Hydrangea a. 'Annabelle' #5

For the last 100+ years, 'Annabelle' has been wowing people with their abundant, huge white flowers. This easy to grow shrub blooms in June/July and the showy flower heads persist throughout the growing season. The impressive flowers start to dry and brown by fall and add winter interest throughout our long dormant season. Cut and Dried flowers make for wonderful indoor floral arrangements. 'Annabelle' is adaptable to most soils, as long as they are well drained. It thrives in full sun in colder climates, but appreciates part shade where summers are hot and dry. Some will consider this a full shade shrub, but it tends to become leggy and flop if given too much heavy shade. Prune once in early Spring. If grown in full sun, cutting to the ground works well. If grown in part shade, it's best to prune back to knee height in order to provide some stronger structure for the large, heavy flowers. Grows 4-5' tall and 5'+ wide and will slowly colonize an area if left alone. Given their ability to colonize, they are great for erosion control. Twenty years ago, we planted three of them on a hillside in our Hosta Ravine. Today, they cover the entire hillside and become impossible to miss when they're in full bloom. Hardy to Zone 3.