When it comes to choosing the best hydrangeas for shade, the first thing you need to know is that most varieties prefer to be in partial shade. If your garden gets a few hours of direct sunlight each day, this is known as partial shade. Hydrangeas do best in this type of dappled shade, where it is neither too sunny nor too shady.
The dream scenario for most hydrangeas is a mix of morning sun and afternoon shade. Hydrangeas that like these conditions include the bigleaf hydrangeas (H. macrophylla), as well as oakleaf hydrangea (H.quercifolia) and mountain hydrangea (H.serrata). That said, some types of hydrangeas prefer to spend even more time in the shade, especially if you live in a warm climate. Hotter and drier weather generally means that your hydrangeas will need more shade, as they hate being baked in the sun and will wilt in hot weather.
Discover why hydrangeas are a successful idea for a shady garden when you plan your planting. You can also read which varieties are on our shortlist, so you can find the best hydrangeas for shade.
Which types of hydrangeas can I plant in the shade?
The ideal conditions for growing hydrangeas are a mix of sun and shade, and protection from extreme heat
(Image credit: Yardzen)
Hydrangeas can thrive in a bit of darkness. We’ve chosen a range that includes everything from climbers for shade to hydrangeas for growing in pots.
Here are 6 shade-loving hydrangeas that will add color and foliage to even the shadiest spots.
1. Panicle hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’
(Image credit: Müller McPhoto/Alamy Stock Photo)
Hydrangea paniculata varieties have cone-shaped flowers known as panicles. One of the most sought-after varieties in this category is ‘Limelight’, which certainly deserves its name. The huge, showy light lime-green flowers first fade to a soft white and then to a pretty pink. The flowers remain beautiful for months and still look stunning in the winter, even after they have faded.
‘Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ is a bushy shrub that prefers full sun or part shade,’ says Susanna Grant, author of Shade: Bloom Gardener’s Guide (available on Amazon). ‘In my garden, with only a few hours of afternoon light, it’s a much airier looking plant, which I prefer.’
This vigorous, reliable shade-loving shrub is a breeze to grow and is a profuse bloomer that you can count on year after year to add a beautiful luminous quality to shady spots. This variety reaches a height of about 8 feet and also thrives in a container as a specimen plant, as long as the pot is large enough. It can also be used to create an informal hedge to border a path.
Winter hardiness zone: 3-8
Limelight Hydrangea Shrub
Price: $25.95
Mate: 1 quarter
2. Climbing hydrangea
(Image credit: Perry Mastrovito/Alamy Stock Photo)
A great plant to cover a fence in the shade, or a north wall in city gardens, the climbing plant hydrangea petiolaris can grow to about 20 feet tall. Once established it grows rapidly, but is easily controlled by pruning it back lightly after flowering is over.
“This is one of the most sought-after climbing plants because of its beautiful flowering coverage,” says Rich Christakes, founder of the plant-based marketplace Ship My Plants. “This hydrangea can thrive in areas with full sun, part shade, or full shade, making it a versatile choice for any landscape.”
The abundant white flowers of petiolaris varieties light up the darkness in any shady garden. It is a particularly good choice if you like the idea of the cool and classic color combination of green and white.
Winter hardiness zone: 4-9
Climbing hydrangea Hydrangea petiolaris
Price: €28.95
Mate: 1 quarter
3. Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snow Queen’
(Image credit: Everyday Artistry Photography/Alamy Stock Photo)
Also known as hydrangea quercifoliaThis variety has huge dark green leaves that turn beautiful shades of red, bronze and purple in the fall — it also makes the perfect colorful front garden plant. Add some striking white flowers to the mix (which bloom from midsummer to late fall) and you have a real winner.
It is a great choice if you are looking for a shrub to fill a shady corner of the garden, as it goes so well with everything. Oakleaf hydrangeas do not need as much sun as other hydrangeas, which means they work well in an unloved northeast corner of your garden to create a focal point.
Look out for the ‘Snow Queen’ variety with its upright plumes that bloom in a soft pink. It has been given an Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society and a Gold Medal Award by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, and we don’t think it gets much better than this in terms of sheen.
Winter hardiness zone: 5-9
Hydrangea quercifolia Gatsby
4. Smooth hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’
(Image credit: Federica Grassi/Getty Images)
This hydrangea species is truly a top performer, and its enduring popularity is not without reason. ‘Annabelle’ is one of the most beautiful hydrangea arborescens species to consider for your garden, with white pompom flowers that look like giant snowballs. It is what is known as a ‘smooth’ species of hydrangea, native to much of the southeastern United States, from southern Illinois to northern Florida and from New York State to Oklahoma.
This variety loves the warm morning sun but hates the heat of the afternoon. So the best place to plant it is in a sheltered spot that offers morning sun and afternoon shade. Six hours of sunlight a day will help produce the best flowers, so study how the sun moves around your garden to determine the right spot before planting.
This is a hydrangea that will not thrive in full shade as this will limit its flower production. If you live in a hot climate, you may find that your plant wilts or even gets sunburned if it does not have enough moisture or afternoon shade. Knowing how to remove dead flowers from hydrangeas is essential if you notice your flowers wilting. It is also best to choose a semi-shaded border for this beautiful variety.
Winter hardiness zone: 3-8
Annabelle Hydrangea Shrub
Price: €24.95
Mate: 1 quarter
5. Large-leaved hydrangea
Hydrangea ‘Let’s Dance Can Do’
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Also known as French hydrangea and hydrangea macrophylla, These flowers come in mophead varieties with large round flowers and lacecap varieties with flat clusters of small flowers. If you like a big explosion of color, this is a great choice for hydrangeas.
Ideal conditions for the most blooms and healthiest foliage are moist, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Give large-leaved varieties morning sunlight to help them bloom, but too much sun and they may scorch. In areas with very hot summers (USDA Zones 7 and warmer), a little afternoon shade will help prevent leaf burn.
“One of the bigleaf hydrangea trials that performed great from the start was ‘Let’s Dance Can Do,’” says Lorraine Ballato, author of Hydrangea Success: A Gardener’s Guide. ‘Normally a hydrangea in my garden needs one season to acclimate and get its mojo. Not this one! It bloomed from the first season it was planted and has been a beauty ever since. I have planted it in more shade than sun and it still flowers.’
Also look out for cultivars in the ‘Endless Summer’ series. For all your small garden ideas, these work well in small city gardens and will also thrive in patio containers.
Winter hardiness zone: 5-9
Brighter Blooms – Endless Summer Pop Star Large-leaved Hydrangea
Price: $119.99
Used to be: $189.99
Mate: 3 Gallon
6. Dwarf hydrangea
(Image credit: Kristina Igumnova/Getty Images)
Most hydrangeas will grow well in pots, although it is still a good idea to look for dwarf varieties so that you can keep them under control. Caring for potted hydrangeas is essential, so make sure that you do not place potted hydrangeas where they will dry out too quickly.
If you are planting a hydrangea in a large container, you can move it as needed to prevent your plant from wilting when temperatures rise. Alternatively, if yours is in a sun trap but is too heavy to move, you can cover it with an umbrella during hot spells to prevent shriveled leaves and dry, papery blooms. Many hydrangeas are sold specifically for container gardening. They tend to be smaller, more compact varieties. Look for small varieties that really deliver, such as H. macrophylla ‘Mini Penny’ and H. paniculata ‘Little Lime’.
Water hydrangeas in pots regularly to prevent the compost from drying out. Continue to give the liquid fertilizer throughout the spring and summer so that you can enjoy beautiful flowers for a long time.
Munchkin Dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea
Price: €34.99
Mate: 2.5 liters
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Shade-Loving Hydrangeas Will Thrive in Your Garden
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There are many positives to growing hydrangeas in shady areas. One of the main positives is that although they tend to grow more slowly, they have much sturdier growth and much more lush foliage.
They also bloom longer, months rather than weeks, if they are not exposed to the type of hot sunshine you find in the south. The soil conditions in the shade are also much more favorable. Hydrangeas like moist, well-drained soil and in shady spots the conditions tend to stay that way because they are protected from the bright sun.
As long as they get regular morning sunlight, your hydrangeas can happily survive in the shade the rest of the day.