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The Color-Changing Hydrangeas That'll Thrive
In Your
Sunny Yard
By LINDSAY DONALDSON
Also named Zinfin Doll hydrangeas, panicle hydrangeas create a striking spectacle in any yard, thanks to their 6-foot height and huge color-changing blossoms that last for months.
Native to Asia, panicles flower before other hydrangeas, starting with modest white blooms that turn pink from the base, then mature into a reddish pink that lasts into the fall.
This sun-loving shrub is a low-maintenance, high-return perennial that you can grow in most parts of the U.S. They can withstand frigid winters and bud reliably every spring.
Panicle hydrangeas are an economical way to landscape your yard, as they flourish year after year without support. Cuttings last a long time in vases and can be propagated easily.
They’re ideal for garden borders or along walls. In hot areas, put them where they’ll get morning sun and afternoon shade; in cold areas, they need full sun for six hours a day.
Panicle hydrangeas need moist, well-draining soil, and they grow very well in neutral or slightly acidic soil that's sandy, loamy, or clayey. You can also grow them in pots.
They don’t need much from you, but you can prune their branches by a third in early spring or late fall to improve growth and blooming, and also give them 2 or 3 inches of mulch.