You love it or you love it 😊. Hydrangea varieties all look alike, yet there are so many different types. There are over 500 different cultivation forms in all types of hydrangeas.
Types of Hydrangeas
- Smooth hydrangea | Hydrangea arborescens
- Climbing hydrangea | Hydrangea anomale
- Panicle hydrangea | Hydrangea paniculata
- Woolly-leaved hydrangea | Hydrangea aspera, villosa or heteromalla
- Mountain hydrangea or tea of heaven | Hydrangea serrata or involucrata
- Oakleaf hydrangea | Hydrangea quercifolia
- Bigleaf Hydrangeas | Hydrangea macrophylla
These species have different varieties. I will share some beautiful Hydrangeas varieties with you per group.
Smooth hydrangea varieties
Hydrangea arborescens, the smooth Hydrangea is a strong white-flowering variety with a very large flower. The diameter of the flower can be up to 25 centimeters. Next to the normal smooth Hydrangea, there are two other beautiful Hydrangea varieties, a smaller, stronger variety, and a pink variety.
Strong smooth Hydrangea
This white, more compact variety of the smooth Hydrangea has a firmer stem, and a slightly smaller flower. Nevertheless, it flowers just as freely as the regular smooth Hydrangea. Because of the stronger branches, the flower remains upright when there is a heavy shower or a strong wind. This is in contrast to the smooth Hydrangea, which has a hard time keeping the top-heavy flowers upright in those circumstances.
Pink smooth Hydrangea
The Pink smooth Hydrangea is comparable to the “Strong smooth Hydrangea” except for the color. The color of Pink smooth Hydrangea is light pink. I still remember that an acquaintance gave me a specimen when this species was still relatively unknown. I got it during the housewarming of our new home more than 15 years ago. This variety has grown a lot in popularity.
Climbing hydrangea varieties
The most famous climbing hydrangea is the Hydrangea Anomale Peteolaris. This self-adhesive climbing hydrangea prefers to bloom with cream-white flowers and loves partial shade. Furthermore, this strong, robust plant has screen-shaped flowers.
Climbing hydrangea Cordifolia
Cordifolia is a more unpretentious climber. The white small flower and heart-shaped leaves of this plant are very suitable for a small wall. It also climbs with self-adhesive roots and can climb 2 to 4 meters high.
Japanese hydrangea vine
This third species is a special climber that resembles the hydrangea. It is a hefty climber, which can grow up to 10 meters. The “moonlight” hydrangea varieties has gray-green leaves and a special flower.
Panicle hydrangea varieties
Hydrangea Paniculata is one of the few hydrangeas that loves a spot in the sun. They generally bloom from July to August and are available as shrub or on a stem.
Hydrangea Paniculata “Limelight
Perhaps the most famous variety is the Hydrangea Paniculata “Limelight”. Coincidentally also stands in my garden 😊. It is a very easy plant. Beautiful flower color and blooms year after year with beautiful lime green plumes.
Hydrangea Paniculata “Vanilla Fraise”
The flower lives up to its name, the hydrangea blooms in 2 colors, vanilla flowers that change color from light pink to dark pink. A very special inflorescence. For example, you have a white panicle hydrangea in July, and a pink one in September and October.
Woolly-leaved hydrangea varieties
Woolly-leaved hydrangea varieties are a collection of different hydrangeas. The flowers of the species look alike. They are umbel-shaped flowers, with petals on the outer sides of the umbel and fertile flowers in the center.
Hydrangea Aspera
The Hydrangea Aspera “Sargentinia” variety is a variety with a beautiful umbel flower. The petals are white with a lilac/purple center and the fertile flowers in the center are lilac/purple. The shrub can reach a height of between 200 and 250 cm.
Hydrangea Heteromalla
Hydrangea Heteromalla is also known as Himalayan hydrangea. The flat umbel-shaped flowers with fertile flowers in white bloom in the months of July and June. A very winter-hardy variety with beautiful red bark.
Hydrangea Villosa
This Japanese hydrangea has quite hairy leaves. The flower color of the fertile flowers is pink, the leaves on the edges are light pink. Really a special and impressive Hydrangea variety in different varieties.
Blue hydrangea varieties
Much is written about how to get a Hydrangea Blue, which can then turn pink again. A kind of Magic Hydrangea. In the article about Hydrangeas, I explain what you can do to get a pink hydrangea blue and a blue hydrangea pink again. But first, you need the right kind of hydrangea for this. The two below are ideal if you want to try this.
Hydrangea varieties Serrata “Bluebird”
If you provide sufficient aluminum or iron in the soil, you will be able to enjoy the beautiful blue color that the “Bluebird” knows. It flowers from June to September. The flowers have small flowers in the middle surrounded by large sterile flowers.
Hydrangea Serrata “Veerle”
In addition to the beautiful flower, this variety has a beautiful autumn color. The foliage turns wine red to deep purple in the fall. You can really enjoy this versatile plant. If you cut back the ‘Veerle’ after early flowering, you have a chance of a second flowering.
Oakleaf hydrangea
Hydrangea Quercifolia can be recognized by the shape of the leaf, which resembles an oak leaf. The oakleaf hydrangea blooms on the old wood with white plume-shaped flowers. The shrub grows to a height of 140 to 160 centimeters. This hydrangea also possesses a beautiful deep red autumn color in autumn.
Bigleaf hydrangea
Certainly a well-known common species, the Hydrangea Macrophylla. The Bigleaf hydrangea is generally a less tall variety, so it is well suited for smaller gardens. Bigleaf hydrangeas can be used as a solitary or in planting. There are many different colors of the bigleaf hydrangea, white, different colors of pink, purple and blue. Bigleaf hydrangea is a bulbous hydrangea.
Hydrangea Macrophylla “Bodensee”
Depending on the type of soil on which the “Bodensee” grows, the color is pink, purple, or blue. This species is also easy to discolor to blue. It blooms from June to August.
Hydrangea Macrophylla “Hamburg”
This bigleaf hydrangea is also one of pink-red to lilac and blue bulb hydrangea. If you cut off the dead flowers, you have the chance of a second flowering of the plant. The bulbous hydrangeas are perfectly suited for drying so that you can enjoy your flowers at home even longer.
Hydrangea varieties Macrophylla “Little White”
This is one of the lowest lasting varieties among the Hortensias. The adult height is 60 centimeters. The “Little White” blooms with flowers from June to September in a beautiful white color. Like all other hydrangeas, this one also likes to have enough moisture in the summer.
You might notice we’re missing a very popular Hydrangea, the Hydrangea Annabelle. This hydrangea is so popular, it got it’s own article. Do you want to know more about how to care for your Hydrangea? Read the article Hydrangea.
