Full-Size Mophead Flowers on Small, No-Prune Shrubs
Bred in Germany as potted gift plants, Cityline® hydrangeas stay about 1 to 3 feet tall with no pruning, yet carry big, 5-inch flower heads in red, pink, purple, and blue.
Many bigleaf hydrangeas grow 3 to 6 feet wide and need careful pruning to stay in bounds. Prune at the wrong time and you cut off next summer’s flowers. Cityline® hydrangeas avoid the problem by staying about 1 to 3 feet tall and wide on their own.
Despite their size, they carry full-size mophead flowers on stiff stems, with a big flower head at the end of nearly every stem. That makes them easy to fit into foundation beds, front-of-border spots, patio pots, and balcony planters.
5 in.Dome-shaped flower heads, as large as many full-size hydrangeas
Up to 50Individual florets packed into each flower head
1–3 ftMature height, with no pruning needed to keep it there
−20°FHardy to USDA Zone 5, with winter bud protection in the north
Breeding Notes Most Gardeners Never Hear
From German Gift Pot to Garden Shrub
Cityline® wasn’t bred for gardens at all. Its compact size comes from a search for a better potted hydrangea.
1994
Selected in Bavaria
Brothers Franz-Xaver and Konrad Rampp of Rampp Jungpflanzen, a young-plant nursery in Pfaffenhausen, Germany, selected Paris and Vienna from a group of hydrangea seedlings.
The Goal
A Better Pot Plant
The breeders wanted potted hydrangeas that grew early and could be held in cold storage without the chemical growth regulators often used to keep potted hydrangeas short.
1999
Patented in the U.S.
Paris (U.S. Plant Patent 10,906) and Vienna (10,930) were patented in 1999 with notably high mildew resistance.
Today
Discovered for Gardens
Proven Winners found the plants being sold as gift plants in Germany and saw they performed just as well outdoors. Each is named for a city, except Mars, which is named for the planet.
Name game:
Every official cultivar name in the series starts with “Ra”: ‘Paris Rapa,’ ‘Vienna Rawi,’ ‘Venice Raven,’ ‘Ragra’ (Rio), and ‘Ramars’ (Mars), the same first letters as the Rampp family name.
Pink or Blue? Your Soil Decides
How Soil pH Sets Cityline® Flower Color
Like other bigleaf hydrangeas, Cityline® flower color depends on how acidic your soil is. Choose the variety that suits your soil, or adjust the soil to get the color you want.
The same variety can flower pink in one garden and blue in another.
Test your soil first so you know your starting pH.
Lower the pH with elemental sulfur or aluminum sulfate, following label rates. Blue needs acidic soil and available aluminum.
Feed with a fertilizer made for blue hydrangeas or acid-loving plants.
In alkaline soil, grow in a pot of acidic potting mix, the easiest route to true blue.
Best picks: Rio for the deepest blue, then Venice and Vienna.
For Pinker Flowers
Test your soil first so you know your starting pH.
Raise the pH with garden lime, following label rates.
Use a standard slow-release shrub fertilizer.
When amending, avoid acidic materials such as peat moss and pine bark.
Best picks: Paris for red in any soil, then Vienna and Venice for pink.
Be patient: soil changes work slowly, and color often shifts over a season or more. Treat in fall or early spring, and expect a mix of shades along the way.
Meet the Lineup
Five Cityline® Hydrangeas, Five Personalities
All five stay compact, need no routine pruning, and bloom from early through late summer. Here is what makes each one different.
Red in Most Soils
Cityline® Paris
The reddest bigleaf hydrangea, in the smallest package
Paris is one of the smallest hydrangeas on the market, often staying under 2 feet tall. Its deep fuchsia-red flowers hold their color in almost any soil, developing only purplish centers in acidic ground.
Height12–24″
Spread12–36″
Pick It ForRed in any soil
Good to know: Its patent records extremely high mildew resistance, so the dark green leaves stay clean all season.
One of the first two Cityline® selections, Vienna forms a neat mound covered in large mophead flowers. Blooms open green, then mature to purple-pink in neutral to alkaline soil or light blue in acidic soil.
Height12–36″
Spread12–36″
Pick It ForPink or blue
Good to know: Thick stems hold the heavy heads upright, which makes Vienna a strong choice for tall urns and front-entry containers.
Venice is very compact, with big, long-lasting fuchsia-pink flowers that shift to mauve or mid-blue in more acidic soil. Late in summer, the flowers age to an attractive green, and glossy, mildew-resistant leaves keep the plant looking fresh.
Height12–36″
Spread12–36″
Pick It ForFuchsia or blue
Good to know: Its tidy size suits foundation beds and the front of shrub borders, where it won’t block windows or walkways.
Rio blooms early, with large, long-lasting flowers that range from strong blue to purple depending on soil. It is the go-to Cityline® for blue flowers, especially in containers where you control the potting mix.
Height24–36″
Spread24–36″
Pick It ForDeepest blue
Good to know: The fullest plant in the series, Rio makes a dramatic centerpiece in mixed containers.
Mars is the most unusual Cityline®. Each floret is edged in white, so flowers read as magenta-pink and white in alkaline soil or indigo-blue and white in acidic soil. The bicolor flowers last a long time and age to green.
Height12–36″
Spread12–36″
Pick It ForTwo-tone flowers
Good to know: Mars stands out in arrangements. Pair it with dark foliage like Black Lace® elderberry to make the white edges glow.
Their compact size lets Cityline® hydrangeas go where full-size hydrangeas can’t: up front, up close, and in pots.
Front-Entry UrnsVienna with Supertunia Bordeaux II and fiber optic grass. Tall urns lift the flowers to eye level.Layered BorderVienna and summer snapdragon in front of cleome and Quick Fire® hydrangea.Pollinator MixConeflower and ‘Purple Haze’ butterfly bush layered with Venice.Beside the PatioVenice by a seating area, backed by fine-textured threadleaf false cypress. The pruners can stay in hand: Cityline® needs only a spring check for dead stems.
Watch & Learn
See Cityline® Hydrangeas in Action
30 Seconds With Cityline® Paris
See why Paris is called the reddest hydrangea and one of the smallest on the market, and why you should skip pruning it.
Pink or Blue? Soil pH Explained
A quick look at how soil pH sets Cityline® flower color, and how lime or sulfur can shift it toward pink or blue.
Cityline® Hydrangea Care
Easy Care Starts With Not Pruning
Give Cityline® steady moisture and a little afternoon shade, and protect the flower buds over winter. Most of the work is knowing what not to do.
The No-Prune Rule
Cityline® hydrangeas bloom on old wood: next summer’s flower buds form on this year’s stems in late summer and fall. Cut those stems in fall, winter, or spring and you cut off the flowers. Because the plants stay small on their own, there is rarely any reason to prune.
Do
Wait for leaves in spring, then remove only stems that are clearly dead.
Trim winter-damaged tips back to the first healthy pair of buds.
Shape the plant, if you must, right after it flowers.
Snip off faded flower heads just above the leaves, if you like.
Don’t
Cut stems back in fall or early spring.
Shear the plant into a ball.
Feed with high-nitrogen fertilizer late in summer.
Pile fallen leaves against the stems over winter.
Light
Morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal. Full sun works in cooler climates if the soil stays moist. In deep shade, expect fewer flowers.
Soil
Moist, well-drained soil enriched with compost or leaf mold. For blue flowers in acidic soil, choose lime-free amendments.
Water
Water every couple of days until established, then keep the soil evenly moist. Hydrangeas are not drought tolerant. Water at the base, not over the leaves.
Mulch
Add 2–3 inches of mulch in spring to keep roots cool, keeping it off the stems. Rake fallen leaves away from the base in fall.
Feeding
Apply a slow-release shrub fertilizer in early spring. For the purest blues, use a fertilizer made for blue hydrangeas.
Spacing
Plant 2–4 feet apart, depending on variety and how quickly you want a full look.
Winter
Hardy to Zone 5, but the flower buds are more tender than the plant. In Zones 5–6, add a deep layer of clean mulch or straw around the base in late fall to protect next year’s buds.
Seaside
Salt tolerant and flourishes near the ocean. Sandy coastal soil dries quickly, so water regularly.
Growing Cityline® in Pots
Pick the Right Pot
Use a container with drainage holes, about 16 inches wide or more for one plant. Don’t leave it sitting in a saucer of water.
Water by Touch
Water whenever the top inch of soil is dry, letting some water run out the bottom each time.
Get True Blue
Use a potting mix for acid-loving plants and a blue hydrangea fertilizer. Encore® azaleas and other acid lovers can share the same pot and food.
Protect in Winter
In Zones 5–6, move pots to an unheated garage or shed after the leaves drop and keep the soil barely moist, or plant into the ground in fall.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cityline® Hydrangea FAQs
Quick answers to the questions gardeners ask most about color, pruning, and growing compact hydrangeas.
Flower Color
How do I make my Cityline® hydrangea blue?
Blue flowers need acidic soil, below about pH 6, with aluminum available to the plant. Test your soil, then lower the pH with elemental sulfur or aluminum sulfate at label rates. Color shifts gradually, often over a season or more. If your soil is alkaline, growing Rio, Venice, or Vienna in a pot of acidic potting mix is the easiest route to blue.
Why are my hydrangea flowers turning green?
That is normal aging. As florets mature late in summer, they lose some color and turn green or antique shades. Venice and Mars are especially known for aging to an attractive green. It is not a sign of a problem.
Will Cityline® Paris turn blue?
No. Paris holds its red color in most soils. In acidic soil it develops only purplish centers. Choose it if you want red flowers regardless of your soil.
Pruning & Blooming
Do Cityline® hydrangeas need to be pruned?
No. They stay compact on their own and bloom on old wood, so pruning usually removes flower buds. In spring, once leaves appear, cut out only dead stems. If you need to shape a plant, do it right after it flowers.
Why didn’t my hydrangea bloom this year?
Because Cityline® blooms on old wood, a missed season usually means the buds were lost. Common causes are pruning in fall or spring, a harsh winter or late spring frost, or too much shade. Heavy nitrogen fertilizer can also produce leaves instead of flowers. In Zones 5–6, protect the buds over winter and skip pruning.
Do Cityline® hydrangeas rebloom?
No, they are not reblooming hydrangeas. They flower once each year, starting in early summer, but the long-lasting flower heads change color as they age, so the display runs from early summer into late summer.
Growing
Can Cityline® hydrangeas grow in full sun?
Yes, in cooler climates and with consistently moist soil. In hot regions, morning sun and afternoon shade keep the leaves from scorching and the flowers from fading quickly.
Can I grow Cityline® hydrangeas in pots year-round?
Yes. They were originally bred as pot plants. In mild climates, pots can stay outdoors all year. In Zones 5–6, potted roots and buds need extra protection, so move pots to an unheated garage or shed for winter, or plant them into the ground in fall.
How far apart should I plant Cityline® hydrangeas?
Space plants about 2 to 4 feet apart. Use the closer spacing for a quick, full edging or mass planting, and the wider spacing to let each plant show its rounded shape.
Are Cityline® hydrangeas deer resistant?
No. Deer will browse hydrangea leaves and flower buds. Where deer are common, use a repellent or grow Cityline® in containers close to the house.
Are hydrangeas toxic to pets?
Yes. The ASPCA lists hydrangea as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Eating the leaves or flowers can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Keep plants away from pets that chew on plants, and contact your veterinarian with concerns.
Do Cityline® hydrangeas tolerate salt spray?
Yes. They are rated salt tolerant and flourish in seaside gardens. Water regularly, since sandy coastal soil dries out quickly.
