Barbara Ann Climbing Hydrangea

Do you enjoy having something different in your garden? Something that will grow under trees, and shift from groundcover to climbing plant? Something with attractive, fluffy, white flowers in summer? Well, we have just the thing – the Barbara Ann Climbing Hydrangea. This is not the more well-known climbing hydrangea,which comes from China. No, this is a home-town girl, growing in our woodlands from New York to Florida, but strangely little known to many gardeners. Stems grow like an ivy on the ground in the shade, but when it meets a tree, or you plant it at the foot of a trellis, fence, rough wall, or tree, up it goes. It will then cling by itself to the surface, and send out short side-shoots that carry the flowers. Capable of climbing 40 feet or more, it can easily be controlled as needed, and isn’t invasive. The attractive oval leaves are small and narrow on the spreading stems, but larger and broader, up to 5 inches long, on the shorter side stems that carry flowers. The leaves have a lovely glossy surface, much more so in this variety than in wild plants. It is deciduous to semi-evergreen, depending on your local climate. While the ground stems won’t flower, once it is climbing it will flower profusely in both sun and shade, carrying loose clusters of fluffy white flowers up to 4 inches across.

• Beautiful glossy leaves on spreading or climbing stems
• Versatile as ivy-like groundcover or self-clinging wall shrub
• Attractive white, fluffy flowers through summer
• Grows and blooms in both sun and shade
• Best grown in acidic, moist to wet ground

Plant the Barbara Ann Climbing Hydrangea in partial sun, best protected from direct afternoon sun, but great in filtered shade through trees. Takes a little time to establish, but patience will be rewarded. Grow it in rich, moist soil, and even in wetter spots, tolerating periods of flooding. Water regularly and frequently, it doesn’t enjoy dry conditions. Not eaten by deer and normally free of pests or diseases, this is an easy plant to grow, needing no attention. Prune as needed – it isn’t invasive like ivy.