Hydrangeas are among the most beloved garden flowers, celebrated for their eye-catching blooms, low-maintenance care, and durability. These stunning ornamental shrubs showcase flower heads in a dazzling array of colors, including vibrant purples, charming pinks, and serene blues that bloom across various climates. Their flowers steal the spotlight, leading many gardeners to wonder how to encourage hydrangeas to bloom profusely all summer. Ahead, gardening experts discuss the most common types of reblooming hydrangeas and share helpful tips for getting them to rebloom.
What are Reblooming Hydrangeas?
Reblooming hydrangeas, also known as remontant hydrangeas, are a type of hydrangea that can bloom multiple times in a single season. They produce flowers on both new wood (the growth from the current season) and old wood (the growth from the previous season). Hydrangea expert Mal Condon has been cultivating and studying hydrangeas for over 50 years. He notes that reblooming hydrangeas are specific cultivars of H. macrophylla, one of six major species within the hydrangea genus. H. macrophylla accounts for approximately 70 percent of the 25 million hydrangea plants produced annually in the U.S. “This is not surprising, as the flowers are stunning in form and color variety,” says Condon.
Types of Reblooming Hydrangeas
Reblooming hydrangeas typically grow well in a coastal environment, from southern Maine to Georgia. “Blooming style is typically ‘total,’ meaning the entire bush is covered with blossoms in spectacular fashion.” Here are some reblooming varieties that will make a striking addition to your growing space.
Endless Summer Twist-N-Shout
This gorgeous variety showcases elegant lacecap blooms in vibrant pink or periwinkle blue, featuring a cluster of small fertile florets at the center. It blooms from early summer until frost, supported by striking red stems. The showy, low-maintenance shrub is resistant to pests and diseases, thriving in partial sun to partial shade. According to Condon, this variety requires very little assistance to bloom and is the strongest rebloomer he has ever evaluated.
Summer Crush
This compact, reblooming variety of hydrangea is sure to catch your eye with its vibrant pink or purple blossoms, depending on the pH of the soil. Known for its big leaves, this plant showcases dark green foliage that can transform into a stunning burgundy red in the fall. Summer Crush hydrangeas thrive when they receive morning sunlight and afternoon shade, rewarding you with an impressive display of blooms from mid-summer to early fall.
Pop Star
As part of the Endless Summer series, this bigleaf dwarf hybrid is vibrant, with colors ranging from bright pink to vivid blue, depending on the pH level of the soil. Growing only a few feet tall and wide, this variety produces recurrent lacecap blooms that thrive in partial to full shade. Pop Star is relatively easy to care for, requires minimal pruning, and is disease-resistant.
PeeGee
Celebrated for its large, cone-shaped white flowers that eventually turn pink, this striking shrub blooms from mid-summer to early fall. PeeGee thrives in summer heat and is exceptionally cold-hardy, tolerating full sun and partial shade. Its medium to dark green leaves have serrated margins, and the foliage transitions to shades of yellow, purple-red, or a combination of both in fall, adding vibrant seasonal color to your garden.
Blushing Bride
This resilient shrub is a real showstopper in the garden. It boasts impressive growth on new and old wood, producing stunning pure white double blooms that maintain their color regardless of soil pH. As time passes, the flowers develop a charming bluish-pink hue, adding a delightful touch to any landscape. This variety grows best in partial shade, with morning sun and afternoon shade being ideal conditions.
Let’s Dance Sky View
Sky View has a compact, rounded habit perfect for front-of-the-border locations and pots. It features densely packed, overlapping petals that turn sky blue when grown in acidic soil. This variety is resilient to various climates and thrives in full sun to partial shade, consistently blooming from summer through fall.
When to Plant Reblooming Hydrangeas
Plant reblooming hydrangeas in April or May once the soil has warmed up and frost has passed, recommends Christina Koether, a garden designer and flower farmer. To determine the best time for planting in your area, Koether recommends checking the last frost date in your area. “The month following the last frost date is your ideal planting window,” she explains. Spring planting allows roots to establish themselves before the heat of summer or the cold of winter arrives. Additionally, spring usually brings more rainfall, which helps keep the soil consistently moist as the plant gets established. “That early boost makes a significant difference.” Although it is possible to plant in early fall, Koether prefers giving plants the entire season to settle in properly.
Reblooming hydrangeas won’t be in bloom during spring. If you want to see the actual flower color and shape, Koether recommends visiting nurseries in the summer when they’re fully blooming. “This way, you can choose the variety you like based on what you see, ensuring confident purchases for the following spring.”
How to Get Hydrangeas to Rebloom
You must choose the right cultivar to ensure reblooming success. “Not all Hydrangea macrophylla varieties rebloom,” says Koether. “You need a specific reblooming cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla like Endless Summer, Twist n Shout, or Summer Crush.” These are bred to flower on old and new wood. Koether notes there is one big flush of blooms on the woody canes from last year, first. Then, the hydrangea grows new canes while the first round is blooming. “These new canes will bloom later in the summer. It’s a smaller, but welcome, round of blooms,” he says. Selecting the right type of hydrangea and following Koether’s simple tips will encourage blooms all season.
Plant in the Right Spot
Reblooming hydrangeas like morning sun with some afternoon shade. Too much shade means fewer blooms. Too much hot afternoon sun can stress them out and scorch the leaves.
Start With Good Soil
Hydrangeas like rich, well-drained soil that still holds some moisture. Before planting, mix in compost or organic matter to improve structure and nutrients.
Water Deeply, Not Constantly
Check the soil with your finger. When it feels dry a few inches down, water deeply to soak the root zone. Morning watering is best. Adding mulch will help retain moisture and keep roots cool.
Fertilize at the Right Time
Feed reblooming hydrangeas once in early spring and again in late spring or early summer with a slow-release organic fertilizer high in phosphorus. Follow the directions on the label. Too much fertilizer is a hindrance and not helpful.
Prune Carefully
Pruning is where most mistakes happen. Only prune Hydrangea macrophylla in the spring, and only remove wood that is clearly dead or damaged. You’ll see green buds on woody stems. This is where the stems with the first round of blooms come from. When in doubt, less is more. Deadhead faded blooms during the season to encourage more flowers.
Pinch After Blooms Fade
After the peak blooming period has declined, Condon suggests pinching or pruning off spent blossoms, shortening, and cutting back existing stem wood. “This can stimulate new growth with viable buds that may have ample development time to blossom late in that growing season,” he says.