Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea

One of the purest pleasures for the sunny to partly shaded garden is this French introduction, a member of the PeeGee Hydrangea family. With blooms that arise continuously for many weeks, changing colors as they mature, plus a habit that turns from upright to cascading, Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea is a showpiece of a shrub that looks a bit different every time you glance at it, all summer long.

The enormous pointed flowerheads get underway in midsummer in most climates, beginning green, then quickly turning a creamy shade of white. Within a week or two they are blushing pink, and eventually become a rich shade of rose. Meanwhile, new flowerheads are arising all the time, so a blooming shrub is likely to have the full range of colors from pale green to carmine all displayed at once.

Large, well-branched, and vigorous, Vanilla Strawberry reaches 6 to 7 feet high and 4 to 5 feet wide within just a few seasons. The flowers continue well into fall in most areas, and are, as you can imagine, spectacular in fresh and dried arrangements. The bright green foliage is dense and attractive too, so Vanilla Strawberry always looks its best. In winter, masses of bare stems promise another season of beauty next spring.

Not only do the blooms change color as they mature, the entire shrub changes its habit a bit as the summer progresses and fall arrives. These bloomheads are heavy, and the branches begin to weep after several weeks of fully-blooming giant wands. This adds to the ornamental appeal of Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea, and makes for interesting change in the garden.

Best in full sun in the north, afternoon or dappled shade farther south and west, this hydrangea is easy to grow in continuously moist, well-drained soil. Butterflies will visit it, and it is very low maintenance, asking only for adequate water. Try it in the border, the foundation, the woodland garden, or even as a specimen. You will be amazed at its beauty and ever-changing interest.

This variety is slower to come out of dormancy compared to other Hydrangea varieties. Leaves will begin to show in late spring-early summer.

When fall nights grow cooler, some panicle hydrangeas may reveal pink or red accents, an enchanting transformation that’s natural and variable. In milder climates, expect blooms to stay closer to their original creamy tones.