Native Hydrangea Varieties In North America – 8 Sensational Smooth And Oakleaf Varieties For Hardy Blooms And Multi-Season Beauty

Hydrangeas are popular for their large, showy flowers, shifting tones, and fall and winter interest. The fact that they are relatively low-maintenance is also highly appealing. However, if you are looking specifically for native hydrangea varieties, that's OK – because there are several types of hydrangea native to North America.

If you love this versatile and showy shrub, but want to stick with native species for your garden, you’re in luck. There are several gorgeous oakleaf and smooth hydrangea native plants you can grow. Whether you’re after a brilliant white flowering hydrangea to grow alongside colorful plants for high contrasts, or a delicate pale garden palette for cottage garden planting, this hydrangea native range can fill your beds and borders with multi-season texture, tone and natural hardiness.

Native Smooth Hydrangea Varieties

Smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) is one of two North American native hydrangea species. It is a multi-stemmed shrub that grows 3-6 feet (0.9-1.8m) tall and wide. The flowers of a smooth hydrangea tend to be small and white. They grow in flat-topped clusters called lacecaps, which are great for attracting pollinators.

The hydrangea native range for this species covers most of the eastern US. These hydrangeas are some of the best flowering bushes you can grow natively and they are hardy in USDA zones 3-8. Several cultivars with different properties, including unique flower colors, have been developed from this species.

1. Annabelle

’Annabelle’ is an attractive cultivar with clusters of white flowers that are larger and rounder than the native original. The ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea, which is available in the Gardening Know How Shop, is an excellent flowering plant for privacy. This visually breathtaking shrub blooms for a couple of months, starting in June.

2. Pinky Pollen Ring

Unlike many natives in this roundup, ‘Pinky Pollen Ring’, also available in the Gardening Know How Shop, brings a little something extra to the party in terms of color. This variety of H. arborescens is easy to grow and rich with colorful flowers in summer. Its lacecap flower disks are a delicate shade of pastel pink, prettily offset by deep green foliage.

3. Hayes Starburst

This cultivar was developed for its unique, double-petalled, creamy white flowers. It gets its name from the star-shaped florets which bloom in July and can continue into September. This native shrub has a compact shape and thrives in moist, well-drained soil. It is adaptable to many less-than-appealing growing conditions, including slopes.

4. Invincibelle Wee White

There are a few cultivars in the ‘Invincibelle’ hydrangea family. This compact native is a dwarf hydrangea variety that only grows to 2.5ft (0.7m), so it’s perfect for smaller spaces. You can identify 'Wee White' for its tight, tidy flowering habit and brilliant white floral clusters. You can also grow varieties with striking green or pink flowers – such as rosy Invincibelle Spirit, available in the Gardening Know How Shop.

Native Oakleaf Hydrangea Varieties

Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) gets its name from the leaves that resemble those of oak trees. This large, long-flowering perennial typically grows 4-6ft (1.2-1.8m) tall and wide, but that can get taller if this native group is not pruned.

The oakleaf hydrangea group tends to develop flower clusters which are conical in shape. They emerge green, fade to cream, then transition to pink in summer. The oakleaf hydrangea native range is the southeastern US, but this shrub is hardy enough to grow in USDA zones 5-9.

5. PeeWee

This is a dwarf cultivar of oakleaf hydrangea, making it ideal for smaller gardens. It won’t get much bigger than four feet (1.2m) tall and wide. The flower clusters of this hydrangea native are smaller too, but still intensely showy. This is one of the best white-flowering plants you can grow, with blooms ageing to a dusky pink.

6. Snowqueen

This native hydrangea variety is ideal for a white themed garden, thanks to its brilliant white flower clusters, offset with vivid green oak-shaped leaves. As summer shifts to fall, the floral cones will transition to soft pink, whilst the foliage will develop impressive coral tones. This oakleaf hydrangea tolerates more sun than other varieties.

7. Snowflake

For lovers of white hydrangea bushes, ‘Snowflake’ will delight with its magnificent double flowers which develop in large clusters. It’s a bigger cultivar than other natives in this selection, capable of reaching eight feet (2.4m) tall. This oakleaf variety grows best with some afternoon shade. Its striking lobed leaves take on gorgeous bronze and purple hues in the fall.

8. Alice

For a really large oakleaf native, ‘Alice’ can dominate in beds and borders, thanks to its broad and ball-shaped habit. This hydrangea can grow up to 12ft (3.6m) tall, given the right conditions. Its leaves take on a striking pinky gold tone autumn, making this an excellent shrub for a fall garden. It has large and arching flower clusters. Furthermore, ‘Alice’, which you can buy in the Gardening Know How Shop, has very good disease resistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Gorgeous Hydrangeas And Blooming Shrubs

• Are you craving the most spectacular hydrangea displays but worried about poor growth or lacklustre flowers? Read the key hydrangea care mistakes to avoid so you can increase your chances of enjoying magnificent blooms and foliage for longer.
• Still not sure which hydrangeas are perfectly suited to your particular area? Follow our guide to the best hydrangeas by zone so you can be sure your flowering shrubs are as healthy and exquisite as possible.
• Want to make sure your hydrangeas establish with gusto and keep flowering well into summer? Show them some love by fertilizing your hydrangeas the right way.
• For even more dynamic, tonally varied and highly resilient garden plants, explore the flowering and evergreen shrubs and trees in the Gardening Know How Shop.

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