10 Varieties Of Smooth Hydrangeas That Are Safe To Be Pruning In The Fall

Pruning is a big part of raising healthy plants that will continue to flourish year after year. Some plants shouldn't be pruned at all, while others should be cut way down — sometimes to the ground. Beyond knowing how to prune your plants, knowing when to prune them makes all the difference. This is especially true with flowers, such as hydrangeas, because different varieties have different pruning needs. It also means you can choose one that best suits your preferred pruning schedule. Smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens) – a hydrangea variety that thrives in partially shady yards – are safe to prune in the fall.

Smooth hydrangeas are one of the only hydrangea varieties you should be pruning in the fall, too. While other varieties bloom on old wood, smooth hydrangeas bloom on new wood. This distinction makes all the difference when it comes to pruning habits. Smooth hydrangea varieties like 'Annabelle', 'Grandiflora', 'Hayes Starburst', and more are safe to prune in the fall once the flowers die back for the season. However, keep in mind that fall pruning may make them more susceptible to cold damage in colder regions. For these locations, late winter or early spring may be more ideal for pruning. 

One of the most popular smooth hydrangea varieties is the 'Annabelle'. This hydrangea variety loves a massive pruning, even in the fall. It is favored for its unique characteristics, including large flowers and easy care. The white flowers grow in clusters from June until September. You can typically start pruning them once all the flowers die off in the fall. You can take them all the way down to the ground to encourage new growth.

The 'Bella Anna' isn't as popular as 'Annabelle', but it is still a great choice if you want a bit more color in the garden. It can thrive in both full sun and full shade, making it a more versatile variety. 'Bella Anna' features spherical pink flower heads that grow above the foliage of somewhat leggy bushes. You may not want to go all the way to the ground when pruning, but you'll still want to cut all the branches down to a few inches above ground.

Another popular variety is the 'Grandiflora', which is very similar to the 'Annabelle' variety. They typically bloom with white flower clusters between June and August. You can definitely prune your 'Grandiflora' in the fall, and you can cut them all the way down to the ground if you want. However, you will want to leave quite a bit of stem (up to 3 feet) if you are in a colder zone that is prone to hard freezes or if you want the shrub to grow larger.

The 'Haas' Halo' has unique flowers with yellow in the center and white around the outside, hence the name. It usually blooms in the summer, with flowers dying back in time for fall pruning. This is another variety that likes a hard pruning, so you can cut it down to the ground or leave up to 8 inches to prevent damage from local conditions. It usually grows to be about 4 to 6 feet tall when properly pruned.

A smaller variety of hydrangea is the 'Hayes Starburst', which grows to be about 2 to 4 feet tall. It bursts with showy white or greenish white blooms from June to September. You could leave up to 12 inches when pruning, but that is generally done in the spring. Fall and winter pruning is generally done closer to the ground. It is recommended to leave at least 6 inches, especially if you have issues with branches breaking.

The 'Incrediball' Blush 'NCHA4' produces stunning pink blooms that will give 'Annabell' a run for its money. The beautiful flowering shrub grows best in morning sun or afternoon shade. Other than the color, though, they are very similar to other smooth hydrangeas that you can prune in the fall. You will want to cut them down to the ground any time after the flowers have died and the plant goes dormant. To make sure the plant is dormant, it is best to wait until after the first hard frost in the fall before pruning.

A much more colorful variety is 'Invincibelle' Ruby 'NCHA3', which has deep red and pink blooms that create a stunning visual effect. The blooms are generally active through the summer, but could rebloom in the fall. It can be pruned several times per year to extend the blooming season. When pruning in the fall, you will want to cut back to at least a third of the size of the original plant.

Another interesting variety of smooth hydrangea that can be pruned in the fall is 'Invincibelle' Spirit II 'NCHA2', which can be cycle pruned to maximize the blooming season. This variety is known for having darker, vibrant foliage and deep pink blooms, which are active through the summer and fall, so you will want to wait until after a hard frost to prune.

The 'Invincibelle' Spirit 'NCHA1' is similar to the 'Invincibelle' Spirit II 'NCHA2', but it has slightly more delicate stems. While it is safe to prune in the fall, you should consider local conditions to avoid damage. It is also a rebloomer, so you may need to prune more than once. It has a long blooming season with pink blooms generally lasting from early summer to late summer or into the fall. When pruning, cut back close to the ground or to at least a third of the original plant size.

'White Dome' ('Dardom') is a variety of smooth hydrangea that has unique blooms and fares well when pruned in the fall. In fact, proper pruning can help the plant increase in size and bloom volume the next year, with some gardeners reporting a 55% increase in growth. The blooms are greenish, with a few white ones hanging along the edge of the globe-shaped structure. You can cut it back to the ground in the fall, late winter, or early spring.