HYDRANGEA PANICULATA
PEEGEE AND FAMILY
Paniculata Hydrangeas
(PeeGee and Family)
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Paniculata hydrangeas will grow and bloom in a wide variety of climates (hardy to Zone 3!). Unlike mopheads, they need several hours of sun to do well.
If your weather is too cold to support the pink and blue hydrangeas or if your landscape doesn't have much shade, consider growing one of the many types of paniculatas. North or south, we can all enjoy them.
Another desirable trait of all paniculatas is their tolerance for pruning. One can prune them at any time except when they begin forming bloom heads in the summer.
The name "paniculata" comes from the fact that many of the blooms are panicle-shaped (somewhat cone shaped) rather than ball-shaped. Many paniculata blooms develop a lovely pink shade as the blooms age, extending their beauty into the fall.
Paniculatas often get very large. 8-10 feet tall and wide is not unusual. Some, as seen in pictures below, get even taller.
If your weather is too cold to support the pink and blue hydrangeas or if your landscape doesn't have much shade, consider growing one of the many types of paniculatas. North or south, we can all enjoy them.
Another desirable trait of all paniculatas is their tolerance for pruning. One can prune them at any time except when they begin forming bloom heads in the summer.
The name "paniculata" comes from the fact that many of the blooms are panicle-shaped (somewhat cone shaped) rather than ball-shaped. Many paniculata blooms develop a lovely pink shade as the blooms age, extending their beauty into the fall.
Paniculatas often get very large. 8-10 feet tall and wide is not unusual. Some, as seen in pictures below, get even taller.
The best known Hydrangea paniculata is PeeGee. This hydrangea gets its nickname from its botanical name, H. paniculata 'Grandiflora' (PG). Although PG refers only to the 'Grandiflora' variety, many nurserymen have started referring to all paniculatas as PeeGees. This may be causing some slight confusion, but if you would like a further explanation, please email me.
The picture at the top of the page and the five below are PeeGees blooming in Northern Virginia. Two of the pictures below demonstrate the PeeGee's tendency to turn pink as the blooms age.
North Salem, NY by Joe. Planted as a 1 gal. plant four years before picture was taken. Here it's 8' tall.
If you are trying to identify a hydrangea that might be a paniculata, look closely at these pictures. They were sent to us by Greg and Beth from Washington state.
The pink on the blooms doesn't appear when the blooms first open, but emerges as the blooms age.
Note the size of the leaf and the serration (tooth) of the leaf edge. This leaf is smaller, softer, and less shiny than the mophead (macrophylla) leaf.
This is a young paniculata shrub. This shrub may grow to be 10 feet tall or so.
Note the shapes of the blooms (some are panicles) and the pink color that is starting to develop on the blooms.
This is a photo taken by Greg and Beth with a macro lens. I included it because it is so beautiful.
There are many varieties and forms of H. paniculata such as 'Limelight' and 'Tardiva'. If you like paniculatas, you won't want to missthese beauties.
Links Related to Planting, Fertilizing, Pruning,
and Other Culture Aspects of Paniculatas
and Other Culture Aspects of Paniculatas
- Planting and Fertilizing
- Pruning (See Method 2)
- Choosing the Best Hydrangeas for Your Area.
- Propagating Hydrangeas
- Drying Hydrangeas Naturally
- Drying Hydrangeas with Silica Gel
Some pages on this site can only be reached through the FAQs.