Climbing Hydrangea is a deciduous, semi-evergreen woody vine that is native to the southeastern USA and is found in the coastal plain and mountain areas of NC. It is found naturally in swamps, bottomlands, and moist forests. Plant Climbing Hydrangea in partial sun to partial shade in moist to wet fertile, acidic soils. It does best with afternoon shade. It can tolerate heavy shade, but it will not flower as much as it will in partial or dappled shade. It needs to climb to produce flowers that appear only on new wood. It can be grown as groundcover but will not produce blooms. Propagate it from softwood cuttings, as it is quite difficult to grow from seed. In spring, 2 to 4-inch flat-topped clusters of white flowers appear with numerous stamens. Large glossy oval leaves fade to tan in the fall. The leaves cover the plant from top to bottom, making it ideal to hide fences or buildings or use as a privacy or screening plant. It attaches to structures with aerial rootlets and will cover buildings, trellises, walls, or arbors or can be trained as an espalier. The flowers attract pollinators. Fire Risk: This plant has a high flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Generally problem-free. Watch for powdery mildew, leaf spots, Botrytis, Aphids, Spider Mites, and Scale.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasional Flooding
Available space
12-24 feet; 24-60 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 12 ft. 0 in. - 36 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Climbing
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Shiny dark green oval pointed leaves that fade to tan in fall. The leaves are opposite with a smooth margin and pale underside. Up to 12 inches long and 6 inches wide
Fall color
Cream/Tan
Flower color
Cream/Tan; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Umbel
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
2"-4" flat-topped terminal clusters of small, fragrant, snow-white flowers. Individual flowers are less than an inch, white with numerous stamens. Flowers bloom May-June but only on new wood and when climbing not on the ground.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
The vine produces a brown, urn-shaped ribbed capsule that breaks open (dehiscent) and matures in late summer (July-October) and resemble the fruit of Clematis.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Light Gray; Red/Burgundy
Bark detail
Its bark is reddish to gray-brown rough with numerous thin with aerial rootlets.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
South East USA
Distribution
AL , AR , DE , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , NY , SC , TN , VA
Wildlife value
It's flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies and other pollinators.