Panicle hydrangea 'Candlelight'

Panicle hydrangea 'Candlelight' (Hydrangea paniculata 'Hpopr013') earns its name honestly: the dense conical panicles glow a warm cream-white. The shoots meanwhile are dark red, and that contrast with the foliage reads even from a distance.

Plant it in borders and cottage-style gardens, and grow it for cutting too, since the panicles last beautifully in a vase. A mature bush is 1-1.5 m tall and wide, noticeably more compact than 'Levana'. The heads open cream-white, then turn pale pink, and by the end of the season deep pink.

Key characteristics:

• What makes it special: The dark red shoots carry the cream-white panicles so that the bush looks like a candelabrum.
• Dimensions: At 10 years 1-1.5 m tall and just as wide.
• Hardiness: Hardy to -40 °C (USDA zone 3), overwintering without cover.
• Flowering: In August-September cream-white flowers open and blush all the way to deep pink.
• Light: Full sun or partial shade - any side of the garden will do: south, north, east or west.
• Soil: Loves soil rich in organic matter, moderately moist yet well-drained; loam and clay suit it perfectly.
• Watering: Water moderately and regularly so the soil stays evenly moist - no drying out and no standing water.
• Care: It flowers on the current year's shoots, so prune with confidence in late winter or early spring.
• Landscape use: Groups and drifts in a mixed border, a specimen on the lawn or an informal hedge - all of it flowering at the end of summer.
• Origin: The cultivar received the RHS Award of Garden Merit following the 2021-2025 panicle hydrangea trials.