American Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
Big lacy flower heads in summer give way to purple-black berries for both birds and your kitchen.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
- Home
- Plant guide
- Smooth Hydrangea
White domes
Shrub
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
The native parent of the 'Annabelle' hydrangea, with white summer domes for shade.
the Northeastthe Mid-Atlanticthe Southeastthe Midwest
Growing Smooth Hydrangea
Wild lacecap forms feed far more pollinators than the big sterile mophead cultivars. Blooms on new wood, so it flowers reliably even after a hard winter. It’s easy to grow, and showy.
Where it grows
Smooth Hydrangea is native to the Northeast. In the wild you’ll find it across Alabama · Arkansas · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kentucky and 24 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Smooth Hydrangea on 34 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Smooth Hydrangea
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Smooth Hydrangea’s range and conditions.
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
A bulletproof hedge shrub with white spring flowers, blue fall berries, and burgundy autumn leaves.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Spherical white 'pincushion' flowers over standing water, swarmed by butterflies and bees.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
A low, spreading shrub that blankets dry banks and blazes scarlet and orange in fall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr