Mature size & growth rate

How big does Smooth Hydrangea 'Incrediball' (Hydrangea arborescens 'Abetwo') get?

Also called Incrediball Hydrangea.

More about smooth hydrangea 'incrediball'

About Smooth Hydrangea 'Incrediball'

Hydrangea arborescens 'Abetwo' · also called Incrediball Hydrangea · flowering

'Incrediball' is a smooth hydrangea bred as a sturdier-stemmed improvement on 'Annabelle', producing enormous globe-shaped white flower heads on strong stems that resist flopping. A very hardy, reliable deciduous shrub blooming on new wood, it flowers every summer regardless of winter cold, and the blooms age to soft green.

Mature size: 1.2-1.5 m tall and 1.2-1.5 m wide.

Watch for — Late frost damage to new shoots: Blooms on new wood so it recovers, but a hard late frost can nip early growth; it will reflush and still flower that summer.

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

Smooth Hydrangea 'Incrediball' is a garden shrub whose final size is set more by your secateurs than by the plant — pruning, not luck, decides how big it gets. Indoors and in a pot, expect 1.2-1.5 m tall and 1.2-1.5 m wide.. A pot, your light levels and a little pruning are what set the final size in a home, far more than the plant's theoretical potential.

Left unpruned it builds a woody framework that gets taller and wider every year; with annual pruning you hold it at whatever size suits the space.

Growth rate and years to mature

Smooth Hydrangea 'Incrediball' is a moderate grower. Realistically, expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Its feeding profile backs this up: feed once in early spring with a balanced slow-release shrub fertiliser as growth begins. light feeding plus correct pruning keeps stems strong enough to hold the giant heads.

Want this turned into the right next pot at the right moment? The pot size calculator and the smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' repotting guide cover when and how much to size up — pot size is one of the biggest levers on how fast smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' grows.

How to keep smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' smaller

You are not stuck with the maximum size. For smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' specifically, these are the levers, in order of impact:

Prune smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' annually at the right time for its type — this is the primary, expected way to control its size.
Remove the oldest, thickest stems at the base each year to keep it open and within bounds.
Growing it in a large container rather than open ground naturally restricts the ultimate size.
Avoid heavy feeding if you want to limit growth — rich soil and lots of nitrogen drive bigger, faster shrubs.

The keep-it-smaller method, step by step

Prune at the right time. Time the cut to smooth hydrangea 'incrediball''s type (after flowering for many spring shrubs, late winter for summer-flowering ones) so you do not lose the next display.
Take out the oldest stems. Remove up to a third of the oldest, thickest stems at the base to renew the shrub and contain it.
Shorten the rest. Cut the remaining stems back to an outward-facing bud at the height and width you want.
Restrict the roots. For a permanent size cap, grow it in a large container rather than open ground.

How to grow smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' bigger or faster

If you want it to fill the space sooner, push the conditions rather than hoping — for smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' the accelerators are:

Plant it in open ground in good soil — far more vigorous than a container-restricted plant.
Full sun (which it wants) plus an annual mulch and feed gives the strongest growth.
Water well through the first establishment years; a settled root system drives the fastest size gain.

Light is almost always the ceiling. The smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' light requirements page covers exactly how bright a spot it needs to grow at its potential instead of stalling.

When smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for smooth hydrangea 'incrediball':

It shades or crowds neighbouring plants, or blocks a path it used to clear.
Bare, woody, unproductive centres with growth only on the outside — a sign it needs renovation pruning.
It has clearly exceeded the space you allotted and an annual trim no longer holds it.

If it is the pot rather than the room, it is a repotting job, not a goodbye — see the smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' repotting guide. If you want more of this plant instead of a bigger one, the smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' propagation guide turns prunings into new plants.

Smooth Hydrangea 'Incrediball' size — frequently asked questions

How big does smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' get?

Smooth Hydrangea 'Incrediball' reaches 1.2-1.5 m tall and 1.2-1.5 m wide. when grown indoors. Left unpruned it builds a woody framework that gets taller and wider every year; with annual pruning you hold it at whatever size suits the space.

Is smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' slow or fast growing?

Smooth Hydrangea 'Incrediball' is a moderate grower. Expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Smooth Hydrangea 'Incrediball' is a garden shrub whose final size is set more by your secateurs than by the plant — pruning, not luck, decides how big it gets.

How long does smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' take to reach full size?

Roughly three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Light, pot size and feeding move that timeline more than anything else.

How do I keep smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' smaller?

Prune smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' annually at the right time for its type — this is the primary, expected way to control its size. Remove the oldest, thickest stems at the base each year to keep it open and within bounds. Growing it in a large container rather than open ground naturally restricts the ultimate size. Avoid heavy feeding if you want to limit growth — rich soil and lots of nitrogen drive bigger, faster shrubs.

How can I make smooth hydrangea 'incrediball' grow bigger or faster?

Plant it in open ground in good soil — far more vigorous than a container-restricted plant. Full sun (which it wants) plus an annual mulch and feed gives the strongest growth. Water well through the first establishment years; a settled root system drives the fastest size gain.