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Hydrangea barbara

Common Name(s):

Previously known as:

  • Decumaria barbara
Phonetic Spelling
hy-DRAN-jee-uh BAR-bair-ah
Description

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. This large leafy vine attaches to structures with aerial rootlets and will cover buildings, trellises, walls, or arbors or can be trained as an espalier.  It needs to climb to produce flowers that appear only on new wood.  It can be grown as groundcover but will not produce blooms.

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. 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.  Propagate it from softwood cuttings as it is quite difficult to grow from seed. 

Fire Risk: This plant has an extreme 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. 

 

 

 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Barbara Ann'
  • ‘Vickie’
    Light yellow flowers
'Barbara Ann', ‘Vickie’
Tags:
#fragrant#showy flowers#deciduous#white flowers#nectar plant#low maintenance#espalier#stream banks#pond margins#privacy#fire extreme flammability#NC native#trellises#glossy leaves#deciduous vine#native vine#screening#pollinator plant#NC Native Pollinator Plant#food source nectar#food source pollen#Coastal FACW#Piedmont Mountains OBL#humidity tolerant#nectar plant late spring#butterfly friendly#nectar plant early summer#partial shade tolerant#flood tolerant#Audubon#heavy shade tolerant#wet soils intolerant#shade vines#wildlife friendly
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Barbara Ann'
  • ‘Vickie’
    Light yellow flowers
'Barbara Ann', ‘Vickie’
Tags:
#fragrant#showy flowers#deciduous#white flowers#nectar plant#low maintenance#espalier#stream banks#pond margins#privacy#fire extreme flammability#NC native#trellises#glossy leaves#deciduous vine#native vine#screening#pollinator plant#NC Native Pollinator Plant#food source nectar#food source pollen#Coastal FACW#Piedmont Mountains OBL#humidity tolerant#nectar plant late spring#butterfly friendly#nectar plant early summer#partial shade tolerant#flood tolerant#Audubon#heavy shade tolerant#wet soils intolerant#shade vines#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Hydrangea
    Species:
    barbara
    Family:
    Hydrangeaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    South East USA
    Distribution:
    AL , AR , DE , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , NY , SC , TN , VA
    Fire Risk Rating:
    extreme flammability
    Wildlife Value:
    It's flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
    Play Value:
    Attracts Pollinators
    Fragrance
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    This plant is moderately resistant to damage from deer.
    Climbing Method:
    Clinging
    Dimensions:
    Height: 12 ft. 0 in. - 36 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Ground Cover
    Native Plant
    Perennial
    Vine
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Climbing
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    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 To Plant:
    12-24 feet
    24-60 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Description:
    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.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Cream/Tan
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Umbel
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    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.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Glossy
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Cream/Tan
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Leaf Shape:
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    > 6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    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
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Dark Brown
    Light Gray
    Red/Burgundy
    Bark Description:
    Its bark is reddish to gray-brown rough with numerous thin with aerial rootlets.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Vertical Spaces
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Native Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Shade Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Screen/Privacy
    Attracts:
    Bees
    Butterflies
    Pollinators
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Heavy Shade
    Humidity
    Wet Soil