A Brand-New Hydrangea Has Arrived in the US – It’s a Color-Changing Groundcover That Blooms for 100 Days
Groundbreaker Hydrangeas’ unique spreading habit makes it possible to create a living carpet of cottage garden blooms
Groundbreaker Hydrangeas have just launched in the US, introducing a completely new way to grow these cottage garden favorites. Originally bred in the Netherlands as the first true groundcover hydrangea, these panicles have an unusually low, spreading form, blooming for up to 100 days from summer into fall.
Unlike traditional shrub hydrangea varieties, Groundbreaker Hydrangeas (exclusively available to pre-order at Plant Addicts) stay compact, reaching just 12-16" tall with a spread of up to 32". Instead of taking on a shrub form, they create a carpet of classic cone-shaped panicle blooms, making them a striking alternative to traditional groundcover plants while flowering from July to November.
Available in three colors – 'Blush,' 'Greeny,' and 'Ruby' – Groundbreakers are easy to maintain, needing just one simple chop in early spring and consistent watering through summer. With strong, branching stems, they offer masses of densely packed blooms that deepen into rich multi-toned hues as fall approaches.
These hydrangeas are already proving to be popular and selling fast, so now is the time to pre-order one for fall planting.
'Blush' emerges with beautiful white blooms in mid-summer, deepening with soft pink tones. It has a mature height of 12" and spread of 2ft.
'Greeny' produces eye-catching lime-green blooms, which soften to a creamy white. It has a mature height of 16" and spread of 32".
'Ruby' has white blooms that deepen into a striking, rich ruby red in late summer. It has a mature height of 16" and spread of 28".
What Are Groundbreaker Hydrangeas?
Groundbreaker Hydrangeas were originally bred by Alex Schoemaker in 2017 at Living Creations in the Netherlands.
It was the result of wanting to create a true groundcover hydrangea with strong stems and a compact growing habit.
'Blush' was the first cultivar introduced, with its light pink and white panicle blooms. The collection has since expanded to include 'Greeny' with neon green flowers, and 'Ruby,' loved for its white blooms that darken into a rich ruby shade come fall.
Now that the Groundbreaker collection has landed in the US market, there are endless possibilities for growing these cottage garden blooms – whether in pots (they would look particularly striking in this large stoneware planter from Wayfair), lining garden paths, or bringing color to the front of borders.
How to Grow Them
The Groundbreaker collection is suitable for USDA zones 5-9, where they thrive in 4-6 hours of sunlight daily, protected from intense afternoon sun to stop hydrangea flowers turning brown – you can use this garden shade cloth from Amazon.
The best part about Groundbreaker being compact is it's a great pick of hydrangea to grow in pots. Alternatively, plant several Groundbreaker Hydrangeas together to create a sweeping border.
When planted next to each other, plant Groundbreakers 20-24 inches apart to allow for spreading.
The best soil type for Groundbreaker Hydrangeas is neutral to slightly acidic, fertile, and well-draining. They'll perform best when you water these hydrangeas consistently. Just like other hydrangeas, these thirsty plants will quickly wilt from drought, so make sure to have a soil moisture meter (like this from Amazon) on hand to regularly check the soil.
As for pruning these hydrangeas, you should use these sharp Fiskars bypass pruning shears to cut the plant back to eight inches above the soil in early spring, ahead of new growth. This will help maintain a healthy, well-balanced shape.
It's also a good idea to fertilize these hydrangeas with a slow-release granular hydrangea feed (which you can find at Walmart) in early spring, as new green growth starts to appear.
Shop Hydrangea Essentials
This liquid hydrangea feed is a special formula to support hydrangea blooming. Dilute and apply every 3-4 weeks during spring and summer.
The Felco F2 pruning shears are loved by gardeners for their quality. It has replicable parts for a lifetime of use.
These long sleeve gardening gloves have a beautiful floral pattern. They protect your arms and hands when tending to woody plants in the garden.
Hydrangeas can seem daunting at first, especially if you've heard the horror stories of pruning them wrong. But there are actually lots of hydrangea myths that simply aren't true. Reading up on where to never place hydrangeas will also help you have success with your new Groundbreaker Hydrangeas.
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