This is a commonly cultivated shrub. It has not been reported to naturalize in Ky., but it is expected eventually to do so here and elsewhere north of its range (K, W). Two East Asian species of Hydrangea have also been widely cultivated, but are not known to escape in Ky. These H. paniculata Sieb. from East Asia and H. macrophylla (Thunb.) Ser. from Japan. [Records from cultivated plants in SERNEC need to be identified as such.]