Whitehydrangeasare deciduous and fully hardy or frost hardy, depending on the USDA growing zone.
Most types thrive in fertile, well-draining soil that receives morning sun and afternoon shade.
Showy, white blooms appear in late spring, lasting into fall for many.
By Eve Livesey / Getty Images
White hydrangeas complement other colors in the garden with their classic hue and add an element of timeless beauty.
Below, we’ve rounded up several types of white hydrangeas with beautiful blooms to grace your garden.
Warning
Hydrangeas are toxic to cats, dogs and horses.
Liudmyla Liudmyla / Getty Images
Dark green foliage complements the massive round flowers on sturdy stems above the leaves.
Annabelle is adaptable to various moist but well-draining soils and is a favorite with bees and butterflies.
Black stems and dark green leaves contrast with crisp white flowers for a dramatic effect.
Garden.org
Lacy flowers bloom from summer to autumn as long as they’re in fertile, well-draining soil.
Glacier Bay benefits from afternoon shade and adds interest planted in groupings.
This compact shrub also works well in containers.
Garden.org
This summer-long bloomer grows almost horizontally with lacy white flowers at every dark green leaf node.
The trailing habit offers plenty of versatility, including hanging baskets and retaining walls.
Fairytrail Bride thrives in moist, well-draining soil and attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Courtesy of DDM Test Garden
The 10-inch tall blooms grow up to 6 inches wide and develop a light pink hue as they age.
It does well in rich, medium-moisture, well-draining soil.
Grin and Tonic Bigleaf Hydrangea
Ready for a little garden magic?
Garden.org
Plant this drought-tolerant dwarf variety in fertile, well-draining soil.
It offers plenty of versatility in the border or planted in drifts with a bit of afternoon shade.
Big, dome-shaped white flowers cover dark green leaves starting in early summer.
Garden.org
By late summer, its flowers take on a pinkish-red hue.
Tiny Quick Fire draws bees and butterflies to the garden.
The dark green leaves are lighter on the undersides and turn yellow in autumn.
VIKTOR FEDORENKO / Getty Images
This hydrangea is noteworthy because it toleratesblack walnut.
Shirofuji is a recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
Dark green foliage sets off cone-shaped flowers, which age to light pink in autumn.
Courtesy of DDM Test Garden
This shrub attracts butterflies but may need protection from rabbits.
Glossy green leaves turn from orange to red, adding late-season interest.
Adaptable to various well-draining soil types, E. Mouillere is easy to care for with disease and insect resistance.
cultivar413 / flickr / CC BY 2.0
A little shade and a sheltered location provide the best growing environment.
Veitchii Bigleaf Hydrangea
Veitchi is a large, bigleaf hydrangea with intriguing color contrast.
They should be grown in rich, well-draining soil.
Garden.org
Deeply lobed foliage turns brilliant mahogany in autumn.
Flowers turn pink as they age.
Organically rich, well-draining soil is best for this white hydrangea.
Courtesy of DDM Test Garden
Its moderate size makes it work well in aflowering hedgeor as a specimen plant.
It grows well in average, well-draining soil.
Creamy white blooms turn pink as they age above foliage with a brilliant red-bronze autumn color.
Garden.org
The shedding bark adds year-round interest to the garden.
Puffer Fish Panicle Hydrangea
Puffer Fish is a 2023 debut hydrangea with a surprise finish.
Masses of dome-shaped flowers almost hide the dark green foliage.
Garden.org
They acquire a lime-green hue with age.
Blooms can be so heavy the sturdy branches may arch downward.
Flowers will emerge in midsummer and last through fall, transitioning to a pink hue with maturity.
Garden.org
Gatsby Gal
A compact variety native to North America, Gatsby Gal is perfect for smaller gardens.
It produces pretty large blooms for its size.
Plant Gatsby Gal in moist, well-draining soil and enjoy its flowers all summer.
The Spruce
The beauty doesn’t end in winter when it features a cinnamon-colored peeling bark.
It makes a great centerpiece in a perennial or flower garden or an excellent flowering hedge.
Plant in average, well-draining soil and fertilize just after the first frost.
cjmckendry / Getty Images
Bobo
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Bobo is a dwarf variety that will certainly catch the eye.
The showy white blooms are held upright by strong stems that continue to lengthen as the season progresses.
Because of its compact size, the flowers can cover the entire plant down to the ground.
igaguri_1 / Getty Images
Bobo is adaptable to different pH levels and climates but prefers good loamy soil.
This hydrangea is small enough to grow in containers or mix into flower beds.
Climbing Hydrangea
Climbing hydrangeas offer the elegance of traditional hydrangeas but with a trailing growth habit.
Olga Seifutdinova / Getty Images
Its lacy blooms contain four petals and grow in clusters.
Providing slightly acidic soil and a layer of mulch will encourage blooms all spring and summer long.
Climbing hydrangeas can be maintained in shrub form or used as a ground cover.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Incrediball
skymoon13 / Getty Images
Incrediball is a hardy and easy-to-grow smooth hydrangea.
These are well-suited for colder regions where at least four hours of sunlight can be had each day.
This variety isn’t too particular about soil as long as it’s well-draining.
Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris)Photo: © Marie Iannotti (2008) licensed to About.com, Inc.
While changes in pH can alter other hydrangea colors, white hydrangeas are not typically pH-sensitive.
If you’re looking for elegance, Annabelle is a classic white hydrangea with large, white mophead blooms.
Glacier Bay is a showy contrast with nearly black stems, dark green leaves, and crisp white flowers.
skymoon13 / Getty Images
The trailing habit of Fairytrail Bride adorns any setting mounded or in a hanging basket.
The best place to plant hydrangeas depends on throw in and size.
ASPCA
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Hayes Starburst’.Missouri Botanical Garden.
General care for hydrangeas.
