Invincibelle Spirit

Hydrangea arborescens is a native of the Eastern United States and is characterized by smaller individual flowers on larger, more globular heads than the more common mophead, H. macrophylla. The most well-known of H. arborescens cultivars is ‘Annabelle,’ with its blousy habit and enormous flower heads.

Dr. Tom Ranney from North Carolina State University’s research station developed the first pink cultivar. It was introduced in 2010 as ‘Invincibelle-Spirit.’ Our plants are still quite young, but they do standout in the beds with their closely packed flowers on the tips of new-wood growth. The blossoms are a pretty dusty pink which fades as the season advances, and can be dried for the winter just as the regular mopheads.