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Climbing Hydrangea

Hydrangea barbara

Found in swamp forests and bottomlands, moist forests in the mountains. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition What its natural habitat tells you

52
Strong

Native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height
12–36 feet
Spread
1–3 feet
Light
Dappled sunlight, Deep shade, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Usually moist

Space about 2 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 25 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
May to June
Fruiting season
July to October

Recorded in 50 Alabama counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 3

Swamps

Loblolly bay in a coastal swamp
Regional / representative. Shown: Southern coastal swamps, Florida to Virginia; state not identified, a neighboring state.Loblolly bay in a coastal swamp, Marian Ellis Rowan, 1901. Public domain. Source record.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

Moist forests

Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Alabama. Shared habitat, not food. 88 animals.

All wildlife of Alabama

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

8CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Hydrangea

  • Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
  • Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
  • Darapsa versicolorHydrangea Sphinx
  • Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
  • Gandaritis atricolorataDark-Banded Geometer
  • Herpetogramma bipunctalisSouthern Beet Webworm, Two-Spotted Herpetogramma
  • Olethreutes ferriferanaHydrangea Leaftier
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
17BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Hydrangea

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Hydrangeaceae
Hardiness
Zones 6a–8b
Soil pH
Acidic
Flower color
Cream or white
Fruit begins
July
Fruit ends
October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Decumaria barbara; Decumary; Woodvamp

Conservation status

Alabama rankSNR
Global rankG5
AL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

Sources