Samantha Hydrangea

You won't understand the beauty that Samantha Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens ssp. radiata 'Samantha') brings to your garden until you see it rustling in the breeze. Why? Because even though Samantha looks a lot like its relatives, Annabelle and Snowball, it has the wonderful surprise of pure silver-white undersides to its dark-green leaves! This is a first in the Hydrangea world.

Not only do the leaves make a statement in the garden, but try them in the vase! As a cutting flower, Hydrangeas are unequaled. One Samantha flower will fill a vase for you. But make sure that you leave room for a few cuts of the foliage. The silver underside of the leaves will make people stop in their tracks and ask you what kind of flowers these are.

Easy to grow and blooming from July to September in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8, Smooth Hydrangea are easy-going native shrubs that thrive in a wide range of conditions. The color contrast of deep green and silver as the leaves flutter in the breeze! The big mophead blossoms stay pure white regardless of soil alkalinity or acidity!

Planting and Application:

These white snowball blooms look lovely in romantic cottage borders and as low property definition, adding gray-green foliage as a backdrop to Rose gardens or perennial beds alike! Create lovely rows along your drive or the sidewalk, or in front of a fence to create screening and low privacy. Birds and butterflies adore these flouncy shrubs, so create groups for sheltering songbirds or add these ornamental flowering bushes to your pollinator and cutting gardens!

You'll love the big bouquets you can make from these mophead blossoms! They remain pristine white all growing season, turning a lovely botanical tan for fall and winter interest! Snip a few of these blooms for dried winter décor both indoors and out! These are also carefree specimens and anchors, adding lacy finery to foundation plantings and softening corners of hardscapes and outbuildings. The root systems of these shrubs make them ideal for erosion control and higher moisture areas, Rain Garden, HVAC unit cover-ups and wildlife gardens in the shade near water!

• Pristine White Blooms!
• Striking Dark Foliage With Unique Silvery Understides
• Vigorous Grower
• Small-Sized Shrub & Vigorous Grower
• Hedges, Wildlife, Pollinators, Erosion Control, Screening & Cut Flowers

#ProPlantTips for Care:

These are part shade/partial sun shrubs, but bloom even more if you plant them where they get a little direct morning sun. Appreciating afternoon shade, especially in the hottest of its favored climates, Samantha doesn't mind poor soils or dry conditions, as long as they aren't too dry. Regular watering is key. Best in average moisture and well-drained organic soils, though these natives can tolerate a lot! Mulch the root zone very well to insulate the roots and keep moisture levels in check.

• Partial Shade
• Moderate Moisture & Loves Mulched Beds
• Cold & Heat Hardy Woody Shrub
• Prune Early Spring Before New Growth Appears
• Tolerates Clay & Shallow-Rocky Soil, Dry & Wet Soil

You will see Samantha in botanical gardens, but you won't often find it for sale in the nursery trade, which makes Nature Hills all the happier to be able to bring it to you! Don't wait until we're sold out this year to add this stunner to your garden. Order yours today!