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About this product
Hydrangea arborescens 'Strong Annabelle'® – Smooth Hydrangea (3 Litre Pot)
Plant Highlights: Large white flower heads on sturdy stems • Improved resistance to flopping • Long summer flowering season • Excellent for borders and cut flowers • Reliable deciduous flowering shrub
Overview
Hydrangea arborescens 'Strong Annabelle'® is a robust selection of the classic smooth hydrangea, bred to produce the impressive large white flower heads gardeners love, but on significantly stronger stems that hold the blooms upright more effectively.
From early to late summer, rounded flower heads emerge in fresh greenish-white before maturing to pure white. As the season progresses, the blooms gradually age to soft green, extending the plant's ornamental appeal well into autumn. Its neat, bushy habit makes it equally suited to mixed borders, woodland-edge planting and larger containers.
Plant Details
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Hydrangea arborescens 'Strong Annabelle'® |
| Common Name | Smooth Hydrangea 'Strong Annabelle' |
| Plant Type | Deciduous shrub |
| Pot Size | 3 litre |
| Flower Colour | White, ageing to soft green |
| Flowering Season | Summer to early autumn |
| Position | Full sun to partial shade |
| Soil | Fertile, moist but well-drained soil |
| Foliage | Mid-green, deciduous |
| Mature Height | 1.2–1.5m |
| Mature Spread | 1.2–1.5m |
| Hardiness | RHS H6 (−20°C to −15°C). |
Growing Guide
Grow in fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. It performs well in full sun where the soil remains consistently moist, but partial shade is particularly beneficial in warmer or more exposed gardens.
Water regularly during dry spells, especially while establishing. Applying a mulch in spring will help conserve soil moisture and improve soil structure.
Wildlife
The flowers are attractive to a range of pollinating insects, making this shrub a valuable addition to wildlife-friendly planting schemes.
Pruning
Flowers are produced on the current season's growth. Cut stems back hard in late winter or early spring to encourage vigorous new shoots and the largest flower heads.
Why We Love It
'Strong Annabelle'® offers all the impact of the much-loved 'Annabelle', with sturdier stems that are better able to support the large flower heads through the summer. The result is a reliable, elegant shrub that provides months of interest in the garden and beautiful blooms for fresh or dried arrangements.
Product Information
- Supplied in a 3 litre pot.
- Deciduous flowering shrub.
- Large rounded white flower heads held on strong stems.
- Flowers from summer into early autumn.
- Suitable for borders, woodland gardens and cut flower displays.
- Best grown in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade.
Good to Know: The 3 litre pot size refers to the container size at the time of sale and not the mature size of the shrub. Leaving the faded flower heads in place through autumn and winter can provide additional seasonal interest before pruning in early spring.
Growing & care
- Plant type
- shrub
- Position & light
- Full sun· Partial shade
- Watering
- moderate
- Soil & drainage
- Acid neutral· Neutral alkaline· Well drained· Moist
- Mature size
- 1.5m high· 1.5m wide
- Flowering
- Summer to early autumn· White· Green· Multicolour
- Foliage
- deciduous
Useful to know
Good for containersGood for borders
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