Zebra Hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Zebra’

Other Common Names: Mophead Hydrangea, Zebra Mophead Hydrangea

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 5a-8b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Deciduous Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 3-4′

Width at Maturity: 3-4′

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Mounding, Rounded

Flower Color: White

Flower Size: 5″ wide by 3″ high

Flowering Period: Late Spring, Summer, Early Fall

Flower Type: Single in large clusters

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Green leaves and Black stems

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: NA

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Part Shade (South) – Sun or Part Shade (North)

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sand (amended), Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist

Soil pH: 6.0 – 8.0 (Moderately Acid to Moderately Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Cold Temperatures (-20F / Zones 5-9), Deer – more info, Disease, Insect

Description

With a long blooming season that starts in late spring or early summer and continues into fall, the Zebra Hydrangea produces abundant clusters of ivory flowers perched atop deep black stems, hence the name ‘Zebra’. The black and white color combination, along with the deep green leaves, makes for a stunning floral display in the garden and in indoor cut flower arrangements. The 5-inch wide flower clusters emerge green and age to ivory white and are held on exceptionally strong stems that don’t flop. A glowing addition to the garden.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing in a rounded mound 3 to 4 feet tall and equally as wide, the Zebra Hydrangea ideal for use as a specimen or accent in smaller landscape spaces and home foundation plantings, flowering shrub borders and perennial gardens. In larger landscape spaces it is stunning in groupings or in straight or staggered rows as a colorful hedge. Suitable for growing in pots, planters and other containers and is a fine addition to Hydrangea gardens, white theme gardens, black and white theme gardens, cottage gardens and Asian gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for solid hedges; 6 feet or more apart for space between plants

How To Measure Total Square Feet Of A Planting Area

How Many Plants Needed To Cover A Planting Area?

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Planting Zone 5a, where this Hydrangea variety is not winter hardy outdoors, you can enjoy it in containers that can be moved indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

Zebra Hydrangea is very easy to grow in most any moist but well-drained soil with average fertility and full sun to part shade in northern zones above 7 and part shade (morning sun with afternoon shade or filtered sun) in southern zones 7 and below. For best flowering, we suggest 4 hours of direct sunlight per day. As with so many other ornamental plants, a constantly soggy or wet soil is problematic.

Note: Zebra is a Hydrangea macrophylla species that produces its flowers from buds that formed on “old wood” (during the previous year). This means that even though it is tempting to cut them back in the winter, when they are only bare sticks jutting out of the ground, don’t do it. The flower buds are already formed and hidden in those bare sticks, so don’t cut them off if you want flowers.

Get tips for proper pruning time and technique in our article titled How To Prune Various Types Of Hydrangea

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for mophead Hydrangeas.

How To Plant Hydrangeas In The Ground & Pots

How To Prune Various Types Of Hydrangea

How To Fertilize And Water Hydrangeas

Plant Long & Prosper!

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Questions? Contact Us

This is the third hydrangea I’ve ordered from Wilson Brothers. All three were carefully packaged and arrived in perfect condition, and all three are thriving in my garden.————————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I’m pleased with my purchase of a zebra hydrangea! The very healthy plant arrived quickly with no damage. Will definitely order from Wilson Bros again!———————————–Hi Kellie, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Zebra Hydrangea. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

I ordered two of the 1 gallon Zebra hydrangeas and they arrived in perfect condition. I have them in pots and they are growing well and blooming prolifically already. I highly recommend these gorgeous plants.——————————WBG Reply: Hi Nancy, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Zebra Hydrangea. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens