Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’

Hydrangea selections are numerous (there are over 2.000 cultivars!) but one that has continued to endure is ‘Annabelle’. Discovered around 1910 in the town of Anna, Illinois, it first came to the attention of Harriet Kirkpatrick, who observed in while horseback riding. She and her sister realized that it was a unique plant and collected it for their garden. It would be fifty years later before the plant was officially registered as ‘Annabelle’, named for the town where it was discovered.

Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ falls under the category of Arborescens and commonly referred to as “smooth hydrangea”. They grow wild in woodland areas of the eastern United States and are often seen in thickets where they can attain tall dimensions. In the garden setting, the plants are shorter and more uniform, normally reaching a height of 4-6 feet and forming a neat, mounded habit. This type of hydrangea always sports white flowers.

Easy to grow, ‘Annabelle’ is adaptable to a variety of conditions. The best setting is a morning sun/afternoon shade situation. They can tolerate sunnier locations but, like most hydrangeas, need frequent watering to look their best. A moist and rich soil is needed as hydrangeas will not survive in prolonged dry conditions. Don’t be alarmed if plants wilt in the afternoon hours and avoid watering in the heat of the day. This happens during extreme heat and plants will revive themselves when temperatures cool in the evening.