Woody Ornamentals

'Jersey Belle' Carolina Silverbell has very large white bell-shaped flowers that hang thickly under the branches in May. Foliage turns an attractive yellow in fall and the bark adds winter interest with its contrasting striations. Four-winged, brownish, nut-like fruits appear in the fall and often persist well into the winter. Halesia carolina (formerly tetraptera) 'Jersey Belle' was named and introduced by Princeton Nurseries.

Two-wing Silverbell is a lovely native tree that is covered with white bell-like flowers in early spring.  When the flowers drop, they carpet the ground under Halesia diptera var. magniflora with a white blanket.  The blooms are followed by pendulous green two-winged fruit which turn tan in fall.  The fruit persist into winter, and add an interesting element as they are moved by breezes.

'Amethyst' Vernal Witchhazel has fragrant lavender-purple flowers appearing in late winter and early spring, followed by coppery new growth. Good orange and yellow fall color. Hamamelis vernalis 'Amethyst' is also salt and wet site tolerant. Great as a cut branch in the house for a spring "pick-me-up". Found by Tim Brotzman of Ohio and named by Don Shadow.

PRN Preferred:  The purple flowers are a very unusual color for Witchhazels.

Autumn Embers™ (‘KLMNINETEEN’) Vernal Witchhazel is a lovely selection of our native shrub that was selected by Roy Klehm for its excellent fall color.  The foliage varies from red purple to yellow orange, depending on the fall temperatures, with the more vivid colors appearing in northern locations.  He named it Autumn Embers™ beacause he said the fall foliage colors looked like a glowing campfire on a crisp autumn evening.  The additional gift from Autumn Embers™ Witchhazel is its small fragrant orange flowers in February and March.  All Hamamelis vernalis have proven to be both salt and wet site tolerant. 

‘Beholden’ Vernal Witchhazel is a great cross between Hamamelis ‘Amethyst’ (purple) and Hamamelis ‘Holden’ (yellow to orange). Like Chris Lane’s introduction ‘Holden’, Hamamelis vernalis ‘Beholden’ is a very early Witchhazel, starting to bloom in late fall. The strap-like flower petals are a vivid orange and fragrant, on a sturdy non-suckering shrub (propagated from cuttings, not grafted). The great Hamamelis expert Tim Brotsman hybridized this lovely native.

‘Blue Moon’ Vernal Witchhazel blooms in February and March, producing purple to bluish violet strap-like flowers. The fall color is shades of yellow and the habit is vase-shaped. A classic eastern woodland shrub. We grow Hamamelis ‘Blue Moon’ on its own roots so suckering is not a problem.

Grape Fizz™ (‘KLMNN’) Vernal Witchhazel is an introduction by Roy Klehm. The ribbon-like winter flowers are reddish purple and fragrant. They are borne on bare branches and provide important food to winter pollinators on warm days. The foliage is green, turning to shades of orange and yellow in fall. Hamamelis vernalis Grape Fizz™ is compact in habit, and grown on its own roots instead of being grafted.

‘Kohankie Red’ Ozark Witchhazel came from Kohankie Nursery in Perry, Ohio in the late 1950s. Its fragrant threadlike flowers appear in late winter in shades of reddish purple, lightening to orange at the tips of the petals. The sturdy green foliage turns shades of yellow, orange and red in the fall. The great thing about our Hamamelis vernalis cultivars is that they are propagated by cuttings, so there will be no problem with understock suckers.

Orange Sunrise™ (‘KLMT’) Vernal Witchhazel comes from Roy Klehm’s extensive breeding work with Hamamelis. The flowers appear on the bare branches in late winter, in shades of light orange. The strap-like petals are showy at a time of year when there is so little in bloom, and Orange Sunrise™ supplies nourishment to winter pollinators on warm days. The summer foliage is green, turning yellow in fall. Propagated by cuttings, so no suckering.

‘Purple Ribbons’ Ozark Witchhazel blooms in late winter and early spring, producing fragrant lavender purple threadlike flowers along the bare branches. The green leaves follow after the bloom period and add fall season interest when they take on shades of yellow and orange. Another lovely introduction from Roy Klehm of Beaver Creek and Song Sparrow Nurseries. Grown on its own roots, so understock suckering is never a problem.

‘Spring Bounty’ (‘KLMPP’) Vernal Witchhazel was introduced by Roy Klehm. The flowers appear in late winter and early spring, in attractive shades of reddish purple. The green summer foliage is followed by yellow leaves in the fall. Hamamelis vernalis ‘Spring Bounty’ is a tough native shrub that performs well in sun and shade. Since it is propagated by cuttings rather than grafting, it does not suffer from suckering understock.

‘Upchurch’ Ozark was selected by Brian Upchurch, a great nurseryman from North Carolina. The ribbon-shaped flowers open in late winter in shades of orange and yellow. The habit is more upright than most Witchhazels, making this native shrub a good choice for tighter spaces. Hamamelis vernalis ‘Upchurch’ is a good source of food for pollinators active in winter. We grow it on its own roots to avoid suckering problems.

Woodland Joy™ (‘KLMLL’) Vernal Witchhazel is another attractive selection by the great plantsman Roy Klehm. The ribbon-like flowers are shades of deep orange, displayed on bare branches in winter. Hamamelis vernalis Woodland Joy™ has nice green foliage throughout the summer, followed by yellow leaves in the fall. With the winter fragrance, Witchhazels are a welcome cut branch inside the house. Suckering will not be a problem because Hamamelis vernalis Woodland Joy™ is propagated by cuttings.

‘Sunglow’ Common Witchhazel comes from a plant at the National Arboretum, shared with Hidden Hollow Nursery of Tennessee. Hamamelis virginiana ‘Sunglow’ has showier flowers than most typical species examples, producing lemon yellow fragrant blooms in late fall. This large native shrub is a lovely versatile presence in Eastern forests, with yellow fall foliage and flowers when little else is showy.

PRN Preferred: Large yellow blooms with strong fragrance light up the late fall landscape.

‘Vincent’s Red’ Common Witchhazel came to us from Ohio Hamamelis King Tim Brotzman. The original plant came from Connecticut, and was selected because the spidery flower petals are red at the centers, shifting to orange and yellow on the tips. Hamamelis virginiana ‘Vincent’s Red’ starts blooming in late fall and continues into early winter. Witchhazels thrive in both sun and shade and are common in the Northeast woodland understory.

‘Winter Champagne’ Common Witchhazel is an introduction by Tim Brotzman of Madison Ohio from seedlings he got from Harald Neubauer of Tennessee. It produces fragrant flowers of a light champagne orange starting in December, continuing through January. Because of the later bloom period Tim thinks this may be a spontaneous virginiana/vernalis cross. Hamamelis ‘Winter Champagne’ is a vigorous native that brightens up the winter landscape, and provides food for winter pollinators.

'Jelena' Witchhazel has copper-orange fragrant flowers in late winter and yellow-orange fall foliage.  It was named for Jelena de Belder, and has won numerous awards in Europe.  This is our freind Andrew Bunting's favorite Hamamelis.

'Sunburst' Witchhazel has large lemon yellow fragrant flowers in late winter and early spring and yellow fall foliage. An interesting note from Scott Canning of Wave Hill is that winter leaf retention in Witchhazels is a juvenile characteristic, and all Hamamelis outgrow it after 8 or 10 years.

Seven-Son Flower buds appear in early summer but the fragrant white flowers don't open until August.  The single flowers appear in a seven flowered whorl and are loved by bees, butterflies and other pollinators.  After the flowers fade their calyx darken to a vivid red color and are possibly showier than when in flower.   After the leaves fall, the exfoliating bark of Heptacodium miconioides adds winter interest. A good substitute for a Crapemyrtle in a more northern climate.  We have found Heptacodiums thriving in both Vermont and Maine.

'Annabelle' Smooth Hydrangea has white snowball flowers in June and July, a classic plant from Joe McDaniel, a University of Illinis professor.  The name Annabelle is a reference to the town of Anna, Illinois, where the plant was was shared amougst gardeners.   Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' is considered by many to be somewhat deer resistant! Bruce Cole recommends a late spring gentle trimming to delay the flower period and reduce the flopping.  Smooth Hydrangeas are salt tolerant.

PRN Preferred: This may have been around for a long time, but it’s wonderful for its prolific, natural-looking flowers and its toughness.

'Haas Halo' Smooth Hydrangea was selected by Rick Ray of Pennsylvania for its extraordinarily large white lacecap flowers.  They are produced for a long period in mid summer, and are displayed on sturdy stems which do not flop, unlike many mopheads.  'Haas Halo' is tolerant of full sun as long as good moisture is consistently present, and its 14" flowers make lovely cut or dried flowers.  Excellent for a natural look along woodland edges.  2020 PHS Gold Medal Plant!

PRN Preferred: The best lacecap Smooth Hydrangea we have seen, with large showy inflorescences.  Pollinators love it.

The very large white mophead flowers of Incrediball® ('Abetwo') Smooth Hydrangea appear in June and July. The sterile flowers emerge lime green before maturing to pure white.  Considered to be an improved version of H. ‘Annabelle’.  Incrediball® has larger flowers and thicker upright stems that do not flop.  Can be cut and used in dried flower arrangements.

Incrediball® Blush ('NCHA4') Smooth Hydrangea is a color breakthrough, with large soft pink mophead flowers supported by strong stems.  As the blooms mature, they change to shades of light green.  Incrediball® Blush is attractive as a cut flower as well as in dried arrangements.  All Smooth Hydrangeas benefit from a good pruning in late winter, since they bloom on new growth.

Invincibelle Garnetta® (‘NCHA6’) Smooth Hydrangea comes from the work of Dr. Tom Ranney of NC State University. The blooms appear in early summer, emerging in garnet shades which mature to a good deep pink. Hydrangea arborescens Invincibelle Garnetta® starts blooming somewhat later than other Smooth Hydrangeas, and will rebloom sporadically through the summer, especially if spent blooms are removed. The color is a standout, and the habit is neat and compact.

Invincibelle Wee White® (‘NCHA5’) Smooth Hydrangea is the first dwarf Annabelle Hydrangea, from the Proven Winners® breeding program. The flowers emerge from soft pink buds which rapidly mature to white mopheads on strong short stems. Hydrangea Invincibelle Wee White® starts blooming in June and reblooms sporadically all summer, especially if deadheaded. The dried flower heads are attractive, and this compact mounding beauty would be a great patio container plant for partial shade locations.

Invincibelle® Ruby (‘NCHA3’) Smooth Hydrangea produces ruby red to soft pink mophead flowers starting in early summer. Hydrangea arborescens Invincibelle® Ruby has strong stems supporting the flowers, and it blooms intermittently throughout the summer, especially if deadheaded. Since it flowers on new wood, you can prune it hard in the spring without compromising the flower display. Another improvement by Dr. Tom Ranney of NC State University.

BloomStruck® Endless Summer® Bigleaf Hydrangea ('PIIH-II') has large blue or rose-pink mophead flowers, depending on the soil pH.  Since it is a rebloomer, the flower display continues all summer.  The blooms are held on red-purple stems, and the glossy green foliage is set-off by dark red petioles and veins.  An excellent new introduction from Dr. Michael Dirr showing good mildew resistance as well as great flower power.

PRN Preferred:  The thicker leaf handles the heat/sun better than other macrophyllas, stronger stems and more intense flower color.  We prefer BloomStruck over Endless Summer®.

Cherry Explosion™ (‘McKay’) Bigleaf Hydrangea has large, cherry red lacecap flowers all summer. The flowers have strong, deeply saturated sterile petals which surround the pink fertile florets. Hydrangea macrophylla Cherry Explosion™ comes from Thomas Buechel and McKay Nursery of Wisconsin, so you know it’s cold tolerant. The foliage is dark green and lustrous in the summer, taking on purple tones in the fall. Introduced by Star® Roses.

Endless Summer® ('Bailmer') The Original Hydrangea has large pink or blue mophead flowers and blooms all summer on new growth. The pH level in the soil largely determines the flower color.  From Dr. Dirr and Bailey Nurseries. It is also salt tolerant. 

'Glowing Embers' Bigleaf Hydrangea has larger crimson purple mophead flowers over lustrous, thick textured leaves. Thought by many (including Dr. Michael Dirr) to be the same as H. 'Alpenglow' the depth of its flower color changes to more purple than red in the presence of higher soil acidity. Salt tolerant and sun tolerant.

Blue Jangles® ('SMHMTAU’) Bigleaf Hydrangea is part of the Let’s Dance® series from Proven Winners®. The reblooming mophead flowers are a dark blue in acid soil, or a strong pink in alkaline soil. The habit of Hydrangea Blue Jangles® is compact, and since it blooms on both old and new wood, this reblooming Hydrangea does not need pruning.

Summer Crush® ('Bailmacfive') Endless Summer® Bigleaf Hydrangea blooms throughout the summer, producing lots of raspberry red to vivid purple mophead flowers.  The habit is compact, with glossy dark green leaves that tolerate sun well.  Hydrangea Summer Crush® is a new exciting rebloomer form Bailey Nurseries, resulting from the work of  Dr Michael Dirr with reblooming Hydrangea.

PRN Preferred: The dark pink mophead flowers are produced all summer, and the foliage stays thick, lustrous and clean.

'Tokyo Delight' Bigleaf Hydrangea is a beautiful lacecap with large white sterile florets on the edge and blue fertile flowers in the center of the flowers. Blooms age to a lovely, long lasting rose color. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Tokyo Delight' is tough as nails and a reliable bloomer every year.

A new exciting offering from Dr. Michael Dirr and Bailey Nurseries, Hydrangea macrophylla Twist 'n' Shout® ('PIIHM-I') Endless Summer® is a cross between Endless Summer® and Lady in Red™ and is a reblooming deep pink lacecap with red stems. Fall color is also colorful, turning a striking burgundy red. Bruce Cole of Jackson, New Jersey finds that it is a very floriferous rebloomer. It is also salt tolerant.

Double Delights™ 'Wedding Gown' ('Dancing Snow') Bigleaf Hydrangea is a white lacecap with extra flower power. The large sterile florets start as lime maturing to white, and are very double. The bloom period is prolonged, starting in May and continuing through the summer. The combination of big flowers on a compact plant makes this a winner for big and small landscapes.

Berry White® (‘Renba’) Hardy Hydrangea which has its flower color progression spelled out in its name- white blooms maturing to berry pink and red. Hydrangea paniculata Berry White® is a mid-sized First Editions® introduction with roundish white panicles starting in July. The blooms age through shades of pink, raspberry red and wine red, before staying tan throughout the winter. The cooler the nighttime temperatures, the deeper the red colors.

Bobo® ('ILVOBO') Hardy Hydrangea is dwarf in habit without sacrificing the number of flowers it produces.  The rounded blooms start as large lime green balls in late June and progress through clear white to shades of soft pink as they mature.  The flowers persist through most of the summer, and the dwarf habit of Hydrangea paniculata Proven Winners® Color Choice® Bobo® makes it an excellent addition to mixed perennial borders as well as foundation plantings.  Developed in Belgium by Dr. Johan Van Huylenbroek. 2021 PHS Gold Medal Plant.

PRN Preferred:  We're impressed by the number and beauty of the blooms, especially when combined with its compact habit.

Fire Light Tidbit® (‘SMNHPK’) Hardy Hydrangea is a very compact form of PeeGee Hydrangea, with the added benefit of fall color in the panicles. The flowers of Hydrangea paniculata Fire Light Tidbit® start out as white mopheads in mid summer. As the daylight wanes and the temperatures cool, they turn lovely shades of pink and red. Fire Light Tidbit® makes a beautiful dried flower if cut when it is turning color. This is a good choice for containers because of its small habit and heavy bloom production.

Fire Light® (‘SMHPFL’) Hardy Hydrangea is a compact form of Pee Gee Hydrangeas, with creamy white flowers starting in early July. The blooms age to striking shades of dark rose red, particularly if Hydrangeas Fire Light® is trimmed a little in May (it postpones the bloom production). The cooler the weather and the shorter the daylight, the deeper the pink to red color. All Pee Gee Hydrangeas are very cold hardy, but the compact size of Fire Light® makes this useful in tighter spaces that cannot take huge shrubs.

PRN Preferred: The white panicles become an intensely dark red in late summer and early fall.

Lime-green panicle flowers of Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' emerge in July and age in August to white and rose-pink. One of the best of the Pee Gee Hydrangeas, from Pieter Zwijnenburg, Jr.

Limelight Prime® (‘SMNHPH’) Hardy Hydrangea starts blooming in mid summer, producing cone-shaped lime green panicles which rapidly turn white. The habit of Hydrangea Limelight Prime® is more compact than the original Limelight®, and the stems are sturdier so the flowers do not flop after rains. As the summer temperatures cool, Limelight Prime® takes on shades of rose pink. The seedheads are tan and an interesting addition in winter. The cold tolerance and compact habit make this a good candidate for large containers.

Little Lime® ('Jane') Hardy Hydrangea has the lovely chartreuse-to-white flowers of H. 'Limelight', but on a more compact plant. Its diminutive size makes it a better choice for a small garden application without losing the striking effect of the large colorful panicles in July and August.

Little Quick Fire® ('SMHPLQF') Hardy Hydrangea is suited to smaller gardens because of its shorter statue.  The blooms start out white in June and age to dusty pink by late in the summer.  The color is more intense in cooler weather, so trimming Hydrangea paniculata Proven Winners® Color Choice® Little Quick Fire® back moderately in June will promote this by delaying the start of flowering.  Hardy Hydrangeas are valuable ornamentals because of their lengthy bloom period, and they also make excellent cut or dried flowers.

Quick Fire Fab® (‘SMNHPM’) Hardy Hydrangea differs from Hydrangea Quick Fire® because the flowers are very large mopheads rather than more open panicles. Hydrangea Quick Fire Fab® begins blooming earlier than most paniculatas, and produces a quantity of white blooms which age to rose and then red as the days shorten and the night grows cooler. They make great dried cut flowers, holding the red colors through the winter.

Quick Fire® ('Bulk') Hardy Hydrangea is a very early blooming Pee Gee Hydrangea. Flowers start out white in June and age to deep pink by mid summer. From Mark Bulk in Holland. Ronni Hock of Lawrenceville says it is her favorite because of the lovely red stems.  This is Dick Karkalits' favorite Pee Gee Hydrangea becasue it blooms very early and the aged panicles hold up well into October.

Strawberry Sundae® ('Rensun') First Editions® Hardy Hydrangea is a compact version of Bailey's beautiful Hydrangea Vanilla Strawberry™. The white cone-shaped panicles appear in July and rapidly take on lovely shades of deep strawberry pink as they age. Hydrangea paniculata blooms for an extended period, often up to the start of fall, so the bloom display often includes both white and vivid pink. Strawberry Sundae™ originated in France, from the breeding work of Jean Renault.

Vanilla Strawberry™ ('Renhy') First Editions® Hardy Hydrangea starts its bloom cycle with enormous creamy-white, cone-shaped panicles that age through soft pink to a bright reddish rose. Since the plant produces new blooms for an extended period, Vanilla Strawberry™ has a three-toned effect. From Bailey Nurseries, Inc. of Minnesota, who got it from the Renault Nursery in France.

'Amethyst' Oakleaf Hydrangea has upright white panicles that age to a gorgeous wine red, retaining this color even when used as a dried cut flower. The branching is denser and more upright than other Oakleafs, making this cultivar more suitable for smaller gardens.  The fall color is an added asset, turning a lovely burgundy-red. Another great selection by the Hydrangea king, Dr. Michael Dirr, which we first admired at the Scott Arboretum.

Gatsby Pink® ('JoAnn') Oakleaf Hydrangea starts blooming in June, producing large white upright panicles.  As the flowers age, they take on shades of pink which are attractive for a lengthy time throughout the summer.  The disease free green foliage takes on shades of red and burgundy in the fall, and as Hydrangea Gatsby Pink® matures, the exfoliating tan bark adds winter interest.

Gatsby Star® (‘Doughill’) Oakleaf Hydrangea produces long white panicles of hose-in-hose sterile florets. As the flowers mature, they take on a bicolored effect because the newly emerging star-shaped florets are green and the mature ones are white. In cooler weather the older florets take on shades of rose pink, making Hydrangea quercifolia Gatsby Star® a wonderful dried flower (hang upside down when drying for best results). The fall foliage color is shades of red, orange and burgundy.

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Pee Wee' has white panicle flowers in June and July and is a compact form of the Oakleaf Hydrangea. It has burgundy-red fall foliage.  'Pee Wee' Oakleaf Hydrangea grows much smaller with smaller leaves and smaller flower panicles than the species.  Introduction by Aldrich Nursery in Alabama. One of our favorite Oakleaf Hydrangeas, because the foliage is so neat and clean.

PRN Preferred:  All the great attributes of an Oakleaf Hydrangea but in compact form.

'Queen of Hearts' Oakleaf Hydrangea comes from the exciting US National Arboretum breeding program in McMinnville, TN.  This lovely cross between H. 'Pee Wee' and H. Snow Queen™ starts blooming a week or more later than most other Oakleafs, with large upright white panicles which slowly age to a deep rose pink.  The fall color is mahogany red, and winter interest is provided by tan exfoliating bark on older plants.  This is a sister seedling of H. 'Ruby Slippers'.

Snow Queen™ ('Flemygea') Oakleaf Hydrangea has upright white panicle flowers and burgundy-red fall foliage. Hydrangea quercifolia Snow Queen™ was introduced by noted plantsman, William Flemer III. All the Oakleaf Hydrangeas show some deer resistance.

PRN Preferred:  Flowers have an upright habit so they stand out above the foliage.

‘Snowcicle’ Oakleaf Hydrangea comes from Richard Davis, and has 12” panicles of double white florets. The long vigorous blooms change to a combination of creamy white, soft green and dusty rose as they mature, giving the flowers an interesting tricolor effect. Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowcicle’ has sturdy stems supporting the very large inflorescences. Similar to Hydrangea Snowflake, it also makes a good dried flower.

'Snowflake' ('Brido') Oakleaf Hydrangea has sterile younger florets which emerge from the older florets for an extended period, resulting in a strikingly long, multi-colored panicle. The new florets are white and the older ones are a dusty pink, working well as a unique landscape plant. Red-purple fall foliage. Makes an extraordinary dried flower.

'Blue Bird' Sawtooth Hydrangea has blue lacecap flowers starting in June. The leaves are larger and rounder than H. 'Blue Billow'.  A very hardy Hydrangea, with excellent cold tolerance.

Tuff Stuff Ah-Ha® ('SMNHSDD') Sawtooth Hydrangea is a very showy reblooming lacecap in the Tuff Stuff™ series.  The short statue does not limit the number of large flowers, as Hydrangea Ah-Ha® is a heavy bloomer on both old and new wood.  Since it is a serrata, its cold tolerance is also an advantage.  The double sterile florets vary in color from pink to purple, depending on the soil pH and amount of aluminum sulfate.

Tuff Stuff™ ('MAK20') Sawtooth Hydrangea is an exciting addition to the reblooming world, with sturdy reddish pink lacecap flowers produced on new and old wood.  Hydrangea Tuff Stuff™ blooms from early summer through to the fall, and the flowers are followed by attractive fall foliage in shades of bronze red.  Pruning should be done in mid summer, ceasing by early August to allow new growth to harden off.  

The small yellow flowers of 'Gemo' St Johnswort are produced for an extended period through July and August, appearing in profusion on a neat compact shrub covered with narrow green leaves. The seed capsules sound like little rattles when brushed against or moved by the wind.  We love the delicate overall effect of this tough native.

PRN Preferred:  Flowers for an extremely long period of time, a workhorse in the garden.

Dr. Paul Cappiello of Yew Dell Gardens in Kentucky selected Blue Velvet™ ('CCFLPC-1') St Johnswort, a blue-leaved seedling of H. kalmiatum. The attractive small-leaved foliage of Hypericum x Blue Velvet™ is set off by lovely bright yellow flowers for an extended period in mid summer.  The name 'Blue Velvet' fits the appearance of this lovely introduction perfectly.

Large yellow flowers bloom for an extended period starting in June. 'Hidcote' St Johnswort benefits from hard pruning in spring. Flowers are unusually large, slightly fragrant and bloom throughout the summer.  Hypericum x 'Hidcote' is salt tolerant and does well at the seashore.