July’s Native Maryland Plant
Hydrangea arborescens L.
(hy-DRANE-juh ar-bo-RES-senz)
Common Name: Wild Hydrangea
In fall 2020 I went a bit ‘wild’ in my planting regimen. The pandemic had canceled my travel plans and most of my commitments; it left me stressed and with time on my hands. Ripping weeds out of the ground and planting natives provided stress relief - fortunately, I had many options. I had read about Wild Hydrangea, but I had yet to plant it in my yard. I determined it would do well at the bottom of a north-facing slope; water from my neighbor’s property flowed there and the site retained moisture. It didn’t take long for this very ornamental shrub to establish, shade out weeds, and become a highlight in my 2022 summer garden.
I chose to plant Hydrangea arborescens because not only is it a beautiful garden shrub, but it’s also an excellent pollinator plant - if you plant the species plant. The lacecap flowerheads have hundreds of fertile flowers and very few infertile flowers that appear as a broken ring around the edges. Choosing to plant a cultivar of this plant can risk you buying one that has only infertile flowers¹ which do not support pollinators. I find that birds often visit my Hydrangea sp. as well. Are they admiring its flowers, eating an insect I can’t see, or just using it as a way station?
With results like this (and more weeds to pull) I’m preparing for another ‘wild’ fall. Maybe you should too?
NOTE: Hydrangea arborescens bloom on new wood so pruning their canes should be done in late winter or early spring. Leave them alone (as I have) or you can prune them hard which will encourage vigorous growth.
1 ‘Annabelle’, ‘Incrediball’ and ‘Invincibelle’ have only infertile flowers and offer no benefit to pollinators.
Alison Milligan – MG/MN 2013
Watershed Steward Class 7, CBLP, AA County Tree Trooper