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'Annabelle' Smooth Hydrangea

Shrub

10 total reviews

DISCONTINUED

  • We no longer offer this product. Try the improved cultivar from Proven Winners, Incrediball® smooth hydrangea.
  • Pure white flowers resemble snowballs.
  • Long-lasting cut flowers.
  • Old-fashioned and charming.
  • Zones 3-8, sun/part sun, 4′ tall x 5′ wide at maturity.
  • ZONE
  • EXPOSURE
  • HEIGHT
Size: One Quart
Regular price $33.00
Sale price Sale: $33.00 Regular price Each
Total: $33.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.
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Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee

Description

The refined, pure white flowers of ‘Annabelle' Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) look stunning in landscapes. The large, puffy blooms look like they're floating among the foliage. Even in cold climates, this hydrangea is a reliable bloomer! This cultivar was discovered in Anna, Illinois in the 1960s and has been a garden favorite ever since.  Gardeners love it for the old-fashioned charm! Summer storms tend to flop the flowers over, so pruning can help build stronger stems. Insider tip: newer hydrangeas in the Invincibelle® and Incrediball® series offer improvements over this classic with stronger stems, colorful blooms, and reblooming ability.

Details

Botanical name: Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'
Common name: Smooth hydrangea, annabelle hydrangea, snowball hydrangea, wild sevenbark, hills of snow hydrangea
Zone: 3 - 8
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ hours), Part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: 4' x 5'
Flower color: White
Foliage color: Green
Season of interest: Summer
Bloom time:Summer, fall
Features:Native, heat tolerant, cold tolerant, best for beginners
Uses: Background, foundation planting, hedge, massing, ornamental, specimen

How to Grow

Soil: Average, well-drained soil is best. Shallow rooted hydrangeas benefit from 2-3" of mulch.
Light: Part-sun (4-6 hours sun). They enjoy morning sun and afternoon shade. Tolerates full sun only if grown with consistent moisture.
Water: Water to keep the soil moist, but not wet.  Not considered drought tolerant, so don't let them dry out!
Spacing: 4 - 6 feet
Fertilizing: Generally not required, but can be fertilized in early spring if desired.
Winterizing: No special care is required. Mulch is beneficial.
Maintenance & pruning: Blooms on new wood. We recommend cutting back by just one-third the total height in the spring when new growth is emerging. This will help develop sturdy stems. Don't cut it back entirely to the ground!  
A wide variety of colorful hydrangeas

Your Questions on Hydrangeas, Answered

Learn when to prune hydrangeas, how to change colored blooms, why they may be wilting, and everything else you need to know to grow them like a pro.

Grow with confidence

Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:

bush distance

Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:

bush distance zigzag

Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.

Plant Spacing Calculator

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  • 5 stars: 8 (80%)
  • 4 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 3 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 2 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 1 star: 2 (20%)
A
Anonymous (North Carolina)

All 18(!) plants survived the winter and most have significant growth.

V
V.D. (Ohio)
Very satisfied

Can’t wait to plant soon….all plants arrived intact!!

S
S.B. (Alabama)
Plants died!!

These plants died shortly after delivery. They were supposed to be guaranteed but no refund yet.

Hello! Our customer service team has replied to your emails on 8/1, 8/2, and also 8/6. As they have already mentioned, please email photos of the dead plants to [email protected], making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible. Rest assured, we do have a 60-day guarantee on all of our plants. If you received your plants within that timeframe, we will be happy to apply your warranty once we receive the pictures. Happy Gardening!

https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/our-guarantee

J
J.L. (Wyoming)
all dead

of the 9 hydrangeas i got from you this year, all are dead

Hello! We're sorry that you've had trouble with your new hydrangeas. Please email pictures of the plant to [email protected], making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible. Rest assured, we do have a 60-day guarantee on all of our plants. If you received your plants within that timeframe, we will be happy to apply your warranty once we receive the pictures. Happy Gardening!

https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/our-guarantee

B
B.B.

'Annabelle' Smooth Hydrangea

L
L. (Washington)
Just arrived

Normally, I wait to see the performance of a plant bedore leaving a review but, I was so impressed with the packaging of these quart plants I felt compelled. Arrived a bit on the thirsty side but, after 8 August days and all the way across the country, they're in beautiful shape and nothing a day at the spa won't cure.

E
E.N. (Wisconsin)
Hydrangeas

Plants were shipped really fast and arrived in good condition. Plants were nice size and very healthy. They are now thriving in my garden.

C
C.L. (Texas)
Great Quality and Value

Plant has flourished in a minimally prepped environment heavy in clay. We replaced Indian Hawthorn shrubs that sub normal cold winter temps killed. The removal of these was the only bed prep we did and the Annabelle Hydrangea has flourished in its new home.

J
J.L. (Maryland)

Arrived healthy. Planted. Awaiting years of huge white blooms.

C
C.W.

Nice Plants!

L
L.m.

I have had my plant for 2 years and the first year I had pink flowers , the 2 nd year only green leaves and this year so far only green leaves what does this plant need for blooming ?

Great Garden Plants

Hello! I'm sorry you're having trouble with your hydrangea. Plants will produce blooms when they have the energy to do so. If they are still trying to establish their roots or are struggling with poor soil nutrition, they won't produce blooms. Check out our gardening article all about hydrangeas for more information. There's a section specfically addressing your concern.

https://blog.greatgardenplants.com/questions-answered-series-hydrangeas/

B
B.L.

Will these droop? Will I need stakes, especially after a heavy rainfall or storm?

Great Garden Plants

They may droop if they aren't receiving enough sun, are over-watered, or are experiencing another stress. If you're worried about drooping flowers, we recommend planting Incrediball Hydrangea instead! It has stronger stems.

C
C.

Are Annabelle Hydrangeas deer resistant?

Great Garden Plants

Hi Kathy, thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately, all hydrangeas are not very deer resistant. Check out this article on hydrangeas and deer for more information: https://hydrangea.com/blogs/growing-tips/are-hydrangeas-deer-resistant-no-but-heres-what-you-can-do-about-it