Invincibelle Spirit hydrangea

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; morning sun and afternoon shade are best in hot climates. More sun is suitable in cool regions if the soil stays moist.

Water

Keep the root zone consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water deeply during dry spells, particularly in the first two growing seasons.

Soil

Moist, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter; tolerates clay if drainage is adequate. Flower colour does not turn blue in acid soil.

Height

3-4 ft (0.9-1.2 m)

Spread

3-4 ft (0.9-1.2 m)

Flowers

Early summer into autumn, with the strongest flush usually in early to midsummer; dark pink buds open pink, then fade to pale pink and green.

Foliage

Broad, pointed green leaves with toothed edges; deciduous, with generally modest autumn colour.

Growth

Moderate to fast once established.

Care needed

Medium

• Cold hardy
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   2.1 ft (0.64 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.5 ft (0.78 m)

4. After 3 years

   3 ft (0.91 m)

5. After 5 years

   3 ft (1.1 m)

   full size

About 4 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Native to

the US

Growth rate

Fast

• Water at soil level when the upper soil begins to dry; do not rely on brief surface sprinkling.
• Apply 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch in spring, keeping it clear of the stem bases.
• Feed lightly in spring with a balanced shrub fertiliser if growth is weak; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• Install a discreet support ring in spring if stems have flopped in previous years.
• Remove spent flower heads above a healthy pair of leaves to tidy the shrub and encourage further flowering.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, remove dead and weak stems and shorten the remaining stems by about one-third. Avoid cutting everything to ground level each year if stem support is a concern; retaining a woody framework can help support the flowers.

Late winter

Remove dead or weak stems and shorten healthy stems before new growth begins.

Spring

Refresh mulch, water new plants thoroughly and feed lightly if needed.

Late spring

Fit a support ring before the stems and flower heads become heavy.

Summer

Water deeply during dry weather and remove faded flower heads if desired.

Autumn

Plant while the soil is workable and moist; leave late flower heads for winter structure if you like.

Winter

Keep mulch over the root zone in cold regions, without piling it against the stems.

• Plant in small groups along a partly shaded border for a broad sweep of pink summer flowers.
• Combine with ferns, hostas and sedges at a woodland edge where the soil remains moist.
• Use as an informal low hedge beside a path, allowing room for arching stems.
• Mix with spring bulbs and later-flowering perennials to extend interest around its leafy framework.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Romantic rose garden, Woodland, Traditional, Pastel border and English country.

Plant it with: Hostas, Astilbes, Japanese painted ferns, Coral bells, Japanese sedges and Hardy geraniums.

Wildlife: The dense flower heads are mostly showy sterile florets, so they offer less food for pollinators than fertile, lacecap-type smooth hydrangeas. The leafy shrub provides some shelter for small garden animals; deer may browse it.

• Flopping stems: provide early support, avoid excessive nitrogen and retain some older woody stems when pruning.
• Wilting or scorched leaves: water deeply, mulch the root zone and provide afternoon shade in hot locations.
• Powdery mildew: improve air circulation, avoid crowding and keep the roots adequately watered.
• Leaf spots: water at soil level and remove fallen affected leaves; light spotting usually needs no chemical treatment.

All parts contain cyanogenic compounds and are toxic if eaten by people, cats, dogs or horses. Chewing leaves, buds or flowers can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort; serious poisoning is uncommon but warrants prompt medical or veterinary advice.

• Invincibelle Spirit II hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'NCHA2')

  A separate, improved cultivar with sturdier stems and richer pink flowers; check the cultivar name on the label because appearance overlaps.

• Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle')

  Has similar foliage and rounded flower heads, but flowers open white rather than pink and usually form larger heads.

• Bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

  Usually has thicker, glossier leaves and fleshier stems; many cultivars have pink or blue flowers influenced by soil conditions, unlike this smooth hydrangea.

Hydrangea comes from Greek words for water and vessel, referring to the seed capsules, while arborescens means becoming tree-like or woody.

Propagation. Softwood cuttings taken in late spring or early summer preserve the cultivar; seedlings will not reliably match it. This is a protected commercial cultivar in some markets, so check local plant breeders' rights or patent restrictions before propagating.

Accepted botanical name

Hydrangea arborescens

In the US and Canada

Native in the lower 48 states. Introduced in Canada.

Native range

Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland and Mississippi.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.