worry about protecting them to prevent winter damage. (If you're growing other hydrangea types, check out these tips for winterizing hydrangeas.)

While some hydrangea varieties change from pink to blue or vice versa, depending on the kind of soil you have, that's not the case with panicles. However, these beautiful blooms will go from white to pink or red in the fall when the temperatures drop. The color change is less noticeable where the winters are mild.

As flowering shrubs, panicle hydrangeas are hard to beat. These sun-lovers can take urban environments and grow fast. Unlike some hydrangeas, they can be pruned and you'll still get flowers on the current year's growth. 'Limelight' has been described as one of the best panicle types to date, with large, greenish-white blooms that age to "vintage pink" when the temperatures drop.

Hydrangea paniculata is vigorous, upright, rapidly growing, deciduous shrub. Showy, closely packed, creamy white, sterile flowers bloom in late summer. The weight of flower panicles will typically cause branches to arch downward.

A tiny plant with tons of flowers, this hydrangea shrub shows off white blooms all summer before turning a pinkish color in the fall. Unlike many hydrangeas, the acidity of the soil does not affect the color of the blooms. 'Bobo' prefers loamy soil but is adaptable to many soil types. It grows best in part sun to sun.