How to Plant, Grow and Care For ‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea

If you are a hydrangea lover you are likely familiar with the infamous ‘annabelle’ hydrangea. This variety of smooth hydrangea has been a garden center staple for many years.

The ‘annabelle’ hydrangea is the variety of smooth hydrangea that has inspired all of the newer hybrids of Hydrangea arborescens. It is tried and true, and worth your time to grow in your garden.

If you are thinking of planting an ‘annabelle’ hydrangea in your garden, read on for all you need to know about this hydrangea and its beautiful white blooms!

About ‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea

	common name ‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea
	botanical name Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’
	genus Hydrangea
	plant type Shrub
	bloom colors White
	sun requirements Full Sun, Partial Sun
	water needs Moderate
	height 3-6 Feet
	spacing 42-75 Inches
	hardiness zones 3-8
	soil needs Loamy, Sandy, Clay
	where to plant Border Shrub

Hydrangea arborescens is also known as smooth hydrangea. ‘Annabelle’ is a variety of smooth hydrangeas. ‘Annabelle’ is one of the most popular varieties across America. This native variety has been beautifying our gardens since 1910.

‘Annabelle’ has a nice mounded growth habit and produces very large white flowers which can grow up to 10 inches in diameter! The flowers themselves are dome-shaped and very attractive.

Smooth hydrangeas are native to the United States and ‘annabelle’ was the first named variety of this hydrangea species. ‘Annabelle’ grew in popularity as friends shared cuttings of the plant with family members and planted them in their own yards. It is a true American plant and will grow very nicely in so many regions of the United States.

Reasons to Plant ‘Annabelle’

Aside from their obvious beauty, Annabelles are a good choice for many gardeners. This variety is very cold tolerant while also being pretty tolerant of the heat, meaning you do not have to stress too much about frost damage or suffering from heat stress.

If you live in a colder area, this variety is perfect for your garden. It blooms on new wood in the springtime. This will alleviate any stress of suffering damage from cold winds, frosts, or the weight of heavy snow.

You can plan your pruning around your seasons and either prune them in the fall or wait until the spring and decide if you need to do any damage removal.

‘Annabelle’ hydrangeas are also versatile plants that are very easy to fit into any garden scheme. They can be planted in a mass to provide a border around a patio, or tucked into a perennial or foundation garden. They are also beautiful when planted in containers.

Propagation

The best, and easiest way to propagate ‘annabelle’ hydrangeas is by taking cuttings. This should be done in the late spring or the early summer. Look for some nice fresh branches that have a few sets of leaves on them.

Cut about 6-10 inches of this branch off. Remove the bottom sets of leaves to expose some growth points. Dip the cutting into rooting hormone, and then stick the stem into a sterile growing medium which can be found at most garden centers.

Keep the soil moist, but not too wet. It can help to cover the cutting with a zip-top bag, this will retain some heat and moisture. If you use a plastic bag, do your best to minimize contact between the bag and the plants.

You should notice roots within a few weeks, at this point you can either transplant your ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea into the ground, or you can let it continue to grow and plant it in the fall.

Planting

There aren’t any special tricks to planting ‘Annabelle’, so if you have planted any other variety before, the process is the same.

Choose a location in your garden that gets partial sun and has soil that is well draining. If your soil is heavy or sandy this is a good time to add some compost or other organic material to your garden soil.

Dig a hole twice as wide and deep as the root ball of your plant. Place your plant in the hole with its best face forward, we all know every plant has a side of the plant that is more attractive than some of the rest. Backfill your hole with the garden soil and pack lightly. Water thoroughly and continue to keep it well-watered throughout the season.

How to Grow

Growing ‘Annabelle’ is quite simple if you know what the plant needs, and follow a few simple maintenance steps! Let’s learn more about how to help your ‘Annabelle’ grow to be its best self.

Sunlight

‘Annabelle’ grows best in partial sun but will grow well in full sun as well. If you plant ‘Annabelle’ in full sun you will likely need to water a bit more frequently. Adequate sunshine is necessary for the stems to support their prolific flowers.

Water

‘Annabelle’ should be planted in well-draining soil that can retain some moisture. Some parts of the year they may be happy with the amount of rainfall they get.

Other times, you may need to water a few times a week. The goal here is about one inch of water per week. If you are not sure how much water your garden is getting, place a rain gauge in your garden and check before watering.

While you are watering, aim your hose at the base of the plant. This will help with fungal diseases, but it will also help to keep the stalks upright. If you soak the flowers or leaves you will notice drooping.

Soil

Smooth hydrangeas, including ‘Annabelle’, thrive when they are planted in moist but well-draining soil. The main thing you want to achieve here is keeping the plant watered without any pooling going on in the soil.

Pooling water can cause root rot which is tricky to manage and can lead to the loss of the plant.

Climate and Temperature

‘Annabelle’ is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 3-9 making it an excellent choice for many gardeners across the United States.

If you live in an area where you get a lot of snow or have harsh winters, you do not need to worry about any winter damage because you can prune everything back in the spring and start fresh.

Fertilizer

‘Annabelle’ is best fertilized in the spring before you notice any new growth opening. Use a basic fertilizer or a fertilizer higher in phosphorous.

The higher phosphorous will help to promote the forming of strong and prolific flowers. Follow all package instructions to ensure that you are providing the correct amount of fertilizer to make it through the season.

Maintenance

Hydrangeas in general are very low-maintenance plants, and this holds true for ‘annabelle’. They do not require deadheading, however, you can remove spent flowers from the plant if you wish.

Just keep in mind, that deadheading will not promote new blooms this season.

Keeping the garden area around your ‘Annabelle’ clean will assist in keeping them healthy. Pulling weeds as well as removing any leaf litter or branches from the garden can limit the spread of fungal diseases.

Pruning

‘Annabelle’ blooms on new wood. So what does this mean exactly? Every spring ‘Annabelle’ will produce new stalks or branches, and the flower buds will form on these stalks. Your older wood will still produce lush foliage, but no flower buds.

This means you have some flexibility when it comes to pruning. Of course, you do not need to prune at all.

You may opt to prune in the fall, or in the spring before you notice any new growth.

You can prune all of the stalks to the ground or just a select few. Leaving some older stalks will help to support new growth. The stems of ‘Annabelle’ are known to be weak. Pruning all of your stalks to the ground can help produce stronger stems.

Pests

Beware of your typical garden pests! Luckily, hydrangeas are not targeted by anything too specific. For the most part, they could be targeted simply by insects that you would find anywhere else in your garden.

Japanese beetles, aphids, spider mites, and caterpillars can all be found spending time and munching on these shrubs.

Diseases

As a genus, this variety does not struggle with diseases too regularly. They have been known to struggle with fungal diseases. Luckily fungal diseases can be prevented by cautiously watering and caring for your gardens.

Root rot, as well as a slew of leaf spot diseases, stem from fungal spores. These spores are transported by water. This can make it easy to prevent. Root rot occurs when shrubs are either overwatered or if the soil is not draining well enough.

Leaf spots tend to occur when water droplets splash onto fungal spores and send them flying. To prevent this from happening, keep your gardens free of leaf debris or any fungus you may see in the mulch around your plants. Watering your at the base of the plant rather than spraying the leaves down is also helpful.

If you find yourself dealing with fungal diseases your best bet is to head to your local garden center. Typically any copper fungicide will help treat the above issues.

Ornamental Uses

‘Annabelle’ makes a gorgeous and whimsical hedge or border for your garden. This smooth hydrangea can also be used on a woodland edge, or around a shaded patio.

Wherever you choose to plant ‘Annabelle’, be sure to consider the drooping flowers. You may not want to grow ‘Annabelle’ along a heavily used walkway because the flowers may droop into the path and could risk being trampled.

Frequently Asked Questions