Hydrangea macrophylla Schneeball

This hydrangea or Hydrangea macrophylla Schneeball, a German name that means 'snowball' in French, forms a vigorous growth and compact habit bush, covered from July to September with large pure white, dense flower heads, composed of florets with dentate petals. It stands out for its late but repeat flowering, quite exceptional in its abundance and the brilliance of its beautiful immaculate flowers that turn pink at the end of the season. It is ideal for all types of gardens and is used in flower beds, as a single plant, in a large pot, in a fertile, drained, somewhat acidic and fresh soil in semi-shaded or even shaded exposure.

The 'Schneeball' Hydrangea stands out for its vigour and long lasting flowering. This bush is barely taller than it is wide, reaching 1 m (3 ft 4 in) in height for  90 cm (35.4 in) in span. From July to September, these small fertile flowers form plump flower heads, tightly packed, of a sparkling white without a trace of colour.  Its charming sterile florets are composed of very fringed tepals, giving the flower head a light appearance despite its very rounded shape and size that can reach 25 cm (9.8 in) in diameter. Autumn paints these flowers in different shades of pink and red. The flowering is accompanied by dark green, deciduous leaves. The leaves are opposite, they reach a minimum of ten centimetres in length. They are single, ovate to elliptical, ending in a sharp point, finely serrated like a saw. Hydrangeas can live at least 50 years.

The Schneeball Hydrangea is one of the most beautiful pure white varieties, as comfortable in the garden as in a large pot on the terrace.  Hydrangeas are well known for brightening up the north side of houses. This one will be happy in a north or east exposure, in the morning sun, in flower beds as well as hedges. This variety is suitable for growing in open ground or in large containers, which can be placed on the terrace or near the entrance. Even if these plants are not fond of limestone, they are not strictly ericiaceous plants. Pair them with magellanica fuchsias, annual impatiens, or plant spring flowering bulbs in front of their round silhouette. Enjoy their sumptuous flowering in the garden or in the house for a long time.