Panicle Hydrangea 'Levana'

Panicle hydrangea 'Levana' (Hydrangea paniculata 'Levana') is a giant among hydrangeas. The airy panicles reach 50 cm long, and the large white sterile florets sit loosely and openly within them. In autumn the panicles barely blush and stay white.

Plant it as a specimen or in an informal hedge wherever you need scale and a vigorous shrub. A mature bush is 1.5-2.5 m tall and wide, clearly bigger than 'Bobo' or 'Framboisine', and the sturdy shoots never droop under the weight of the heads. It flowers in August and September, when the garden wants a fresh patch of white.

Key characteristics:

• What makes it special: The cultivar is named after the butterfly Araschnia levana, and the large sterile florets look like butterflies.
• Dimensions: At 10 years 1.5-2.5 m tall and just as wide.
• Hardiness: Hardy to -40 °C (USDA zone 3), overwintering without cover.
• Flowering: At the end of summer, in August-September, the bush is covered with white flowers.
• 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: A seedling of 'Barbara', selected by Johan Possemiers at the Kalmthout Arboretum in Belgium.