PlantFiles: Panicle Hydrangea, Tree Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata 'Grandiflora'

I agree with the person who thinks this must be a cooler weather plant. I'm in zone 7B in Northern Virginia. I bought a 5 foot tree in 2010. The blooms never fully opened for me in 2010, 2011 or 2012.

I took a 12" cutting in the spring and rooted it in water. I put it out in the garden last month. Today I noticed that it is going to have a flower. I am thrilled.

I have one plant that is 2 years old and is about 5 feet tall and this year it bloomed for the first time. I was gorgeous to say the least. I highly recommend for any zone as I am in 8b at the Florida line.

I have had great success growing this plant in Starkville, MS. It begins to bloom in July when the macrophylla begin to fade. When I try to find a branch without a bloom in order to use it to root a new plant, I cannot find one! I have several of these-----and also the variety with some fertile blooms. My favorite is the very old paniculata grandiflora with the compact blooms, and I do not understand why nurserymen don't stock them as they do the limelight. The PG starts out white---and then turns the green that limelight is famous for. Also, they last a very long time in a bouquet. The only thing that I do to them is cut them back to about a foot tall in the spring. Shirleyd

This was my favorite tree in my yard, it is in a protected area between the garage and my bay window so it didn't get the brunt of the high winds. It started out white in the late spring, turns a brilliant pink in the late summer, and darkens to a bronze/beige in the fall. I heavily pruned it every fall and it came back with more blooms every year.
This spring it was budded nicely and looked like we were going to get another great season. Out of nowhere, while we were gone over Memorial weekend it started dying off. Our sprinklers ran every other day (like every year) and we also had rain while we were gone so it didn't go without water for days on end. I am not sure what happened, but am sad to see the tree go after only 4 springs with us. It looks like it may have bud blight and/or a sucker coming out of the trunk. I'm hoping it will bounce back, but its not looking good.

(Tigard, Oregon) My baby thrived in my new flower beds. She gave me many many blooms, and even though she bloomed pure white, her blooms changed to a greenish/purple color when the flower matured. Full sun, but we found that her leaves take to looking as if she has a blight if she gets water on her leaves. Otherwise, a GORGEOUS addition to our sanctuary.

I love these trees. They're a very popular landscaping tree in Upstate NY, in the Swan Lake area.

They do very well in cool, moist shade. The trees get loaded with clouds of white and attract hoards of bees. No scent.

Doesn't do well in central MS. Easy to grow from cuttings just stuck into the ground. Just doesn't want to bloom for me no matter what, and I've given it 3-4 years and plenty of sun. Don't kow if it is the heat or what, but I've read elsewhere that it is a cooler-weather plant.

A wonderful shrub (or tree depending on how it's grown) that is easy to care for and keeps on giving back!. I have ours planted in moist locations in semi-shade. Blooms on "old" wood. Do not prune back except when you are cutting blooms for arrangements in early fall - if you prune in spring you will remove all the flower buds that would blossom in fall.

I have added several PG hydrangeas to my garden so that I may use the blooms in dried arrangements. Here in zone 5, this particular hydrangea comes into bloom in August and is ready for harvesting of the blooms in mid to late September - after they have changed from white to a rosy color with green undertones. They make wonderful arrangements to put in a vase and enjoy all winter long! To dry, simply cut when the blooms have taken on the colors above and feel a bit "papery" to the touch, then arrange in a vase. No need to add water. Just make sure you cut the stems long enough to suit what you're doing.

A deciduous shrub commonly referred to as "peegee" in reference to its name, H. paniculata produces flowers in erect panicles 3-10" tall. Blooms in early summer, flowers are initially white, aging to pink then to rust in autumn. The flowers can be used in dried arrangements.

Unlike H. macrophylla, soil pH will not affect color of blooms. Plant in well-drained average garden soil.

Peegee hydrangea blooms on new growth, so pruning should be done in late winter or early spring.