Mountain hydrangea vs Panicle hydrangea

Mountain hydrangea and Panicle hydrangea are often considered for the same spot in the garden (flowers, container, pollinator friendly). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Mountain hydrangea

Hydrangea serrata 1 m × 1 m after 10 years

A smaller, more compact and somewhat hardier relative of the bigleaf hydrangea: its flat lacecap heads carry tiny fertile flowers ringed by a few…

Shrub

Part shade

from about €11

Panicle hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata 2 m × 1.6 m after 10 years

The most sun-tolerant and least fussy hydrangea: from midsummer into autumn it carries cone-shaped white or greenish-white panicles that age to pink…

Shrub

Full sun

Part shade

from about €7.80

Key differences

Panicle hydrangea grows larger: 2 m × 1.6 m after ten years, against 1 m × 1 m for Mountain hydrangea (an estimate: sources differ).
Panicle hydrangea is hardier: down to -34 °C, against -23 °C for Mountain hydrangea.
Panicle hydrangea copes better with summer heat than Mountain hydrangea.
Panicle hydrangea also takes chalky soil, Mountain hydrangea prefers acidic soil and struggles on chalk.
Panicle hydrangea also takes heavy clay, Mountain hydrangea needs a loose, free-draining soil.
Panicle hydrangea is cheaper: about €31 at the same size (40–60 cm), against about €58 for Mountain hydrangea.

Which one to choose?

Mountain hydrangea is the better choice if space is tight.

Panicle hydrangea is the better choice if the garden is cold or a frost pocket, the spot is hot and sunny, the soil is chalky or the soil is heavy clay.

Watch out for

Mountain hydrangea

The flower buds overwinter on last year's stems, so in Central Europe a hard winter or a late spring frost can wipe out part or all of the bloom, and in a very cold winter the shrub may die back to the ground. In hot, dry summers the leaves and flowers scorch in full sun and the plant wilts without regular watering. Its thin leaves make it more prone to powdery mildew than the bigleaf hydrangea, and leaf spot and aphids also occur. On alkaline soil the flowers stay pink; blue needs acidic soil.

Panicle hydrangea

In Central Europe summer heat and drought are its main problem: in hot sun without watering the leaves wilt and scorch and the panicles stay smaller and brown early. After rain and wind the big heavy panicles drag down or snap the shoots of weaker-stemmed cultivars; a hard spring prune and thinning the shoots builds a sturdier frame. Plants grafted on a stem need a permanent stake, as the head breaks out easily under the weight of the flowers. Leaf spot, powdery mildew, aphids and spider mites occur but are rarely serious.

The data side by side

Feature	Mountain hydrangea	Panicle hydrangea
Group	Shrub	Shrub
Size after 10 years	1 m × 1 m (uncertain)	2 m × 1.6 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	0.6–1.2 m × 0.6–1.2 m	0.8–4.5 m × 0.8–3.6 m (uncertain)
Growth rate	Medium (uncertain)	Fast
Light	Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Acidic	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Acidic, Calcareous
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	Low	Medium
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous
Flowering	June–August, pink, blue, white	July–October, white, green, pink, red (uncertain)
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Low	Low
Maintenance	Medium	Medium
Planting distance	80 cm	120 cm
For dogs	Toxic	Toxic
For cats	Toxic	Toxic
For children	Mildly toxic (uncertain)	Mildly toxic
Typical price	about €58 (40–60 cm)	about €31 (40–60 cm)

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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