White Hydrangea Varieties: Our Top 8 Shrubs That Will Make Your Garden Pop
Want a striking look in your garden this summer? The vivid white of these hydrangea flowers stands out strong against deep green foliage.
Everyone loves a hydrangea, mostly because of their dramatic flower clusters. Blue and pink are the classics, of course, but they're not the only ones out there. White hydrangeas are gaining in popularity, and with good reason. Those giant flower clusters stand out so much more vividly against the green of the shrub's foliage.
If you're planning on growing hydrangeas and want something a little different and a lot bolder, try one of these gorgeous white hydrangea varieties.
White Hydrangea Varieties
Hydrangeas are famous for their color-changing flowers, especially those types that can be blue or pink depending on the pH of the soil. But what about white hydrangea bushes? These types offer a striking contrast between the green leaves and the white flowers, which often change over time from green to white and white to pink.
Here are our top eight varieties, plus a trusted seller where you can find each one.
1. White Wedding
‘White Wedding’ hydrangea is a panicle hydrangea developed for oversized white flower clusters. The striking white flowers are great for cutting. This variety grows to about four to six feet (1.2 to 1.8 m) tall and three to five feet (0.9 to 1.5 m) wide.
2. Annabelle
This variety is a smooth hydrangea and was developed to produce large flower clusters, up to a foot (30 cm) across. ‘Anabelle’ flowers reliably from June to September. The stems can falter a little under the weight of the flowers, so plant these shrubs in supportive clusters or use stakes.
3. Incrediball
‘Incrediball,’ another smooth hydrangea, has very dense, large and rounded clusters of white flowers. This variety produces more individual flowers within each cluster than ‘Anabelle.’ The stems are thick and strong, meaning even with big flower globes, this type of hydrangea doesn’t require staking.
4. Snow Queen
‘Snow Queen’ is an oakleaf hydrangea, noted for its lobed leaves that resemble those of oak trees. Oakleafs are hydrangeas native to North America. They're hardy to about zone 5, and tolerant of both sun and partial shade. ‘Snow Queen’ has long white panicles of flowers that turn pink in fall.
5. Gatsby Gal
This is another oakleaf variety. ‘Gatsby Gal’ has oversized pyramidal panicles of white flowers on very strong stems that hold their weight. It’s as showy as ‘Snow Queen’ but slightly smaller, so it works for smaller spaces. It will grow only as big as about six feet (1.8 m) tall and wide.
6. Gatsby Star
This is a really unique oakleaf hydrangea. It has the same large panicles of white flowers that other varieties have. The differences are that the individual flowers are double-petalled and pointy at the tips, giving them a star-like shape. As with other oakleaf types, the white flowers turn pink in fall.
7. Wedding Gown
‘Wedding Gown’ is a bigleaf hydrangea. Most bigleaf varieties are pink or purple, but this type is unique in that it has double-petalled, white flowers. It’s also smaller than other varieties, growing only two to three feet (0.6 and 0.9 m) tall and three and five (0.9 and 1.5 m) wide. If you’re looking for a white hydrangea to grow in a container, this is a good choice.
8. Climbing Hydrangea
Climbing hydrangea is a unique species of hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris) that is a vine rather than a shrub. It has white flowers and can easily be grown on sturdy vertical structures. They are slow to establish, so be patient as you wait for the flowers to appear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do hydrangeas like sun or shade?
Most white hydrangeas are panicle hydrangeas, which need to grow in a spot with full sun.
Where is the best place to plant white hydrangeas?
The best place to plant a white hydrangea depends on its type. All hydrangeas prefer a spot with moist, fertile soil, but panicle hydrangeas prefer full sun. Oakleaf hydrangeas can grow in full sun or partial shade. Other types do best in partial or dappled shade.
How do I keep my white hydrangeas white?
Hydrangeas are known for their color changes, which, unfortunately, you cannot always control. Pink and blue bigleaf hydrangeas can be controlled by changing the pH of the soil (acidic for blue and alkaline for pink). White varieties naturally change color from white to pink. This cannot be changed with soil amendments. You can keep them looking crisp and white during the white phase of blooming by providing good care and keeping the overall shrub healthy.
