Hydrangea paniculata Cultivars S–Z

'Savill Lace'

Open, conical panicles with sterile flowers on long pedicels distributed evenly along their length; flowers white at maturity, slowly ageing dusky pink and retaining their colour well into autumn; medium vigour; strong red stems and tidy dark green leaves (pers. obs. 2023). A plant observed over 8 years in Devon, UK, begins flowering at the end of July and remains attractive well into November. Selected at the Savill Garden, Surrey, UK about 2012 from a batch of seedlings sent from Boot & Co, the Netherlands (H. Stephens pers. comm. 2014). Protected by Plant Breeders’ Rights but apparently never distributed commercially, although it has been passed around in Britain as gifts among enthusiasts and was included in a list of seven ‘best’ H. paniculata cultivars by BBC Gardeners World Magazine (2022). A personal favourite of the author.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Savill Lace' slowly develops pink in the sterile flowers (Totnes, Devon, UK; 4 September 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Savill Lace' has open panicles with well distributed sterile flowers (plant pruned hard in March; Totnes, Devon, UK; 15 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Savill Lace', an unpruned plant during a hot, dry season; Totnes, Devon, UK; 3 August 2025). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Savill Lace' remains attractive long into autumn (Totnes, Devon, UK; 5 October 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

'Silver Dollar'

Panicles very dense; sterile flowers slightly scented, white at maturity, ageing pink; sturdy, red-tinged stems. Flowering in trials mid July – late September (Wisley), July – September (Euro), mid July – early October (Chicago). An outstanding compact variety suiting smaller gardens and responding well to hard pruning. Raised by Peter Zwijnenburg, Boskoop, the Netherlands, by 1990. (Lancaster & Wesley 2008; Hoffman & Houtman 2007; Hawke 2022; Hydrangea Derby 2023; Dirr 2021)

The dense heads of Hydrangea paniculata 'Silver Dollar' remain an attractive feature through the winter: they were noticeably darker in colour than those of other cultivars when seen at Scott Arboretum, Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania, in December 2024. Image John Grimshaw.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Silver Dollar' develops pink in the sterile flowers only slowly (private garden, Ayrshire, UK; 24 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Silver Dollar': an excellent compact variety which responds well to hard annual pruning (private garden, Ayrshire, UK; 24 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Silver Dollar' at RHS Garden Rosemoor, Devon, UK (6 September 2021). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Silver Dollar' has very dense panicles (Darley Park, Derby, UK; 28 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

'Skylight'

Panicles half open; sterile flowers white, ageing variably pinkish. Flowering in trials mid July – early October (Wisley), mid July – August (Euro), although both trials found that pruning delayed flowering to an unusual extent. A tall, vigorous plant raised by Peter Zwijnenburg, Boskoop, the Netherlands, by 1990. (Lancaster & Wesley 2008; Hoffman & Houtman 2007)

Hydrangea paniculata 'Skylight' in the UK National Collection, Darley Park, Derby (28 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

'Smhpcw'

Very dense, conical panicles, broad but relatively short; flowers white ageing pink; medium height. Cultivars with formal names beginning ‘Smh-’ or ‘Smnh-’ are from the extensive breeding programme of Spring Meadow Nursery, MI. ‘Smhpcw’ was selected in 2010, but marketed by Monrovia rather than under Spring Meadow’s own brand. Protected by US Plant Patent PP28699. (Dirr 2021; Google Patents 2023; Monrovia 2023)

'Smhpfl'

Shortly conical to rounded panicles, half open but with good coverage of sterile flowers; flowers turning pink then ageing a good red; strong, straight to slightly arching reddish stems; vigorous. Flowering early July – October in the Chicago trial, where it was rated ‘good’. Michael Dirr (2021) – though often not easily pleased by rival breeders’ plants – considers it ‘possibly the richest red sepaled selection for cold climates’, although found the colour disappointing in hotter Georgia. Selected 2011 by Spring Meadow Nursery; protected by European Plant Breeders’ Rights and US Plant Patent PP25135. (Google Patents 2023; Spring Meadow Nursery 2023; Hawke 2022; pers. obs. 2023)

Sterile flowers of Hydrangea paniculata 'Smhpfl' turn a rich red in cooler climates (Darley Park, Derby, UK; 28 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

'Smhplqf'

Half open, rounded to shortly conical panicles; flowers opening white variably blushed pink, ageing through stronger pink to purplish red; fairly compact, with strong red stems. Claimed by the breeder to be as early as its parent ‘Bulk’, but one third the size (Spring Meadow Nursery 2023). Flowering late June – late September in the Chicago trial, where it was rated ‘excellent’. Selected in 2009; protected by European Plant Breeders’ Rights and US Plant Patent PP28699. (Google Patents 2023; Dirr 2021; Hawke 2022; pers. obs. 2023)

Hydrangea paniculata 'Smhplqf': early flowering and fairly compact (Darley Park, Derby, UK; 28 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Flowers of Hydrangea paniculata 'Smhplqf' open white with a variable pink blush (Darley Park, Derby, UK; 28 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

'Smhpzind'

Dense, broadly conical panicles; flowers opening lime-green, maturing white before blushing pink from the panicle base; a vigorous plant, with higher tolerance of drought and heat than most, based on trials in Tennessee (Dirr 2021). Flowering late July – early October in the Chicago trial, where floppy and broken stems were sometimes seen. Selected 2009 by Spring Meadow Nursery and distributed in North America; protected by US Plant Patent PP26620. (Google Patents 2023; Spring Meadow Nursery 2023; Hawke 2022)

'Smnhpk'

Dense to half open, shortly conical to rounded panicles; flowers opening white then blushing pink; as dwarf as they get, well under 1 m height. Selected 2015 by Spring Meadow Nursery; protected by US Plant Patent PP32512. (Google Patents 2023; Spring Meadow Nursery 2023); Dirr 2021)

As dwarf as they get: a young plant of Hydrangea paniculata 'Smnhpk' showing its very compact habit, and flowering remarkably late, with buds only beginning to appear in late summer (Darley Park, Derby, UK; 28 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

'Smnhprzep'

Dense, conical panicles; flowers opening white, becoming pink then ageing red-pink; strong stems. Selected in 2010; protected by US Plant Patent PP26956. Dirr (2021) found it ‘quite striking’ at the pink stage in the American Northeast. (Google Patents 2023; Spring Meadow Nursery 2023)

'Tardiva'

A confused name, perhaps increasingly so. Bean (1981) claims it to be a plant received by mid-20th century British nurseryman and hydrangea expert Michael Haworth-Booth from the Chenault nursery in France under the name H. p. tardiva, very late flowering (September–October in S England), hence its name, resembling ‘Floribunda’ but with fewer, smaller sterile flowers. By contrast, van Gelderen & van Gelderen (2004) claim the ‘true’ plant as having almost no fertile flowers in a loose inflorescence, again late flowering, but raised in Britain by the Crown Commisioners, Windsor, a claim ignored by the International Register (Association Shamrock 2022). Two plants submitted to the Royal Horticultural Society trial were ‘very similar to ‘Floribunda’, although their true identity could not be established’ (Lancaster & Wesley 2008). The name is still widely offered by British nurseries.

A second example of a British plant labelled Hydrangea paniculata 'Tardiva' (private garden, Ayrshire; 24 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Tardiva' is an old and now rather confused name. This is one example of what is grown (RHS Garden Rosemoor, Devon, UK; 6 September 2021). Image Julian Sutton.

'Unique'

Dense, conical panicles; flowers white at maturity, ageing pinkish; stems not very strong. Flowering in trials late July – early October (Wisley), July – August (Euro), late July – late September (Chicago). By most reckonings the first modern Hydrangea paniculata cultivar, the only survivor of a large batch of seedlings raised at Arboretum Kalmthout, Belgium, by Jelena and Robert de Belder of Arboretum Kalmthout, Belgium, in 1958. Hugely important as a founding parent of modern breeding lines; largely superseded by the best newer cultivars, although still a worthwhile plant in its own right. In the Euro trials it performed poorly on peaty soils. (Lancaster & Wesley 2008; Hoffman & Houtman 2007; Hawke 2022; van Gelderen & van Gelderen 2004)

Hydrangea paniculata 'Unique' on Battleston Hill at RHS Garden Wisley, UK. 20 August 2023. Image Jack Aldridge.

A well established specimen of Hydrangea paniculata 'Unique': the stems are not very strong, resulting in a rounded habit in flower (RHS Garden Rosemoor, Devon, UK; 6 September 2021). Image Julian Sutton.

The dense panicles of Hydrangea paniculata 'Unique' age pinkish (Darley Park, Derby, UK; 28 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Unique' is hugely important as a founding parent of modern breeding lines (Darley Park, Derby, UK; 28 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

'Vlasveld 02'

Long, narrow, open panicles; sterile flowers with small sepals giving a ‘lacy’ effect, white from pinkish buds, ageing pink; dwarf and compact to about 1 m tall, with rather arching brown stems. Rated ‘an attractive light lacy cultivar suitable for the small garden’ in the Derby collection. Selected 2013 by Peter Vlasveld, Boskoop, the Netherlands. Protected by European Plant Breeders’ Rights. (Hydrangea Derby 2023)

Hydrangea paniculata 'Vlasveld 02' has narrow, open panicles (Darley Park, Derby, UK; 28 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

'White Moth'

Rounded, half open panicles; flowers white, tending not to redden with age. Flowering in trials late June – late August (Wisley), mid June – mid August (Chicago). A strikingly large and early flowering cultivar which looks its best when left unpruned, merely deadheaded. The heads are heavy and tend to hang, but are ‘lovely when first out’ (A. Greenall, pers. comm. 2023). Selected 1975 by the de Belders, Belgium. (Lancaster & Wesley 2008; Hawke 2022; Hydrangea Derby 2023)

Hydrangea paniculata 'White Moth' at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Hampshire, UK. 23 July 2023. Image Jack Aldridge.

Panicles of Hydrangea paniculata 'White Moth' are rather too heavy for the stems, especially when pruned hard (Darley Park, Derby, UK; 28 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea paniculata 'White Moth': the flowers age greenish rather than pink (private garden, Ayrshire, UK; 24 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea paniculata 'White Moth': lovely when first out (private garden, Ayrshire, UK; 24 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

'Wim's Red'

Rounded, open to half-open panicles; flowers open white, ageing through pink to red; strong stems with attractive dark foliage. Flowering late June – early September in Chicago trial, where it was rated ‘excellent’. In contrast, Michael Dirr (2021) damns it as ‘a miserable excuse for a H. paniculata cultivar’, perhaps suggesting that it performs poorly in the American Southeast. Selected 2004 by Wim Rutten, the Netherlands; protected by European Plant Breeders’ Rights and US Plant Patent PP26005. (Hawke 2022; Hydrangea Derby 2023; Google Patents 2023)

Hydrangea paniculata 'Wim's Red' used effectively in a mixed border, backed by a purple-leaved Cercis canadensis cultivar. RHS Garden Bridgewater, UK; 22 August 2023. Image Jack Aldridge.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Wim's Red', the sterile flowers about as dark as they can become before they begin to brown. RHS Garden Bridgewater, UK; 22 August 2023. Image Jack Aldridge.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Wim's Red' flowers quickly age to pink then red (Arboretum Wespelaar, Belgium; 18 September 2015). Image Koen Camelbeke (Arboretum Wespelaar).

Hydrangea paniculata 'Wim's Red' in its pink phase (Arboretum Wespelaar, Belgium; 18 September 2015). Image Koen Camelbeke (Arboretum Wespelaar).

Hydrangea paniculata 'Wim's Red' early in the flowering period, with only a trace of pink developing (Arboretum Wespelaar, Belgium; 28 July 2015). Image Koen Camelbeke (Arboretum Wespelaar).

'Wrhpbb2'

Large, very dense panicles; flowers opening light green, turning white from the panicle base, finally ageing light pink; the brown stems may arch outwards under the weight of flowers. Highly rated in the Chicago trial, where it flowered mid July – early October. An ‘excellent one’ at the Yorkshire Arboretum, UK, and singled out as ‘white at night’ in Ayrshire, UK (J. Grimshaw, A. Greenall pers. comms 2023). However, Dirr (2021) found it ‘among the worse for flower quality’ when trialled in Georgia, USA. Selected by Catherien Rutten, Leende, the Netherlands, 2008. Protected by European Plant Breeders’ Rights and US Plant Patent PP25837; marketed as POLAR BEAR in Europe, POLAR BALL® in North America. (Hawke 2022; Hydrangea Derby 2023; Google Patents 2023)

A more lightly pruned specimen of Hydrangea paniculata 'Wrhpbb2' (Yorkshire Arboretum, UK; 9 August 2023). Image John Grimshaw.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Wrhpbb2' flowers age at best only a light pink (Yorkshire Arboretum, UK; 23 October 2023). Image John Grimshaw.

A hard-pruned example of Hydrangea paniculata 'Wrhpbb2' with massive inflorescences and arching stems (Darley Park, Derby, UK; 28 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

The large, very dense panicles of Hydrangea paniculata 'Wrhpbb2' (Darley Park, Derby, UK; 28 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.