Hydrangea anomala ssp. petiolaris

"There is no better climbing vine," says Donald Wyman, authority on woody plants. We would add that few others have the sheer presence of this Hydrangea, which forms a tiered habit as it matures, so that the huge creamy bloom panicles appear in stately layers. Utterly breathtaking climbing the side of a house or outbuilding, it sets masses of 6- to 8-inch flowerheads in early to midsummer. Cut these for indoor arrangements (fresh or dried) if you like, or leave them on the plant, where they dry magnificently in autumn.

Autumn is one of the best seasons for this climber, for the large, fresh green leaves turn a buttery shade of yellow, remaining for several weeks before dropping for winter. The sight of a mature Climbing Hydrangea in full autumn regalia is unforgettable!

Even winter is attractive with this vine, its bare branches revealing cinnamon-colored bark that peels elegantly over time. Truly four-season!

This plant needs no support to grow upward ? so you don't have to worry about tying the vine. Just give it a wall, arbor, or other structure to grow against, and up it goes. Of course, it's also effective as a groundcover, but its best use is for vertical coverage.

Climbing Hydrangea is easy, carefree, and very long-lived. It can be somewhat slow to establish, but once settled in, it makes excellent growth each year, and eventually tops out at 60 to 80 feet long (if left unpruned) and 10 to 12 feet wide. Content in sun or shade, it is very low maintenance. Zones 4-8.