Do Hydrangeas Smell?

Oak Leaf Hydrangea

• Oak leaf hydrangea, hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9, is a native North American plant. The shrubs are at least 4 to 6 feet tall and wide, with a suckering habit that creates colonies of plants. The large, conical flowerheads or panicles are white, aging to pink, and appear in early summer. At 4 to 12 inches long, they are also fragrant. The foliage resembles large oak leaves and turns red in the fall. Oak leaf hydrangeas also feature light brown exfoliating bark.

Climbing Hydrangea

• Hardy in USDA zones 4 through 7 or 8, climbing hydrangea can reach heights of 60 to 80 feet, though they can be trimmed to more manageable dimensions. The flowerheads are white and appear in early summer, bearing a fragrance characterized by Michael Dirr, professor emeritus at the University of Georgia, as "sweet." The plants thrive in full sun or light shade and climb, much like English ivy, by means of clinging "holdfasts" on the stems. Those stems also have light brown exfoliating bark.

Panicle Hydrangea

• Panicle hydrangea is hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8 and is notable among hydrangeas for its cold hardiness. It grows 10 to 20 feet tall and can be grown as a shrub or trained into standard (tree) form. The dark green, oval-shaped leaves are opposite on the stems and sometimes develop a red-purple tinge in the fall. Pyramidal or cone-shaped flower panicles appear in late summer or early fall. They are white at first, aging to pink. All panicle hydrangeas have some scent, but varieties like "Big Ben" (Hydrangea paniculata "Big Ben") have a more pronounced fragrance.

"Ayesha"

• "Ayesha" (Hydrangea macrophylla "Ayesha") is a mophead- type hydrangea, with the typical characteristics of the species, including large, dark green leaves and full, rounded flowerheads that are blue in acid soil and pink in alkaline soil. The most distinctive trait of "Ayesha" is a sweet fragrance, something that is absent in other mophead varieties. The flowers also have an unusual appearance because the individual flower petals are cupped instead of slightly curled, giving the entire flowerhead a tighter, more formal look. The petals are waxy and more substantial than those of normal mopheads.