Add a flurry of flowers to the summer landscape with the help of Annabelle and panicle hydrangeas like Limelight and Little Lime.
These hardy shrubs provide lots of beauty with minimal care. Annabelle-type hydrangeas have long been favorite shrubs for the landscape. Their large white blooms make them a standout in the shade garden. Combine these shrubs with other shade plants like hostas, ferns and astilbes.
Extend your enjoyment by leaving the dried flowers on the plants for winter. Then prune all the stems down to 12” above the ground. Then remove half of the older fatter stems right to ground level to encourage new growth at the base of the plant. Or prune in late fall if you do not want the added winter interest.
Limelight and other panicle hydrangeas will also tolerate the shade but perform best in full sun. Use them for informal hedges, screening, mixed borders or as specimen plants.
Their cone shaped flowers start out white or lime-green in the case of Limelight and Little Lime. They fade to pink and eventually turn brown. Leave them on the plant for winter interest or remove the dried flowers in late fall or early spring.
These shrubs bloom on new growth like the Annabelle-types but need very little pruning. Remove broken branches in spring and reduce size as needed. The newer dwarf varieties like Little Lime need minimal pruning to maintain their smaller size.
At a Glance
Name: Annabelle hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens)
Size: 3 to 5’ tall and wider
Light: Partial shade, full sun if soil is kept moist
Water: Thoroughly whenever top few inches of soil are crumbly and slightly moist
Soil: Moist, Well-drained preferred
Name: Limelight and other panicle hydrangea varieties
Size: Dwarf varieties 3 to 6’ tall & wide, Large varieties up 10’+ tall & wide
Light: Performs best in full sun will tolerate partial shade
Water: Thoroughly whenever top few inches of soil are crumbly and slightly moist, drought tolerant once established
Soil: Moist, Well-drained preferred
Written by, gardening expert, Melinda Myers. Each month Melinda will feature a low maintenance plant perfect for beginning and experienced gardeners looking for attractive easy care plants. Melinda Myers is a nationally recognized gardening expert with more than 30 years of horticulture experience. She is a wealth of knowledge and we are pleased to share Melinda’s Low Maintenance Plant of the Month with you!
