Dragon Baby™ Hydrangea vs Nodding Onion - TreeTime.ca

Dragon Baby™ Hydrangea vs Nodding Onion

Allium cernuum

Hydrangea paniculata HYLV17522

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Nodding Onion
Dragon Baby™ Hydrangea

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.

Dragon Baby™ Hydrangea is a dwarf panicle hydrangea with flowers that start as lime green and transition to a rich pink towards the fall. During the summer the leaves are a deep green and turn a golden yellow with a red to purple tint. Persistent blooms and fall colors add multi season interest to your landscape. The petite form is well suited for urban yards and tight spaces.

Flowers grow on new wood so pruning is best done in late winter or early spring. The Dragon Baby Hydrangea is part of the Bloomin’ Easy® collection.

Nodding Onion Quick Facts

Dragon Baby™ Hydrangea Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to spreading, clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - high
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium

Toxicity: raw leaves and bulbs can be midly toxic

Foliage: smells of onion when crushed, edible
Flowers: white, pink, or purple nodding clusters
Flowers: starts green and transitions to pink
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
Other Names: dragon baby hardy hydrangea, dragon baby panicle hydrangea