Limelight Hydrangea

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

6-8 Feet

Mature Spread

6-8 Feet

Growing Zones

3 to 9

Limelight Hydrangea is an award winning shrub by Proven Winners ColorChoice®. This beautiful paniculata hydrangea is one of our most popular shrubs that grow all across the United States. This bush has very large flowers that are held upright by strong stems. The Limelight hydrangea is a type of Panicle Hydrangea. 

The Limelight Hydrangea flowers will start off lime green color, which is a perfect accent for hot summer days. As the blooms age, they turn to hues of cream, pink, red and burgundy. The fall color is just beautiful as these cone-shaped flowers last longer than most any other plant in the garden.The panicle flower heads can grow up to 12 inches long!

These are perfect for cut flower arrangements, either fresh or dried. Florist love these as well, and often these are used for wedding bouquets. We’ve seen people grow these as hedges, in mass landscape plantings, and in garden planters. These bushes are great in most garden designs.

The foliage of this shrub is dark green, which provides a great complement to the blooms. The leaves are coarse to the touch compared to other paniculatas. This plant is deciduous, which means it loses its leaves in the winter.

Harsh weather conditions are no match for this prolific bloomer. This plant can grow in areas with harsh winters, hardy up to zones 3 and 4. And the plant can also thrive in areas with hot summers, like zones 8 and 9. No matter where this shrub is grown, it has a bloom time from early summer through late fall. The bush performs so well, that it will typically bloom the first year planting it in the ground as well! The Limelight Hydrangea is native to China and Japan.

Landscaping Tip: One 'Limelight' hydrangea is spectacular; a whole hedge of them is unforgettable! For a short version, try the Little Lime Hydrangea, which reach just about half the height.

Limelight Hydrangea Care

No matter what USDA growing zone you live in, this shrub requires well-drained soil. The plant does like moisture, but cannot tolerate soggy conditions or “wet feet”. Planting in well-drained soil is more important than the type of soil. This shrub is widely adaptable to most soil types, as long as it does not get root rot. The soil pH does not affect the flower color. Like most hydrangeas, we recommend applying a layer of mulch to help retain moisture in the soil, and protect the roots during freezing winter conditions.

Limelight Hydrangeas perform best in locations that get full sun or at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. In warmer climates, it is best to provide afternoon shade. In colder climates, the more sun the plant gets the better. 

Pruning Limelight Hydrangeas

To prune the Limelight Hydrangea, simply cut off ⅓ of the total height of the shrub. Prune your Limelight in late winter or early spring, before new growth emerges. Because this shrub blooms on new wood, you do not want to potentially cut off any flower buds for the upcoming season. You can also trim off any dead or sick branches during the year as needed. Pruning this shrub helps the plant grow a strong base with upright branches that are strong enough to hold all of the large flower heads. It also encourages the plant to put more energy towards growing flowers that flourish from June to September.

You can also prune this shrub into a tree form. This unique looking specimen is going to wow your neighbors when they see this! We really like seeing these grown as trees in a garden planter, that adds height and beauty at the same time!

Fertilizing Limelight Hydrangeas

To fertilize, apply a slow release (or controlled release) general fertilizer designed for woody plants such as roses or trees. This can be found at most stores. Apply in early spring before new growth starts to emerge. 

Limelight Hydrangea Spacing

Plant the Limelight hydrangea 7 to 8 feet apart, center on center, in mass plantings. If you choose to grow into a Limelight hedge (pictured above), you can plant 70 to 84 inches apart, center on center. We recommend only planting 1 per garden container, unless the pot is very large. Use the same spacing guide stated above if you do choose to plant more than 1 shrub per planter.