'Annabelle' is a naturally occurring cultivar that was discovered ~1910 in the wild near Anna, (Southern) Illinois. Plantsman J.C.McDaniels from the University of Illinois named it and promoted it for its extremely large flowers (corymbs) which are considerably larger than the species. It is probably the most grown cultivar of smooth hydrangea. It blooms on new wood, so it is quite hardy. It can be cut to the ground in late winter to promote plant vigor.

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The 'Annabelle' Hydrangea is a very common shrub planted in the average yard and in professional landscapes, offered by most all conventional nurseries and big box stores in much of the USA. This cultivar has rounded flower heads of all or almost all sterile showy florets, called a hortensia or mophead flower cluster, not really good for pollinators. The flower clusters get to about 12 inches across. It has replaced the old-fashioned 'Grandiflora' or 'Hills of Snow' Hydrangea that has smaller flower heads. The heavy flower heads fall down a lot. The flowers that bloom white in late May into July turn to light green later in August before turning brown in September through winter. Since the infertile flowers color white before any small fertile flowers, cultivars like this one bloom earlier than the mother species. It is best to cut the shrub to the ground in early spring for a better-looking plant that blooms on new wood. Actually, the wood on this species is just barely woody so that it is like a big perennial.

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