I'd still say Hydrangea.

It's definitely Hydrangea paniculata - there are several different varieties (Pinky Winky, Vanilla Fraise, Magical and more). There is one called Wim's Red, which starts out white, turns pink and finishes up quite a deep red, but I'm not entirely sure which variety this one is. Also no idea what folks in the USA call Hydrangea paniculata (that's the Latin name), there's bound to be some common name that everyone uses instead of its proper name, but I'm not sure if the same general disregard for botanical names applies in Canada

Disregard for botanical names..... this Canadian is guilty

Oh, sorry, not trying to be critical... common names get used here too, in speech, but we all recognise that, if we want to buy a plant, you have to know its Latin name, because common names vary from place to place and country to country. I've observed, though, that in the USA, common names, generally, rule, even in print and even if you want to buy a plant, is it the same in Canada?

'Tis
No offense taken as I am guilty!

Yup Hydrangea paniculata

Sadly, in the States, those who use botanical names are considered snooty, or are believed to just be trying to say, "I know more than you do! (neener, neener!)"

How sad!

Not just the US. I remember hearing Alan Titchmarsh being all Yorkshire and 'us ordinary folk' when calling them Latin names and saying there's no need to bother with them.

Argh... Alan Titchmarsh should know better!

I bet he did really - just making people feel better about not knowing the Latin ones.

I don't ever remember Alan saying that - I do, however, remember him saying you could call your plants whatever you liked, and mispronounce names (Cotoneaster as Cotton Easter for instance), it didn't matter, it only mattered that people knew what you meant, and he was and is right. But I don't think he meant the Latin names didn't matter at all, ever....

It makes me smile when people say they hate the Latin names, and then start talking about their Cotoneaster or Magnolia (for instance), because of course, they are the Latin names...

I promise you, Bamboo, he did say what I wrote.

You say 'it only mattered that people knew what you meant' and that's the key. Because the same common name moves from plant to plant especially in different areas, they do create confusion.

I have one similar to this called Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'. The flowers last for weeks, starting white and changing to pale green with age.It grows to about five feet but yours at eight feet must be a record.
Regarding Latin names, the benefit is that the name's the same wherever you go but I don't think it's the end of the world to give a plant it's common name. As long as YOU know what you mean, near enough.

Hard to find a replacement or a companion at the garden center, if the common name is an obscure one, or one coined by your grandmother. Then, all you can do is bring in a sample--not a handful of dried leaf fragments, please!--or a picture, and hope that the salesperson is botanically savvy.

Thorneyside Annabelle is different from the paniculata varieties. It doesn't get as tall as you noticed,and you can also prune it quite hard back in spring without losing the flowers. Trouble is it tends to get top heavy as the flowers are so huge. There is a new one out now called strong Annabelle (or something similar) that I wish i had instead!

You're right Steragram, some of the flowers this year have been huge and I have staked stems. On the plus side, in November last year some stems were broken when the apricot tree was cut down so I stuck some pieces in a pot. Split in the spring when I saw roots coming out and this summer every one has flowered. Not as big as the original but flowers just the same.

I was wondering if it needed to be propped up, don't want the branches breaking under the snow for example - that is how I lost my beautiful Camillia

er, Camellia

If its holding the flower heads up now, don't worry about staking - snow's no big deal either, the flowers should have faded by then, and Hydrangea paniculata varieties can be cut practically to the ground once flowering's over, or cut back hard early spring, and they'll still flower next year (unlike Hydrangea macrophylla varieties)

I cut my Annabelle hard at first but the stems were still too weak to support the flowers .So the following year I tried not cutting back as as far in the hope that a longer two year old stem might be more rigid and it did work quite well- the flowers still flopped over somewhat but not right down to the ground and it was an improvement.
If you re worried abut weight of snow on the flower heads you could cut them off - flowers are usually left on to protect the new buds from frost damage but you will be pruning at least the top part of the stems off anyway in the spring..

Steragram, I don't think this is H. arborescens 'Annabelle', which is known for its lax stems - its H. paniculata

Oops, you're right of course. I was thinking about Thorneyside's reply. Sorry!