Hydrangea Puffer Fish® Panicle Hydrangea

A Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrubs variety, Puffer Fish® is a woody deciduous shrub offering year-round interest. A consistent and extremely heavy bloomer, creating a season-long floral display, this panicle hydrangea flowers continuously in pyramidal panicle inflorescences on new wood, beginning in midsummer until the first frost. The Rubenesque flower clusters sit atop long, thick stems and nearly obscure the foliage. The fluffy blooms open and mature pure white, turning lime green as they age. The flowers make long-lasting cuts for fresh and dried arrangements.

After the first frost, flower clusters turn tan to caramel, and along with the shredding and peeling papery brown bark on mature plants revealing glimpses of the underlying cinnamon hue of stems and branches, they add a textural element to the winter garden, especially pleasing in a snowy landscape. The hollow stems also provide nesting habitats for bees.

Panicle hydrangeas are tough, cold hardy, and one of the easiest hydrangeas to grow. Puffer Fish is right at home in hot, humid summers but performs well in cooler temperatures too. The multistemmed shrub has a tight, compact, upright habit of semi-arching branches and a rapid growth rate. It grows best in locations with morning sun and afternoon shade in Zones 7-8 with full to part sun in Zones 3-6. It prefers rich, loamy, moist, well-draining soil but is highly adaptable to a wide range of conditions and soils, including alkaline and clay soils. Cutting back plants by 1/3 its total height each spring, just as the new growth begins to emerge, encourages abundant flowering. Panicle hydrangea is generally pest resistant and more sun and drought tolerant than other hydrangeas. It is also tolerant of air pollution and thrives in urban areas.

As temperatures drop, some Hydrangea paniculata varieties reward gardeners with soft pink or red hues. This natural shift depends on cool nights and the plant's genetics. In mild climates, blooms may retain their creamy white beauty.