Hydrangea is a genus of over 75 species and 600 named cultivars that are native to a wide range of regions and countries including Japan, Asia, Indonesia, Himalayan Mountains, and the Americas. The name “Hydrangea” stems from the Greek words, hydor meaning “water” and aggeion meaning “vessel”, in reference to the cup-like capsular fruit.
Snow Queen Hydrangea is a showy cultivar of the well-known Oak-Leaved Hydrangea.
It flaunts 12” long, conical, white flowers which slowly turn pinkish-purple with age.
Distinctive, deeply-lobed, somewhat coarse oak-like, deep green leaves (to 8″ long) turn attractive shades of bronze, maroon, or purple in autumn.
Mature stems exfoliate to reveal a rich brown inner bark which is attractive in winter.
Shea Cope
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Flemygea’
3) Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Lanarth White’ Lanarth White Hydrangea
Lanarth White Hydrangea is another award-winning hydrangea and is loved for its compact size (3’x3’) and abundance of lovely, lacecap flowers.
Its flattened, lacecap flower heads are composed of pure white sepals which radiate around a cluster of tiny, mauve pink to blue (depending on soil pH) florets.
This hydrangea is perfect for small gardens or containers.
Shea Cope
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Lanarth White’
4) Hydrangea aspera ssp. robusta Himalayan Tree Hydrangea
My personal favorite, the Himalayan Tree Hydrangea, is one of the largest of the Hydrangeas.
It can reach up to 18 feet in its native range, but usually tops out at 10’x10’ in the typical landscape setting.
The white, lacecap flowerheads contrast wonderfully with the glowing violet central florets.
This hydrangea is a late bloomer (August/September), so very few flower starts can be observed at this time.
As seen in the attached picture, the pale pink buds of the florets have hardly begun to open so you can just barely see a couple of the little purple-blue flowers.
