Hydrangea arborescens subspecies radiata Invincibelle Lace
Hydrangea 'Invincibelle Lace' photo courtesy of Spring Meadow Nursery
Smooth Hydrangea

Some people adore lacecap flowers for their delicate beauty, while others appreciate their pollen for butterflies and bees. This new introduction from Proven Winners is the first smooth hydrangea with plum-purple lacy florets carried on strong, wiry stems of a dark ruby hue.   We think this will be a fantastic addition to the hydrangeas that will grow in  Zone 4. Lacecap Hydrangeas are the only type of Hydrangeas that produce pollen for bees but other varieties of Lacecaps are not hardy enough for our area so this is a real breakthrough in Hydrangea breeding since it is hardy to Zone 3. Smooth hydrangeas offer dozens of landscape applications: foundation plantings, perennial gardens, hedges, cut flower gardens, naturalizing, pollinator and wildlife gardens.

  • Height: 1.2-1.5m (4-5ft)
  • Spread: 1.2-1.5m (4-5ft)
  • Hardiness: Zone 3-8
  • Sun or Shade: Minimum of 4 hours of direct sun
  • Bloom Time: summer
  • Leaf Colour: green
  • Bloom Colour: pink/purple
  • Nature Attraction: bees and butterflies

Growing and Maintenance Tips

'Invincibelle Lace' grows well in most soils but avoid wet and poorly drained sites. Mulch is recommended in the landscape. It blooms on new wood so cut back by about one-third its total height in early spring, just as the new growth begins to emerge on the stems. Smooth hydrangeas may be cut back harder, however, this prevents woody cells from developing, prohibiting the plant from achieving its maximum stem strength.
We recommend full sun to afternoon shade for smooth hydrangeas. Too much shade will make them floppy. The flower color of smooth hydrangeas is not influenced by soil chemistry.

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