Name: Hydrangea paniculata ‘SMNHPRZEP’ aka Zinfin Doll®

Type of Plant: This is a panicle type hydrangea with large, impressive flowers. It is hardy in zones 3 to 8, and grows between 6 and 8 feet tall and wide.  

Why I Love This Plant: I have grown dozens of paniculata hydrangeas, and this is one I continue to admire. Like many other varieties of panicle hydrangeas, this one starts with white flowers that turn pink as the season progresses. But not only are the flowers on Zinfin Doll huge and impressive, but they are supported well on sturdy stems…which is not always the case on all varieties.

A Word to the Wise: Grow this shrub where it can get to be the 6 to 8 feet predicted. Yes, you can prune it hard every spring, but that will just stimulate new growth. Just as Zinfandel is a full-bodied wine, Zinfin Doll is a full-bodied shrub and should be prized as such.

Prune this back by up to ¼ of its height in early spring, but do that to promote bushy growth, not to try and control its height.

Plant Zinfin Doll Hydrangea where it will get at least 6 hours of direct sun.

In July the flowers on Zinfin Doll are pure white.

Later in August, the blooms on Zinfin Doll turn pink from the bottom up, so you see two-tone flower color.

The flowers on Zinfin Doll are larger than my head. I had trouble taking a selfie that included the entire bloom, because it was so large1

One of the best things about Zinfin Doll is that the stems are sturdy enough to support the large flowers. Even after a rainfall, these blossoms stay upright.