Cold Hardy Hydrangeas Choosing Hydrangeas For Zone 4

Panicle Forming Zone 4 Hydrangea Varieties

Grandiflora – Creamy white blooms, often called Pee Gee.
Limelight – Startling lime green flowers.
Compacta – Great for smaller spaces or containers, 4 feet (1 m.) ...
Pink Diamond – Antique blush blooms.
Tardiva – Late blooming variety.
Pinky Winky – Lovely rose pink flowers.

Can hydrangeas grow in Zone 4?

Hardy hydrangea - Hydrangea paniculata may just be the plant everyone's been looking for. It's a very hardy plant (USDA zone 4) and forms its buds in early summer just before it blooms in mid-summer. The flowers which appear in July or August make great cut flowers or can be easily dried to create lovely arrangements.

What are the hardiest hydrangeas?

Hydrangea paniculata is one of the hardiest species; it thrives in Zones 4-8.
...
Outstanding Panicle Hydrangea Varieties

'Bombshell' is a dwarf selection that grows three feet tall and four feet wide. ...
'Grandiflora' is sometimes called peegee hydrangea. ...
'Limelight' bears light lime-green flowers from midsummer to fall.

What should hydrangeas look like in winter?

Hydrangea flower heads turn dry and brown in the fall and will remain that way throughout winter if not removed. Hydrangeas also lose their leaves during fall, but the brown stalks remain upright unless pruned back.

Are hydrangeas cold tolerant?

Hydrangea Cold Tolerance

Hydrangeas are among the easiest shrubs to grow. ... Some varieties, like smooth hydrangea (“Annabelle”) and panicle, or PG hydrangea, are very cold hardy and bloom on new wood. If these are the species in your garden, you don't have to worry about winter kill on hydrangea.

What zone is best for hydrangeas?

Growing Hydrangeas

Botanical Name	Hydrangea spp.
Soil pH	Acidic, Neutral, Neutral to Slightly Alkaline, Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Bloom Time	Summer, Fall
Flower Color	Blue, Green, Pink, Purple, Red, White
Hardiness Zones	3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Do any Hydrangeas like full sun?

Can hydrangeas grow in full sun? Hydrangeas like morning sun, but do not do well if they're in direct, hot afternoon sun. Partial shade in the later parts of the day is ideal for these beauties.

What can I substitute for hydrangeas?

As a substitute for hydrangeas, I suggest three shrubs that have multi-seasonal interest; feed birds, butterflies, and bees; and are appropriate for our climate (all are hardy in Zone 6b) and soil. First, the red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) provides year-round interest.

Do Hydrangeas like sun or shade?

In general, for most hydrangeas except the panicle types, plan to give hydrangeas both sun and shade. Morning sun with afternoon shade works beautifully in the South and warmer regions. In these zones, afternoon sun sizzles and can easily fry hydrangeas.

Do Hydrangeas like coffee grounds?

Coffee Grounds are great for Hydrangeas, Camillias and Roses! Don't throw out those used coffee grounds. There are lots of ways to put them use in your garden. And more to the point, there are certain plants, such as hydrangeas, Camellias and roses that just love them!

Do I cut back hydrangeas after frost?

These mophead or lacecap hydrangeas traditionally bloom only on old wood. If cut back too hard or to the ground in late winter, there will be no flowers. ... These can be cut (or frozen) to the ground and still bloom through much of the summer. Prune them lightly early in the season to encourage new growth and flowers.

How do I prepare hydrangeas for winter?

The first step in hydrangea winter care is to cut away the old wood at the base of the plant, and remove any dead or weak branches by cutting them off at their base. Be careful not to cut off healthy wood, as this wood will be where your hydrangea will bloom from next year.

Will a hydrangea grow back if cut down?

You can take a more relaxed attitude about pruning if you have hydrangeas that set flower buds on current season wood, like panicle and smooth hydrangeas. ... Even if you cut canes back to ground level during dormancy, the shrubs will grow back and produce blooms in spring.

Can hydrangeas survive a freeze?

Depending on species-specific hydrangea cold tolerance and the time of year flower buds are produced, a late-season frost can kill tender, new growth on hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.), resulting in little or no blooms in the coming spring and summer months.

What climate is best for hydrangeas?

Hydrangeas are appreciated for their ability to thrive in cool, moist shade, but some types are more heat and drought tolerant than others. If you live in a warm, dry climate, you can still grow these spectacular plants. Read on for more tips and ideas about hydrangeas that take heat.

What month do hydrangeas flower?

Shrubs like hydrangeas flower from mid to late summer on the previous year's growth. Mophead and lacecap hydrangeas will bloom satisfactorily with little attention, but regular pruning encourages new, vigorous growth that can produce a better display.

Will hydrangeas grow in Zone 5?

With several species being hardy all the way down to zone 3, hydrangeas can grow in just about any location. However, in zone 5 and above, gardeners have more hardy varieties of hydrangeas to choose from than zone 3 or 4 gardeners do.

Do hydrangeas grow in Zone 6?

The wildly popular, color-changing bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) is the most sensitive to the cold of all the varieties. But it still is hardy in zone 6. ... Gardeners living in zones as cold as zone 4 can grow this beautiful shrub, sometimes referred to as tree hydrangea.

What side of the house do you plant hydrangeas?

It's recommended to plant Hydrangeas on the side of the house that receives adequate light and coolness. Prepare the soil at the left side if much sunlight comes through that side of the house for Hydrangeas. And it's not only hydrangeas that can live beside the house, other plants can as well.

Can hydrangeas take full afternoon sun?

Hydrangeas grow best in morning sun. Direct sun in the afternoon can burn the large, soft leaves. For this reason, a location where the plant gets some sun in the morning and none the rest of the day is best, but late afternoon sun probably won't hurt the hydrangea if it isn't in direct sunlight.

Can hydrangeas get too much sun?

Too much sun exposure can cause your hydrangea shrubs to burn on its leaves and blooms. Also, be sure to put your fingers in the soil to see if it needs watering. We do recommend a soak versus light watering each day, but you should be sure that the soil is always moist – not wet – by sticking your fingers in the dirt.

How do I get my hydrangeas to bloom more?

How to Get More Smooth Hydrangea Flowers:

Plant smooth hydrangeas in full sun if the soil stays moist. ...
Water them during times of drought, especially during the heat of summer.
Amend the soil with organic matter (such as compost).
Prune stems back in early spring, just before new growth emerges.