Plant of the month June - Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'

The hydrangea 'Annabelle' (snowball hydrangea) is our plant of the month for June—and why? Because it’s versatile, easy to care for and has beautiful flowers!

'Annabelle' can grow up to five feet tall and to five feet wide. It grows lush, upright and possesses numerous basic shoots that go on to form delicate stems. Because it doesn’t grow very tall, this particular hydrangea is perfect not only in the garden, but also as a potted plant for balconies. But be careful: the pot needs to be large enough for the soil to absorb plenty of moisture.

 

Large-flowered and decorative

 

The hydrangea 'Annabelle' produces one of the largest flowers of its kind, with the panicles reaching up to 25 centimetres in diameter. No wonder that the 'Annabelle' is often used in bouquets. Their panicles consist of countless small white blossoms, which are a delicate shade of green both before they open and just before they fade. Its leaves are some 15 centimetres long, ovate and pointed at the end; they do not develop any autumn colouring.

 

How to plant the hydrangea 'Annabelle'

 

As a container plant, the 'Annabelle' can be planted in spring, summer or autumn.

For this purpose, a sunny to semi-shady spot protected from the wind should be selected, ideally protected from rain (for example beneath a tree), as during longer or heavier showers the stems may bend under the weight of the flowers.

The root ball should be immersed in water for 10 minutes before planting. The plant hole should be dug to be about twice as wide and deep as the root ball. Ideally prepare the hole with a high-quality substrate or rhododendron soil, as hydrangeas prefer a slightly acidic soil environment with a low lime content.

 

With the right care hydrangeas remain a joy in the garden or on the balcony over a long period of time

 

Hydrangeas generally need a lot of water, especially after they have been freshly planted. A layer of bark mulch protects the soil from drying out too severely. Horn chips or rhododendron mulch are recommended as fertilizer.

Shrub supports or bamboo rods can stabilize individual stems. A pruning of up to 20 centimetres leads to a strong sprouting with large flowers—a smaller pruning also makes the flowers smalle, but ensures greater stability.

And: The hydrangea 'Annabelle' is hardy; it forms flowers on the new wood so that there is no danger of buds freezing.