Smooth hydrangea is a versatile native flowering shrub for woodland gardens, rain gardens, pollinator plantings, and naturalized landscapes. Offered as potted stock grown in root-prune pouches, it can be planted with flexibility throughout the growing season. Hydrangea arborescens is native to the eastern United States, where it occurs naturally on moist or rocky wooded slopes, ravines, streambanks, and woodland edges. Valued for its adaptability and reliable flowering, smooth hydrangea is among the most cold-hardy hydrangea species and performs well across a broad range of climates. Unlike some hydrangea species, it blooms on new wood, producing flowers on the current season's growth even after winter dieback or spring pruning. The straight species is noted for its "lacecap" flowers as well as its tendency to stand upright rather than flopping, Smooth hydrangea forms a rounded, deciduous shrub with medium-green foliage and large clusters of white flowers that appear from early to mid-summer. Plants typically grow 3-5 ft tall and 3-5 ft wide. The species performs best in partial shade and moist, well-drained soils but will tolerate full sun when provided with consistent moisture. It is hardy in zones 3-9 and adapts to a variety of soil types including clay, loam, and sandy soils with neutral to acidic pH. Its flowers attract a variety of pollinators, and it serves as a host plant for the hydrangea sphinx moth (Darapsa versicolor). Smooth hydrangea is also useful for naturalized areas and slopes where a durable native shrub is desired.
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