Annabelle Hydrangea vs Nodding Onion - TreeTime.ca

Annabelle Hydrangea vs Nodding Onion

Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle

Allium cernuum

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

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Annabelle Hydrangea
Nodding Onion

Annabelle Hydrangea is a cold hardy shrub that is well known for its large, compact clusters of white flowers. Unlike other flowering species, Hydrangeas do best in partial shade. However, they are capable of growing in full sun if the soil is kept consistently moist.

Blooms occur on new wood, so regular pruning is encouraged in late winter. Try Annabelle Hydrangea as a border or on its own.

Nodding Onion is a native perennial wildflower known for its nodding clusters of flowers that range in color from white to pink to purple. The lightly scented blooms provide pollen and nectar for pollinators, especially bees, which can collect while hanging upside down, a capability most other insects lack.

The narrow, grass-like leaves of the Nodding Onion can be used as a seasoning in cooked dishes, though bulbs and raw leaves should not be eaten in large quantities. All parts of the plant have an onion-like aroma when bruised, which helps deter deer and rabbits. They can self-seed readily, so removing spent blooms helps manage their spread. Tolerant of a range of soils, including alkaline, it is well-suited for a variety of plantings, including pollinator gardens and naturalization projects.

Annabelle Hydrangea Quick Facts

Nodding Onion Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Light: partial shade
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: upright to spreading, clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - high
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: raw leaves and bulbs can be midly toxic
Foliage: smells of onion when crushed, edible
Flowers: white, showy clusters
Flowers: white, pink, or purple nodding clusters
Bloom time: late spring to summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, ON
Other Names: ladys leek, nodding wild onion