Lets Dance® Hot Stepper Hydrangea

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Partial Sun

(3 - 6 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

2-3 Feet

Mature Spread

2-3 Feet

Growing Zones

5 to 9

For a bigleaf hydrangea that actually looks smothered in blooms, Let’s Dance® Hot Stepper delivers. Hydrangea macrophylla × serrata ‘SMNHSDE’ stacks wide mopheads over the foliage so you see flowers first and leaves second. It grows to about 3–4 feet tall and around 3 feet wide, a useful mid-size that fills space without swallowing a bed. Strong stems keep those big heads held high instead of collapsing after a rain. Our favorite moment is midseason when fresh, bright blooms show up beside deeper-toned older ones and lime-green buds, so the plant has layers even from a distance.

Hot Stepper is a workhorse rebloomer that flowers on old and new wood, which means spring frost doesn’t get the final say. The macrophylla × serrata background helps it handle typical bigleaf wilting better than many classic mopheads, while providing that lush, florist-style look. Use it as a single “stop-you-in-your-tracks” shrub, repeat it along a walkway for rhythm, or plant a small group for reliable color through summer. The blooms are excellent for cutting, and you can harvest generously once it’s rolling without losing impact. 

Lets Dance® Hot Stepper Hydrangea Care

Give it full sun to part sun; in warm-summer areas, morning sun with afternoon shade keeps foliage cleaner and bloom color steadier. Set the root ball so the top sits level with the surrounding ground, then backfill with a mix that’s rich in organic matter and drains well. Soil pH can shift bloom color: flowers are pink in alkaline soil and purple-blue tones in acidic conditions (add aluminum sulfate to lower the pH). Water slowly and deeply after planting, then keep the root zone from drying hard—especially during the first year and during bloom. Feed lightly in early spring with a granular flowering-shrub fertilizer, and stop once buds are forming so stems stay sturdy.

Skip routine pruning for the biggest overall display. In early spring, simply remove dead wood and trim back to healthy buds where winter damage is obvious. After a bloom wave, clip spent flower heads back to the first strong set of leaves to tidy and encourage more buds. A mulch layer helps retain moisture and adds winter protection without burying the crown.

Lets Dance® Hot Stepper Hydrangea Spacing

Space plants about 3 feet apart for a continuous, full look, or 4 feet apart if you want each shrub to stand alone. For containers, start with a 20-inch (or larger) pot with drainage so the plant doesn’t dry out between hot days. Pair it with lady fern for a soft backdrop, foamflower for spring texture at its feet, or Siberian iris nearby for a clean vertical accent.

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