Bigleaf hydrangea vs Panicle hydrangea

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

Bigleaf hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla 1.5 m × 1.5 m after 10 years

A rounded deciduous shrub with large mophead or lacecap flower clusters that carry the garden through summer. Plant it in sheltered part shade where…

Shrub

Part shade

Shade

from about CZK 89

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 CZK 79

Key differences

Panicle hydrangea grows larger: 2 m × 1.6 m after ten years, against 1.5 m × 1.5 m for Bigleaf hydrangea (an estimate: sources differ).
Panicle hydrangea is hardier: down to -34 °C, against -23 °C for Bigleaf hydrangea.
Panicle hydrangea copes better with summer heat than Bigleaf hydrangea.
Panicle hydrangea needs less water than Bigleaf hydrangea.
Panicle hydrangea also takes chalky soil, Bigleaf hydrangea prefers acidic soil and struggles on chalk.
Panicle hydrangea needs less care than Bigleaf hydrangea.
Bigleaf hydrangea also grows in shade, Panicle hydrangea does not.

Which one to choose?

Bigleaf hydrangea is the better choice if space is tight or the spot is shady.

Panicle hydrangea is the better choice if the garden is cold or a frost pocket, the spot is hot and sunny, you cannot water regularly or the soil is chalky.

Watch out for

Bigleaf hydrangea

Most cultivars flower on the previous year's wood, so in Central Europe a hard winter or a late spring frost can kill the flower buds and leave the shrub with few or no flowers that year; young plants are worth mulching with leaves for winter. On limy soil and with hard irrigation water it develops iron chlorosis (yellowing leaves). In hot, dry summers the leaves and flowers scorch and spider mites appear; aphids, powdery mildew and leaf spot also occur.

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	Bigleaf hydrangea	Panicle hydrangea
Group	Shrub	Shrub
Size after 10 years	1.5 m × 1.5 m	2 m × 1.6 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	1–2.5 m × 1–2.5 m	0.8–4.5 m × 0.8–3.6 m (uncertain)
Growth rate	Medium (uncertain)	Fast
Light	Part shade, Shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, 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–September, white, pink, red, blue, purple	July–October, white, green, pink, red (uncertain)
Water need	High	Medium
Drought tolerance	Low	Low
Maintenance	High	Medium
Planting distance	100 cm	120 cm
For dogs	Toxic	Toxic
For cats	Toxic	Toxic
For children	Mildly toxic	Mildly toxic
Typical price	approx. CZK 120	approx. CZK 150

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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