Fire Light® Panicle Hydrangea
Shrub
- Flower Magazine's 2026 Flower Of The Year!
- Giant 10" blooms start white then turn bright pink as season progresses.
- Easy-care hydrangea that thrives in cold & warm climates.
- Amazing addition to flowering privacy hedges & cutting gardens.
- Zones 3-8, sun/part sun, 8' tall x 8' wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) is one of the most cold and heat-tolerant popular hydrangea varieties. As the blooms of panicle hydrangea age, they often transition to pink, red, and burgundy colors. Panicle hydrangeas also bloom on new wood, making them great for cut flower gardens!
Details
Patent #: USPP 25,135
Common name: Panicle hydrangea, Hardy hydrangea, Pee gee hydrangea
Zone: 3 - 8
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours)
Height x width: 6-8' tall and wide
Flower color: White turning to pink to red
Foliage color: Green
Bloom season: Summer thru fall
Bloom time: Summer, fall
Features: Proven Winners, privacy & screening, heat tolerant, fall color, cold tolerant, best for beginners
Uses: Ornamental, specimen, cut flower
How to Grow
Light: Most varieties tolerate full sun in the North, but benefit from afternoon shade. Tolerates full sun only if grown with consistent moisture. In the South, plants require afternoon shade.
Water: Water to keep soil moist, but not wet. Panicle hydrangeas suffer dramatically in poorly drained or wet areas.
Spacing: 6-8 ft.
Fertilizing: Little required. Apply a granular rose fertilizer in early spring if desired.
Winterizing: Panicle hydrangeas are very cold tolerant and need little more than a 2-3" layer of mulch to conserve moisture and prevent cold damage to the roots.
Maintenance & pruning: Blooms on new wood, which means that the plant creates its flower buds only once it has started leafing out in spring. This means it can be pruned in spring and still flower. We recommend cutting back by one-third its total length in early spring.
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.