Incrediball Storm Proof™ Smooth Hydrangea
Shrub
- Sturdy stems hold massive flowers upright, even in heavy downpours!
- Vigorous bloomer with dense round flowers.
- Great for creating a hydrangea privacy hedge or as a specimen.
- Native hydrangea is a great addition to pollinator gardens.
- Zones 3-8, sun/part sun, 3.5-4' tall x 3-4' wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens) are adored for their huge globe-like blooms that look amazing in hedges and privacy fences. These blooms appear mid-summer and look fabulous in cut-flower arrangements. This North American native blooms on new wood, which means it will create its flower buds only after it starts growing this spring; no flower buds are present on this type in winter.
Details
Patent #: PP#36,788
Common name: Smooth hydrangea, Native hydrangea, Snowball hydrangea
Zone: 3 - 8
Sun exposure: Part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: 3.5-4' x 3-4'
Flower color: White
Foliage color: Green
Bloom season: Summer-fall
Features: Proven Winners, native, heat-tolerant, cold-tolerant, privacy & screening, pollinator-friend, cut flower
Uses: Background, foundation planting, hedge, massing, ornamental, specimen
How to Grow
Light: Part-sun (4-6 hours sun). It especially enjoys morning sun and afternoon shade.
Water: Water to keep soil moist, but not wet. Intolerant of drought, so don't allow the soil to dry out.
Spacing: 4-6 feet
Fertilizing: It is generally unnecessary, but you can fertilize once in spring if soils are deficient or growth is slow.
Winterizing: Remove and destroy any fallen foliage that was infected by powdery mildew. Spread a layer of mulch around the plant for added protection.
Maintenance & pruning: This variety blooms on new wood. In late winter or early spring, cut stems back by about one-third their total height, which builds a strong woody base while also encouraging abundant new growth for lots of flowers and a lush, full look.
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:
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:
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.
My cute little hydrangea was shipped in perfect condition and packaged so well. It already has little buds forming! Can’t wait to see it take off next year.
My Incrediball Storm Proof Hydrangea arrived today. Shipping was quick, it was well packaged, and the plant looks good so far. It is much smaller than what I normally purchase however; I have always received healthy happy plants from GGP, so I have no doubt it won’t take long for them to put on new growth and look beautiful.
My hydrangea looked half dead when I opened it on July 2nd. I sent pictures to claims on the 4th. They did respond today and offered a refund or resend in the fall. I choose to resend in fall. It is super hot here in Texas so looking forward to getting it in the fall. Will update in the fall. Thank you for responding!
We're sorry you received plants that were not up to our standards. We try our best to provide excellent plants, but some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control. Our friendly customer service team is always here to help! Just contact us at [email protected] with your order number and photos of the plants. After further investigation, we will be able to better assist you. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/hyd-guaranteed
★☆☆☆☆ Misleading and Disappointing Purchase — Not as Advertised
I purchased the Incrediball Storm Proof Hydrangea (1 Quart) from Great Garden Plants for $21.99 x 4 and what arrived was shockingly small — just a few leaves on short stems, resembling a newly rooted cutting rather than a developed shrub. The size and maturity of the plant were not consistent with the website’s photos or descriptions.
The company’s marketing claims that their 1-quart Proven Winners shrubs have “excellent branching for a full look in the garden” and are “perfect for vigorous growth.” That is extremely misleading. The plant I received is nowhere near garden-ready — it looks months, if not an entire season, away from resembling what’s pictured online. For the same price, I purchased a hydrangea at Home Depot that was fully grown, in bloom, and ready for the landscape. The difference is drastic.
While I understand that plant size can vary, this was not a small seasonal variation — it was a misrepresentation of product quality and value. Customers deserve honest photos and accurate expectations, especially when paying premium prices. Based on this experience, I would not recommend ordering from this company unless they commit to greater transparency about the true size and maturity of their plants.
We’re sorry you’re not satisfied with your plants! On each product page and our plant sizes page, we note that all of our plants are young. The size of our plants varies depending on the time of year and whether they were recently trimmed. The most important thing when purchasing plants, online or in garden centers, is a full and robust root system, which we prioritize. Trimming only encourages stronger root development! Our fall guarantee covers plants received after September 1 until May 2026, so we have you covered. Please send your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process if necessary. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
I had been strongly considering the standard Incrediball hydrangeas that Proven Winners had offered, but had waited to pull the trigger due to their larger size being too big for the space I was looking to have them in. When Proven Winners announced a stronger stemmed, slightly more compact version of the Incrediball— I was sold.
I ordered these in the quart size. They came in and looked tiny, but don’t worry, they’ll take off the second they go into the ground. I have them spaced a touch closer than recommended due to wanting to create a formal hedge. So far they’re growing well. I’m in southern Kentucky zone (7A). They are planted in an area that gets afternoon full sun and are not wilting like my big leaf/‘macrophylla’ do (despite being planted in the shade). I was afraid these might do that as well, but they haven’t. I will say that I’ve kept them watered well and I’d imagine they would suffer without adequate watering.
As an hydrangea grower and advocate gardener. This new hydrangea breed is amazing! After just two weeks of being in the ground small blooms are coming out. Excited to see what the next couple of years will bring! Will purchase again!
Look great
Arrived very fast and packed with exceptional care! Beautiful healthy plants. Got them planted right away and they are doing spectacular. 5 star plants and service. Thank you!
Plants came compact and very fresh, planted and all are doing well!
There were only brown leaves on them and they looked head. I have had them in my greenhouse and been nursing them back, but they still look pretty sad. Not worth the money I paid you for them.
Hello! We’re sorry that you received plants that are not up to our standards. We try our best to provide excellent plants, but some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control. Our fall guarantee covers plants received after September 1 until May 2026, so we have you covered. Please send your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process if necessary. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
The plant was well packaged and in excellent condition. I am looking forward to seeing it get acclimated and planted.
Loved the packaging! Great care was taken to make sure they arrive safely, and I appreciate it. They are exactly what I was looking for in all ways!
Have almost tripled in size in 3 weeks. I was nervous that they would be too small and take too long to grow. Very healthy and have at least doubled if not tripled in size in just a few short weeks!
Plants came well packaged and in fairly good shape. I planted the next day and that night the deer came and ate the tops off of all three! So far they seem to be recovering ❤️🩹 nicely. Tough stuff!
My order of 7 Incrediball Storm Proof Smooth hydrangeas came wonderfully packaged and in great shape! Planted them according to the instructions and so far they are doing great!
Does the Incrediball Storm Proof™ Smooth Hydrangea come in any colors other than white?
Yes, we also have Incrediball® Blush Smooth Hydrangea. You can find that here:
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/products/incrediball-blush-smooth-hydrangea
What size containers do these ship in
Incrediball Storm Proof™ Smooth Hydrangea are available in a one quart and a one gallon size container.
How do the plants ship? In 5 gal pots? Do they dry up in winter in California or do they remain green without flowers
Incrediball Storm Proof™ Smooth Hydrangea is available in a one quart container and arrives as a young plant. It will go dormant in the winter months meaning it will drop its leaves. You can view our shipping policy here: https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/shipping-policy
Are these one gallon
Incrediball Storm Proof™ Smooth Hydrangea only comes in the one-quart size.
Cab incredibly be planted in zone 4 in mid August?
In zone 4, mid-August can still be suitable for planting, as long as you ensure the plants are well-watered and the temperatures aren't too high. Planting in mid-August should give the Incrediball Hydrangea enough time to establish roots before the ground freezes in winter.