The best-known of these varieties, ’Grandifolia’, was found in the wild in Ohio in the year 1900; it has ball-shaped double blossoms about 10-18 cm in diameter. ‘Annabelle’ is another variety of wild origin, having been found near a town in the state of Illinois called Anna. This variety has showy inflorescences which can be over 20 cm in diameter.
These ball-hydrangeas are generally considered rather winter-tender. At Mustila, they grow more or less as perennials, the tops freezing each winter. This is not a problem regarding flowering since the flowers form on the new growth each year. In gardens and parks hydrangeas are usually cut down to ground level every year. A reasonable number of branches guarantees large blossoms.
The naming of these various tree hydrangea varieties has become rather confused though ‘Annabelle’, with its enormous blossoms, is usually easily distinguishable.