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Hydrangeas

Large blooms (6"-10") in lovely shades of pink and sky blue will unfold before your eyes!
Your flowers will last for many weeks if the soil is kept moist at all times. Place the hydrangea near a bright window but not is direct sunlight. These flowers also make excellent dried arrangements. For added years of pleasure, plant your hydrangea in the garden. Choose a location with rich, moist, well-drained soil, either full sun or partial shade.

NOTE: Flowers appear on buds formed on previous year's growth. Prune immediately after flowering only, lest you nip next year's blooms in the bud! May you enjoy many years of large blooms from your Hardy Hydrangea.

"Hydrangea's's on Display"

 Species & Varieties: 

The genus Hydrangea has about 30 commonly recognized species.  They include climbers, tree types, bushes, oak leaves, foliage types, etc  However, for the purpose of this overview, we will consider the three most popular types.  Hydrangea paniculata, Hydrangea arborescens and the most popular being, Hydrangea macrophylla.  H. arborescens and H. paniculata are the small tree and bush types which bloom August – September.  The blooms are usually white with occasionally a slight shading of pink.  They are easy to grow and very Winter hardy.

Then there is Hydrangea macrophylla which encompasses literally hundreds of varieties.  H. macrophylla colors include whites, blues, bi-colors, pinks, and reds.  They are available in both lace caps and ball or mophead types.  H. macrophylla are the types which can rapidly change color depending on the pH which governs the amount of available Aluminum in the soil. 

The rest of my comments will specifically target H. macrophylla types.

Winter Hardiness: 

Hydrangea macrophylla plants are winter hardy even in colder climates like Minnesota.  However in colder areas like Zone 4 they are not always reliably bud hardy.  In this case the plant will come back but they may not flower.  Therefore, some type of over-winter protection is needed.  The older the plant, the better your chances are for summer blooming.  Abscised leaves from large plants falling in between the branches, affords some bud protection.  Additional protection can be given by placing the plant near foundations, and using natural materials such as straw, leaves or mulch for insulation.  Plants may die down to soil level in extreme cases but they come back again as the weather warms like all perennials.  There are considerable differences between varieties as far as cold tolerance and consistent blooming.   Recently there has been some attention given to varieties which are supposedly bloom on new wood.  Such blooming is not uncommon, all varieties can bloom on new wood if the winter has not been too severe.  Until now, claims for varieties blooming consistently on new wood, have not been sustained.  However, new breeding shows that there will be introductions of varieties which reliably bloom on new wood.   Until then, winter protection is the best answer for summer blooming pleasure.

Flower Color:         

As H. macrophylla change color readily, below is a list of results that one can expect. The left column is for plants growing in soil with a low pH 4.5 – 5.0 to which aluminum sulfate has been added at the rate of ¾ lbs. per 5 gallons of H2O (not on foliage soil only).  Two to three applications at 2 week intervals will give the best results.  The right column is for plants growing in a limed soil (pH 6.0), with high phosphorous.

Low pH                                                             High pH

Slightly Blue          White                  Slightly Pink

Purple                                               Red

Brilliant Blue                                       Pink

Blue Bicolor                                        Pink Bicolor

Purple Bicolor                                     Red bicolor

There are many variations of the above.   We have seen white flowers which turn green after blooming this has a unique look.  In general, we have found that light pink varieties tend to make the best blues. 

 Soil Characteristics:         

Hydrangeas require a well drained media high in organic matter.  They cannot stand wet feet.  Aeration is very important in overall plant performance.

 Fertilizer:      

 While Hydrangeas have a large leaf surface; they do not require large amounts of fertilizer.  Rather they should be fertilized often at low rates.  Plants can easily be harmed if fertilized too heavily when the leaf growth is not active.  When transplanting, it is best to transplant into a media where little or no fertility is present.  Such a poor start will encourage rooting and then plants can be fertilized.

 Pinching:     

Any pruning should be done before July 1^st.  In fact, most hydrangeas as garden plants should not be pruned at all.  Late pruning can result in flower buds for the next season being cut off.

 Planting in Garden

Any Hydrangea received during the cold months cannot be immediately planted outdoors.  Movement to the outdoors should be done after the danger of frost.  The plants will then have the summer and fall to acclimate for the next winter.

 Additional Information:                

The best pictorial reference which we have found is the Hydrangea book called, “Encyclopedia of Hydrangea” by CJ &DM Van Gelderen of the Netherlands.  Published by Timber Press.  The Father-Son team, who collaborated on this book, have extensive experience with Hydrangeas both growing them and visiting many of the world’s leading Hydrangea collections.

Additional:

Native to China and Japan the Hydrangea has been celebrated for centuries. While there is a growing U. S. market for newly introduced 'lace cap' varieties the Hydrangea most commonly known is Hydrangea macrophylla. Hydrangea macrophylla's rich history includes an identity crisis of sort. Included among its many past names are Hydrangea hortensis, H. hortensia and H. opuloides. In 1712, taxonomist Kaempfer called it Sambucus aquaticus. Thirty-six years later another taxonomist, Thunberg, brought two dried specimens from Japan and called it Viburnum macrophyllum. Only 23 more years passed and in 1771 a self-proclaimed taxonomist (an astronomer by profession) coined it Lepeautia. 1771 following further name changes we now know this most recognized of Hydrangea Varieties as Hydrangea macrophylla. While hybriding has been somewhat limited in the past what work has been done with this plant has been significant commercially. In 1708, breeder Lemoine of Nancy succeeded in creating the first recorded hybrids that were embraced by the French. In the U.S., the variety 'Merritt's Supreme' was developed and is currently the most popular variety among Hydrangea growers. Currently, there are literally hundreds of varieties that are know, of which only a few are suitable for growing commercially. Hydrangeas are currently being bred in the U.S., Japan, Germany and France.

Hydrangeas

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Characteristics & Attributes