Big, dense cones of soft chartreuse open in midsummer on this panicle hydrangea, a color few other shrubs produce, then fade to cream before pink and burgundy arrive in fall. Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' grows 6 to 8 feet tall and wide in full sun to part sun, hardy from Zone 3 through Zone 9.
The panicles age at different rates and none of them drop, so in September a single plant carries lime, cream, pink and burgundy together. Cut at any stage, they last a week or more in a vase, and left on the plant they dry standing through winter.
Panicle hydrangea, Hydrangea paniculata, takes more sun than any other common hydrangea and flowers on new wood from midsummer into fall. Buds form in spring on the current year's growth, so a hard winter or a late frost does not cost it a season of bloom, and soil pH has no effect on the color.
Most panicle hydrangeas open white or green and age to pink or red. That change is driven by cool nights, so northern gardens color up strongly while warmer southern gardens tend to hold cream and soft blush instead. Cut back by about a third in late winter or early spring. Panicle hydrangeas take average soil as long as it drains, and once established they handle dry spells better than the other hydrangea groups.
At this size it works as a hedge, a screen, or a specimen, and it can be trained into a small tree.
Size at Maturity
Height 6'- 8' Spread 6'- 8'
Growing Zone
USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9
Lowest Temperatures -40°F to -30°F
Light Requirements
Full sun to part sun- at least 4 hours direct sun per day
Special Conditions
Seasons of Interest
How to Plant
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