How Much Do Hydrangeas Cost?

Favorite Varieties

• Smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), which grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9 and oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), which grows in USDA zones 5 through 9, both U.S. natives, have several varieties that are easy to find. “Annabelle” is an old smooth hydrangea cultivar and “Incrediball” and “Invincibelle Spirit” have stronger stems to support the huge flower heads. “Snow Queen” and “Alice” are common oakleaf varieties. Blooming-age shrubs of these and other favorites such as “Nikko Blue” smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), which grows in USDA zones 5 through 9, are sold at nurseries or online for $10 to $30, as of 2013.

Size Matters

• Hydrangeas area moved to larger containers as they grow. Plan on paying more for 1-gallon containers than 1-quart containers because of the increased cost of caring for the older plants. In addition, newer bigleaf hydrangea cultivars in new color combinations or unusual cultivars, such as the “Munchkin” oakleaf hydrangea, might be kept in the nursery longer than established cultivars. Larger plants, particularly new or unusual varieties, might cost between $40 and $50, at the time of publication.

Hydrangea Royalty

• Smooth hydrangeas make an impressive hedge and oakleaf hydrangeas provide fine fall leaf color on large shrubs. If you live in USDA zone 5 or above, perhaps choose the colorful bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) that blooms in shades of blue, violet, pink and magenta. Older cultivars in good supply start around $15. Newer or rarer cultivars can be expensive. Distinctive “Cityline” shrubs grow stronger stems than many bigleaf hydrangeas. Many plants feature bicolor or lacecap flower heads. These newer plants cost more than older cultivars, from $25 to $50, even though mature plants are smaller.

For Free, Take

• If you're on a budget, buy the best plant in the largest container you can afford and take care of it for a few years before propagating it. You can start climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala) and panicle hydrangeas (Hyrangea paniculata) from seed, but other species cannot be trusted to start true to type from seed. Climbing hydrangeas grow in USDA zones 4 through 7 and panicle hydrangeas grow in USDA zone 3 through 8. Take softwood cuttings from panicle, smooth or bigleaf hydrangeas that are not blooming in early summer, cutting at the third node from the end. Divide clumps or take suckers from smooth hydrangeas in late winter or early spring. Oakleaf hydrangea propagates easily by division, cutting or layering from spring through early fall. Start a hedge by tying down branches on either sides of mature plants. Although you might have to wait two or three years for your seeds and a year for your cuttings to bloom, you’ll have a yard full of blooms for a fraction of the cost of buying the plants from a nursery.