This species is a native of China and Japan and was introduced into Europe by the botanist Siebold in the 1860’s.
Deciduous shrub, in a favoured place it can grow up to 7m and it is adaptable to different climates, ranging from cool temperate to sub-tropical, and it can withstand low winter temperatures.
The inflorescences is a panicle: it is the only Asiatic hydrangea to bear this shape.
The panicle are formed by white fertile and sterile flowers in different proportions: in many cultivars the flowers turn to a pink hue towards the end of summer .
Hydrangea paniculata is a very interesting shrub in terms of hardiness and adaptability:
• It blooms later than the other species and is therefore not subject to late spring frosts.
• It flowers later then the others: from July to the beginning of fall.
• It flowers on the current season’s wood. Consequently it is very versatile in terms of pruning: in winter, it can be pruned severely to obtain a more compact shrub (height: 1-1.5 m) with less but bigger flower heads , or not be pruned at all to obtain, after some years, a wide and tall tree-like shrub ( up to 6-7 m).