Hydrangea Section Macrophyllae Cultivars V–Z

'Veitchii'

Sterile flowers white (sometimes very faintly flushed or dotted blue/pink), ageing pink especially in sun, with 3 rather pointed sepals; sterile flowers blue/pink; inflorescences large. Vigorous and reliable, height to about 1.5 m, quickly becoming broad: ‘a bit of a thug, better in shade’ in rainy Devon, SW England (R. Pitts, pers. comm. 2023). Widely considered a macrophylla × serrata hybrid. Introduced to the Veitch nursery, UK, from Japan in 1881, perhaps by Charles Maries (Church 2007; Foster 2023; van Gelderen & van Gelderen 2004; Hydrangea Derby 2024). A classic among lacecaps, ‘still a first choice’ for Maurice Foster (2023), whose own plant (Kent, UK) was 5 m across after 35 years; also an important parent.

Hydrangea 'Veitchii' proving a bit too vigorous for the garden owner's liking in Devon, UK (17 October 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea 'Veitchii' in the garden at White House Farm, Kent, UK (12 July 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea 'Veitchii' flowers age pinkish (East Ruston Old Vicarage, Norfolk, UK; 19 October 2024). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea 'Veitchii' is a vigorous, reliable plant with bold leaves (woodland conditions at East Ruston Old Vicarage, Norfolk, UK; 19 October 2024). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea 'Veitchii', one of the classic lacecaps and still among the best (White House Farm, Kent, UK; 12 July 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

'Vindool'

Flowers blue / pink, remontant. Height to about 1.8 m. A good bet for cold climates (USDA Zones 5 & 6), along with the very similar ‘All Summer Beauty’, ‘Bailmer’ (ENDLESS SUMMER®), etc. One of the early remontant ‘finds’, spotted by Michael Dirr in the Athens, Georgia garden of American football coach Vince Dooley, where it had grown for many years, flowering well in 1996 following a very cold winter in which H. macrophylla cultivars were cut to the base and mostly failed to bloom (Boebel 2011; Church 2007; Dirr 2004). Commercial rivalries were apparently behind a perceived need to demonstrate that it was genetically distinct from other similar remontant discoveries (Lindstrom, Pelto & Dirr 2003).

Hydrangea 'Vindool' (DOOLEY), one of the early remontant find (Joseph Thomas Mathis Garden, Mississippi; 9 October 2014). Image Michael Dirr.

Hydrangea 'Vindool' (DOOLEY) is a good bet for colder climates (Cape Cod Hydrangea Test Garden, Massachusetts; 27 July 2017). Image Michael Dirr.

Hydrangea 'Vindool' (DOOLEY) with Vince Dooley, in whose garden it was found (15 July 2015). Image Michael Dirr.

'Vulcain'

Flower colour changing readily and varying widely, sometimes with both bluish and pink/purple tints even in the same sepal. Slow growing and dwarf, to around 50 cm, but with full-size heads; sometimes reverts to faster growth. Introduced 1934 by Henri Cayeux, France, and double starred by Haworth-Booth, but now rarely seen (Haworth-Booth 1984; van Gelderen & van Gelderen 2004; Association Shamrock 2022).

Hydrangea 'Vulcain' is typically very compact, but sometimes grows taller (private garden, Ayrshire, UK; 24 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea 'Vulcain' has very variable flower colour; these eyecatching shades are on a strongly acidic soil over granite (private garden, Ayrshire, UK; 24 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

'Warabe'

Flowers white, ageing reddish, in small round heads. Excellent continuity of flower (M. Foster pers. comm. 2023). Compact habit, 1 m or less. Often listed under H. serrata, but considered a hybrid by the Mallets in the International Register. Origin uncertain, sometimes listed as Korean rather than Japanese, although warabe (わらべ) is a Japanese word for a child (Hydrangea Derby 2024; Signature Hydrangeas 2024; van Gelderen & van Gelderen 2004; Association Shamrock 2022).

Hydrangea 'Warabe' produces small white mopheads over an impressively long season (White House Farm, Kent, UK; 12 July 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

'Westfalen'

Flowers tending stongly to red-pink, no more than purple on acidic soils, with entire sepals, in large heads. Dense and compact, rarely more than 1 m in height, with strong, thick stems. Introduced 1940 by Joseph Wintergalen, Germany. ‘Ami Pasquier’ is a rather similar good red, but a larger plant. (Church 2007; Foster 2023; Lawson-Hall & Rothera 1995; van Gelderen & van Gelderen 2004; Hydrangea Derby 2024; Association Shamrock 2022)

Hydrangea 'Westfalen', a classic compactly growing red cultivar. Image Maurice Foster.

Hydrangea 'Westfalen' flowers tend strongly to red-pink, here just opening and still with white centres (Savill Garden, Surrey, UK; 24 June 2024). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea 'Westfalen' has a compact habit and strong stems (Savill Garden, Surrey, UK; 31 October 2024). Image Tom Christian.

Hydrangea 'Westfalen': ageing flowers (Savill Garden, Surrey, UK; 31 October 2024). Image Tom Christian.

'Wyatt LeFever'

One of the very similar early remontant ‘finds’ in North America – ‘Bailmer’ (ENDLESS SUMMER®) is the best known; a plant in the garden of Hemerocallis breeder Wyatt and Dolores LeFever, Kernersville, North Carolina, where it had grown for many decades; marketed from 2014 by Southern Living (Dixon 2015; Dirr 2021; Association Shamrock 2022).

'Xian'

(China City and Sturdy, perhaps also Magical and Everlasting Series) Flowers with serrate sepals, lilac-blue / pink, becoming greenish; height to 1.5 m. Selected 1993 by C.P. Eveleens, the Netherlands; protected by European Plant Breeders’ Rights (Royal Horticultural Society 2024; Signature Hydrangeas 2024; Association Shamrock 2022). The International Register and several online sources give MAGICAL OPAL and EVERLASTING OPAL as synonyms, although US Plant Patent 20,483 to MAGICAL OPAL claims 2004 as the date of selection by the same breeder, long after ‘Xian’ was first marketed in Europe (Google Patents 2024).

'Yae-no-amacha'

Sterile flowers double, with rounded, overlapping sepals, blue/pink or sometimes a mixture of pale pink, white and yellowish; there are sometimes a few extra sterile flowers scattered among the fertile ones. A dense, twiggy plant to 1 m in height; Maurice Foster finds it more tolerant of full sun than many H. serrata cultivars, given adequate moisture. Japanese origin. (Foster 2023; Hydrangea Derby 2024)

Double flowered Hydrangea serrata 'Yae-no-amacha' is more sun-tolerant than many (Windcliff Garden, WA, United States; 27 June 2023). Image John Grimshaw.

You&Me® Series

Double flowered cultivars bred by Ryoji Irie, Kyoto, Japan since 1990; marketed in Europe for pot and open garden use. In North America the Forever & Ever® Brand has been used for some of these plants. We include ‘H2002’ (MISS SAORI), ‘Inspire’ (MISS SAORI), ‘Rie05’ (YOU&ME® TOGETHER) and ‘Rie09’ (YOU&ME® ROMANCE).

'Zaunkönig'

(Teller Series, introduced 1979) Sterile flowers violet / red-pink, but tending towards pink, a vivid colour; sepals of sterile flowers serrate; fertile flowers pinkish; usually described as compact, under 1 m, but may grow more vigorously in warm climates (Church 2007; van Gelderen & van Gelderen 2004; Boebel 2011). Zaunkönig is the Eurasian Wren, a tiny insectivorous bird.

'Zebra'

(Black Steel Series) Sterile flowers pure white, with serrate sepals, in large heads. Stems very dark, almost black. Claimed as compact, but this needs to be treated with caution as it is a branch sport from the very large ‘Schneeball’. Selected 2003 by Dutch nurseryman Arie van Klaveren; protected by US Plant Patent 18,688 and European Plant Breeders’ Rights (Royal Horticultural Society 2024; Garden Debut 2024; Google Patents 2024)

'Zorro'

Sterile flowers blue/violet/pink, sometimes white centred, perhaps less attractive in the middle part of the colour range; fertile flowers paler; stems stout, dark purple-brown, approaching black, a good contrast with the flowers. A branch sport from ‘Blaumeise’, hence vigorous, reaching 1.5–2 m, and tolerant of full sun. Excellent in pots but also a proven garden plant, though perhaps not in colder areas. Selected 2000 by Dutch nurseryman André van Zoest; protected by US Plant Patent 18,255 and European Plant Breeder’s Rights. (Boebel 2018, Foster 2023; Dirr 2021; Google Patents 2024). First of the successful modern ‘black’ stemmed cultivars, often considered superior to the old ‘Nigra’, although Susan Miller, Argyll & Bute, UK, finds it ‘rangy’ and thinks ‘Nigra’ is still the best (pers. comm. 2023). At one time marketed in Europe as part of the Royalty® Collection.

Hydrangea 'Zorro' in pink mode (JC Raulston Arboretum, North Carolina; 1 June 2019). Image Maryann Debski / JC Raulston Arboretum.

Hydrangea 'Zorro', erect and dark stemmed. Image Maurice Foster.

Hydrangea 'Zorro', first of the modern black-stemmed cultivars, is reckoned by most to be superior to 'Nigra' (Avenue Cottage, Ashprington, Devon, UK; 17 October 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea 'Zorro' showing its black stems and upright habit, with antique tones in the ageing flowers (Avenue Cottage, Ashprington, Devon, UK; 17 October 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea 'Zorro' flowers ageing quite differently in another South Devon garden (2 November 2024). Image Tom Christian.