I am often asked to help someone identify what kind of hydrangea they have. Many people have plants that they inherited when they bought their home, or someone gave it to them, or they lost the tag, etc. You may wonder why this matters. It matters ‘cause in hydrangea-land you treat different kinds of hydrangeas different ways. I’m here to tell you all is not lost. I can help you figure out what kind you have.
Hydrangeas are a popular flowering shrub that come in a variety of types and offer gorgeous blooms throughout spring and summer. With different bloom shapes, colors, and growth habits, it can sometimes be tricky to identify exactly what type of hydrangea you have growing in your yard. This guide will walk you through the key features of the most common hydrangea species to help you determine what variety is brightening up your landscape.
Look at the Leaves
The leaves are one of the easiest ways to start narrowing down hydrangea types. Here are some leaf characteristics to look for
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Oakleaf shaped foliage – If your hydrangea has leaves that resemble oak tree leaves, with lobed edges and a long leaf stem, it is likely an oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia). This variety is native to the southeastern United States.
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Heart-shaped, matte leaves – Smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens) have foliage that is somewhat rounded or heart-shaped, with a matte finish. They are native to the eastern United States.
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Large, glossy, elliptical leaves – Bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) have big showy foliage with a glossy finish. The leaves are oval or elliptical in shape with serrated edges.
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Climbing vines – If your hydrangea has vining stems that climb up structures posts or trees, it is a climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris).
Examine the Flowers
The blooms on hydrangeas can also provide clues as to the type. Look for these distinguishing flower characteristics:
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Large, fluffy, globular flowers – Bigleaf hydrangeas have the classic mophead flower head that is round and full. The flowers can be white, blue, pink, or purple.
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Flat-topped flower clusters – Also a feature of bigleaf hydrangeas, but in the lacecap flower form. Lacecap bloom heads have small fertile flowers in the center, surrounded by showy sterile flowers.
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Cone-shaped panicles – Panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) have large conical flower clusters that start off white before turning pink or reddish
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Snowball-shaped blooms – Smooth hydrangeas have big, round, snowball-like flower heads in white or greenish-white.
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Lacy, flat-topped flowers – Oakleaf hydrangea flowers emerge white before fading to pink or brown. The flowers are lacecap in form.
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Blue or pink flowers – The flower color can also provide clues. Blue flowers indicate a bigleaf variety. Pink flowers may be bigleaf, smooth, or oakleaf hydrangeas.
Notice the Growth Habit
Looking at how the shrub grows can also help pinpoint the type:
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Vining – As mentioned, climbing hydrangeas have long vining stems that attach to structures.
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Tree-like – Oakleaf hydrangeas have sturdy branches and can grow quite large, up to 10 feet tall with a tree-like form.
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Upright and stiff – Bigleaf hydrangeas have upright, stiff branches with large flower heads that weigh them down.
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Arching and slender – Smooth hydrangeas have more delicate stems that arch gracefully with loosely rounded flower heads.
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Pyramidal or conical – Panicle hydrangeas have a cone or pyramid-shaped growth habit with their distinctive panicle flowers.
By carefully observing the leaves, flowers, and growth habits, you should be able to accurately determine which hydrangea type you have. Use this guide to identify your existing shrubs, or when shopping for new hydrangeas to add to your garden. With so many gorgeous options, you’re sure to find a hydrangea that fits perfectly in your outdoor space.
Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata)
These are the most heat tolerant of the hydrangeas as well as one of the largest, with some varieties reaching 8 feet in height and 6 feet spread.
- Light: Panicle hydrangeas are the most heat tolerant hydrangeas and can handle even 6 hours of full sun. Morning sun, however, is still preferable.
- Soil: Like our other hydrangeas, these plants can handle poor soil, as long as it is well drained.Pruning: Panicle hydrangeas bloom from new growth. The best time to prune these plants is when they have gone completely dormant. You will want to cut the plant back as needed, removing crossing or rubbing branches and weak or broken stems, to maintain the plant’s shape and encourage healthy growth.
- Fertilizer: Fertilize these plants with a balanced fertilizer in the spring.
- Notes: If you want a smaller panicle hydrangea, be sure to choose a dwarf variety. Full size panicle hydrangeas will grow very large.
Big Leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)
Whether a lacecap or a mophead Big Leaf Hydrangea, the care is the same.
- Light: These plants will scorch in hot afternoon sun. They perform best with morning sun and light shade in the afternoon.
- Water: Hydrangea macrophylla like well drained soil and do not like sitting in water. If you are dealing with a poorly draining area, you will need to improve the drainage conditions or plant your Hydrangea macrophylla elsewhere.
- Pruning: When pruning, remove dead branches in March and do a more thorough pruning immediately after flowering. Hydrangea macrophylla form their buds on the branches which grew over the previous year, before new growth forms the next spring, so you risk cutting off blooms if you wait too long.
- Fertilizer: Fertilize these plants with Merrifield Flowering Plant Food or Flower-Tone.
- Bloom Color: Pink or Blue varieties are the hydrangeas that can change color. This is based on the soil pH. To change the color of your hydrangeas from pink to blue or vice versa, check your soil pH. Lower the pH for blue flowers, and raise it for pink. You can achieve purple hydrangeas sometimes as well!
How to Identify Your Hydrangea // Garden Answer
FAQ
How do I tell what kind of hydrangea plant I have?
Cone shaped blooms without the oak-shaped leaf mean you have a Panicle Hydrangea, Hydrangea paniculata. Blue blooms are a giveaway you have a Big Leaf Hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla.
How do you identify and prune hydrangeas?
The only way to know for sure is to remove just the spent blooms down to the next leaf bud on the stem then observe your plant. Does it bloom on stems already formed (old wood) or does it only bloom on stems yet to be sent up (new wood). Early bloomers usually bloom on old wood and the blooms were formed last fall.
What are the three types of hydrangea?
- Bigleaf Hydrangeas: Hydrangea macrophylla. …
- Panicle Hydrangeas: Hydrangea paniculata. …
- Oakleaf Hydrangeas: Hydrangea quercifolia. …
- Smooth Hydrangeas: Hydrangea arborescens.
Where should you not plant hydrangeas?
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Southern Livinghttps://www.southernliving.com8 Mistakes You Should Never Make With Your HydrangeasOct 16, 2022 — While your hydrangea’s sun or shade needs will vary based on its type, one denominator remains pretty much the same: Don’t plant under big trees. Gr…
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Real Simplehttps://www.realsimple.comWhen to Plant Hydrangeas, According to a Horticulturist and Pro GardenerFeb 25, 2025 — Noyes also stresses that you should never plant hydrangeas in poor quality soil or where it lacks sufficient drainage. They need soil that’s fertile…
How do you identify a hydrangea without knowing its flowers?
The first section (green section) has been designed so that you can identify an hydrangea without knowing anything about its flowers. This is very useful if you are trying to figure out why your plant is not flowering. The second section (blue section) works through a process of identification using flowers.
What are the different types of Hydrangea?
There are several types of hydrangea and they don’t all take the same growing conditions. The type is based on the plant genetics – what species was used to develop the plant. Here is a brief list of the types that will be discussed in this post. Macrophylla hydrangea have been bred using mostly Hydrangea macrophylla and Hydrangea serrata.
What does a hydrangea plant look like?
Hydrangea paniculata is a large bush that can grow up to 12 feet high and wide. Its flowers have a cone shape, starting out as white or greenish and turning pink or red. They are showy and more prominent than those on the big leaf hydrangea.
How do you know if a hydrangea is a paniculata?
If the hydrangea is a tree with a single trunk, the plant is a paniculata type. If the plant is a shrub, move on to Leaf Shape. If the leaf has an oak shape as pictured below, it is oakleaf type. If the leaf is not an oak shape, move on to the Number of Leaves Per Node. A node is the point on the stem where one or more leaves are attached.
How do you know if a hydrangea is climbing?
If the plant is climbing, it will be a climbing hydrangea – this one is easy. If the hydrangea is a tree with a single trunk, the plant is a paniculata type. If the plant is a shrub, move on to Leaf Shape. If the leaf has an oak shape as pictured below, it is oakleaf type. If the leaf is not an oak shape, move on to the Number of Leaves Per Node.
What is a Big Leaf Hydrangea?
The Big Leaf Hydrangea, scientifically known as Hydrangea macrophylla, is a type of hydrangea with large leaves. It comes in two types of flowers – mopheads (big balls) and lacecaps (flatter with a lacy appearance).