Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
Smooth hydrangea is a native that grows across most of the eastern US, tucked into moist forest slopes and stream banks where it can form sprawling colonies. The flat-topped white
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
Blooms reliably in part shade, handles wet feet, cuts back hard every year, and feeds pollinators all summer. it solves problems most plants can't.
Smooth hydrangea is a native that grows across most of the eastern US, tucked into moist forest slopes and stream banks where it can form sprawling colonies. The flat-topped white flower clusters open in June and last for weeks, and the straight species has both fertile and sterile florets in each head, meaning it feeds pollinators while also putting on a show. Bumblebees, native bees, and butterflies work the flowers constantly through summer. It blooms on new wood, which means you can cut it back hard every year in early spring without losing flowers. This makes it one of the most management-friendly native shrubs we grow. Perfect for rain gardens, stream margins, and any moist site that needs color and structure through summer.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown smooth hydrangea propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Part shade
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 3–5 ft · 36–60 in wide
- Bloom time
- Midsummer
- Bloom color
- White
- USDA zones
- 3–9
- Family
- Hydrangeaceae
- Native range
- Eastern North America
Care notes for smooth hydrangea.
Part shade to full shade, moist to average soil. Blooms on new wood. cut back to 12 inches in late winter or early spring for the best flush of new growth and flowers. Tolerates wet sites and clay. Deer will browse it; protect in areas with heavy pressure. Divide clumps as needed if spread becomes unwanted.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside smooth hydrangea.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.