Hydrangea macrophylla
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- hy-DRAN-jee-ah mak-roh-FIL-uh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Lacecap hydrangea is a shade-loving shrub that can produce ball-shaped flower clusters ("Mopheads") or flat clusters of small flowers surrounded by a ring of more prominent flowers ("Lacecaps"). Colors range from white to pink, blue, or purple flowers, depending on the soil's acidity. Blue flowers develop with acidic soil (a pH of 5.0 to 5.5) and pink flowers from alkaline soil pH (6.0 to 6.5). Aluminum sulfate can be added to acidify the soil, and lime to produce a more alkaline soil. It is tolerant of both clay and sandy soil and has some salt tolerance. It is susceptible to damage by deer.
This hydrangea tolerates sun if the soil is kept consistently moist, but performs best in areas with afternoon shade. It blooms during the late spring and summer on the previous year's growth ("old wood")
It is generally pest and disease-free but can suffer leaf spot, bacterial wilt and powdery mildew under some conditions.
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Collector’s Garden Flower Bonanza Garden Hydrangeas in the Garden Davidson County Demo Garden Sun to Shade Garden Path Garden Coastal Foundation Garden Border Landscape Pinewild County Club, Moore County
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'All Summer Beauty'
- 'Alpengluhen bigleaf hydrangea'
- 'Ayesha'
- 'Bloomstruck'
- 'Blue Billow'
- 'Blue Wave'
- 'Blushing Bride'
- 'Cardinal Red'
- 'Cityline'
- 'Dooley'
- 'Endless Summer'
- 'Everlasting Amethyst'
- Fuji Waterfall
Glossy dark green leaves, large lace cap bloom with double sepals.
'Glowing Embers'
- 'Goliath'
- 'Jogasaki'
- Kompeito
- 'Lacecap'
- 'LA Dreamin'
- 'Lady in Red'
- 'Libelle'
- 'Mariesii'
- 'Mariesii Perfecta'
- 'Mariesii Variegata'
6' x 6' with striking white leaf margins - 'Masja'
- 'Mathilda Gutges'
- 'Merrit's Beauty'
- 'Monrey'
- 'Nantucket Blue'
- 'Nigra'
- 'Nikko Blue'
- 'Penny Mac'
- 'Pia'
- 'Pink Elf'
- 'Shakira'
- 'Sister Theresa'
- 'Teller White'
- 'Todi'
- 'TwistNShout'
Abundant 8-inch flower heads start white, turn to deep pink, and eventually fade to reddish-pink
Yellow leaves - 'All Summer Beauty'
- 'All Summer Beauty', 'Alpengluhen bigleaf hydrangea', 'Ayesha', 'Bloomstruck', 'Blue Billow', 'Blue Wave', 'Blushing Bride', 'Cardinal Red', 'Cityline', 'Dooley', 'Endless Summer', 'Everlasting Amethyst', Fuji Waterfall, 'Glowing Embers', 'Goliath', 'Jogasaki', Kompeito, 'Lacecap', 'LA Dreamin', 'Lady in Red', 'Lemon Daddy', 'Libelle', 'Mariesii', 'Mariesii Perfecta', 'Mariesii Variegata', 'Masja', 'Mathilda Gutges', 'Merrit's Beauty', 'Monrey', 'Nantucket Blue', 'Nigra', 'Nikko Blue', 'Penny Mac', 'Pia', 'Pink Elf', 'Shakira', 'Sister Theresa', 'Teller White', 'Todi', 'TwistNShout'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'All Summer Beauty'
- 'Alpengluhen bigleaf hydrangea'
- 'Ayesha'
- 'Bloomstruck'
- 'Blue Billow'
- 'Blue Wave'
- 'Blushing Bride'
- 'Cardinal Red'
- 'Cityline'
- 'Dooley'
- 'Endless Summer'
- 'Everlasting Amethyst'
- Fuji Waterfall
Glossy dark green leaves, large lace cap bloom with double sepals.
'Glowing Embers'
- 'Goliath'
- 'Jogasaki'
- Kompeito
- 'Lacecap'
- 'LA Dreamin'
- 'Lady in Red'
- 'Libelle'
- 'Mariesii'
- 'Mariesii Perfecta'
- 'Mariesii Variegata'
6' x 6' with striking white leaf margins - 'Masja'
- 'Mathilda Gutges'
- 'Merrit's Beauty'
- 'Monrey'
- 'Nantucket Blue'
- 'Nigra'
- 'Nikko Blue'
- 'Penny Mac'
- 'Pia'
- 'Pink Elf'
- 'Shakira'
- 'Sister Theresa'
- 'Teller White'
- 'Todi'
- 'TwistNShout'
Abundant 8-inch flower heads start white, turn to deep pink, and eventually fade to reddish-pink
Yellow leaves - 'All Summer Beauty'
- 'All Summer Beauty', 'Alpengluhen bigleaf hydrangea', 'Ayesha', 'Bloomstruck', 'Blue Billow', 'Blue Wave', 'Blushing Bride', 'Cardinal Red', 'Cityline', 'Dooley', 'Endless Summer', 'Everlasting Amethyst', Fuji Waterfall, 'Glowing Embers', 'Goliath', 'Jogasaki', Kompeito, 'Lacecap', 'LA Dreamin', 'Lady in Red', 'Lemon Daddy', 'Libelle', 'Mariesii', 'Mariesii Perfecta', 'Mariesii Variegata', 'Masja', 'Mathilda Gutges', 'Merrit's Beauty', 'Monrey', 'Nantucket Blue', 'Nigra', 'Nikko Blue', 'Penny Mac', 'Pia', 'Pink Elf', 'Shakira', 'Sister Theresa', 'Teller White', 'Todi', 'TwistNShout'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Hydrangea
- Species:
- macrophylla
- Family:
- Hydrangeaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Layering
- Leaf Cutting
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Japan, China, Korea and Southeast Asia;
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Colorful
- Easy to Grow
- Shade
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- cup-like capsule
-
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Cyme
- Umbel
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Good Dried
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Dome
- Saucer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Flowers in a terminal, round or umbrella-shaped cluster of white, pink, or blue; 4- 5-parted, the sterile flowers (around the margin or the entire cluster) are much enlarged. Large flat-topped corymb with numerous flowers; borne on previous season's growth. Some varieties have a more mop-head shaped bloom. Flowers 2" diameter, toothed or entire; pink, white, blue or purple; color can depend on the soil pH.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Fleshy
- Glossy
- Rough
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Insignificant
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Opposite, simple, stalked, toothed, and sometimes lobed, lustrous medium to dark green above, underside glabrous or may have short hairs, stout petiole about 1" long.; Obovate to elliptic or broadly ovate, 4-8" long, 3-6" wide, short acuminate tip, coarsely serrate.
-
-
Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Bark Description:
- Tan colored, large leaf scars
-
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Emerge from ground; rarely branch.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Naturalized Area
- Patio
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Children's Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Foundation Planting
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Salt
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
