Hydrangea macrophylla

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling

hy-DRAN-jee-ah mak-roh-FIL-uh

This plant has low severity poison characteristics.

Description

Bigleaf hydrangea is a woody, deciduous, perennial shrub in the hydrangea family (Hydrangeaceae) and is native to Japan, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Depending upon the cultivar, of which there are many, the plant produces ball-shaped flower clusters ("mop-heads") or flat clusters of small flowers surrounded by a ring of more prominent flowers ("lacecaps").

Bigleaf hydrangea performs best in areas with dappled sunlight, partial shade, or deep shade. Protect it from afternoon sun. It is tolerant of both clay and sandy soil and has some salt tolerance. Plant it in a site with good drainage; occasionally wet soil is okay. Colors range from white to pink, blue, or purple flowers, depending on the soil's acidity. Blue flowers develop with acidic soil and pink flowers from alkaline soil. Aluminum sulfate can be added to acidify the soil, and lime to produce a more alkaline soil. It blooms during the late spring and summer on the previous year's growth, often described as "old wood." Some cultivars, classified as reblooming, bloom again, later in the summer, on new growth. Do any pruning before August 1. Propagate this shrub by layering or stem cutting.

This plant rapidly grows into a multi-stemmed shrub with a rounded habit and is generally 3 to 6 feet tall and wide at maturity. It has many uses in the landscape. Mass plant it in a woodland or naturalized area, a foundation planting, hedge, or as a privacy screen. A single specimen can accent a patio or be grown in a container. It is a good addition to Asian, children’s, cottage, cutting, or shade gardens.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: It can suffer leaf spot, bacterial wilt, and powdery mildew under some conditions. It is susceptible to damage by deer.

VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.

More information on Hydrangea.

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See this plant in the following landscapes:

Collector’s Garden Flower Bonanza Garden Hydrangeas in the Garden Davidson County Extension Demonstration Garden Sun to Shade Garden Path Garden Coastal Foundation Garden Border Landscape Pinewild County Club, Moore County

Cultivars / Varieties:

'All Summer Beauty'
blue to pink mop-head. Rebloomer.
'Ayesha'
Pale pink (or blue) mop-head, with spoon-like petals. Lightly fragrant.
Blue Wave® AKA 'Mariesii Perfecta'
Blue (to pink) lace-cap.
'Blushing Bride'
Mop-head type with semi-double flowers that emerge white and mature to blush pink or blue.
'Cardinal Red'
Mop-head type with deep pink flowers that fade to red.
Cityline® Paris AKA 'Paris Rapa'
Compact plant with deep pinkish red, mop-head blooms.
'Dooley'
Blue (or pink) mop-head.
Endless Summer Bloomstruck® AKA 'PIIHM-II'
blue to pink mop-head. Stems and leaf veins reddish. Rebloomer.
Endless Summer® The Original AKA 'Bailmer'
Blue (to pink) mop-head. Reblooming.
Everlasting® Amethyst AKA 'Hokomathyst'
Mop-head type with dark pink (or purple) flowers that age to green.
'Fuji Waterfall'
Lacecap type with double, white flowers.

'Glowing Embers'

Abundant, 8-inch, mop-head-type flower heads, reddish pink to crimson.

'Goliath'
Large pink (or purplish) mop-head type. Flowers have coarsely serrate margins.
'Jogasaki'
Lacecap type with double, blue or pink flowers with long pedicels..
L.A. Dreamin'® AKA 'Lindsey Anne'
Mop-head type with blue, pink, and lavender flowers, often all at once.
'Lady in Red'
Lacecap type with deep pinkish red (or blue) flowers. Stems and leaf veins reddish.

'Lemon Daddy'

Chartreuse green leaves. Mop-head type with blue or pink flowers.

'Libelle'
'Mariesii'
'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'
Stargazer® AKA 'Kompeito'
Lace-cap type with double pink or blue flowers. Rebloomer.
'Teller White'
'Todi'
'TwistNShout'

'All Summer Beauty', 'Ayesha', Blue Wave® AKA 'Mariesii Perfecta', 'Blushing Bride', 'Cardinal Red', Cityline® Paris AKA 'Paris Rapa', 'Dooley', Endless Summer Bloomstruck® AKA 'PIIHM-II', Endless Summer® The Original AKA 'Bailmer', Everlasting® Amethyst AKA 'Hokomathyst', 'Fuji Waterfall', 'Glowing Embers', 'Goliath', 'Jogasaki', L.A. Dreamin'® AKA 'Lindsey Anne', 'Lady in Red', 'Lemon Daddy', 'Libelle', 'Mariesii', 'Mariesii Variegata', 'Masja', 'Mathilda Gutges', 'Merrit's Beauty', 'Monrey', 'Nantucket Blue', 'Nigra', 'Nikko Blue', 'Penny Mac', 'Pia', 'Pink Elf', 'Shakira', 'Sister Theresa', Stargazer® AKA 'Kompeito', 'Teller White', 'Todi', 'TwistNShout'

Tags:

#purple #showy flowers #deciduous #poisonous #white flowers #shrub #purple flowers #pink flowers #shade shrub #blue flowers #salt tolerant #shade garden #tsc #cottage garden #dappled shade #moist soil #ncemgva2018 #cpp #well-drained soil #summer flowers #deer browsing plant #mountains #rounded #cutting garden #acidic soils tolerant #alkaline soils tolerant #fantz #dried arrangements #partial shade tolerant #problem for cats #tsc-s #problem for dogs #problem for children #problem for horses #heavy shade tolerant #coastal plant #landscape plant sleuths course

Hydrangea macrophylla — Ilouque CC BY 4.0

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Ayesha' growth habit Photo by Leonora Enking CC-BY-SA 2.0

Hydrangea macrophyllya 'Lemon Daddy' Kathleen Moore CC BY 2.0

lacecap pink hydrangea Kathleen Moore CC BY 2.0

Hydrangea macrophylla lacecap mop 050912 LIT — 'Lacecap' Flower Form Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

emerging leaves, Cabarrus County, NC Hope Duckworth CC BY 4.0

flowers, Cabarrus County, NC Hope Duckworth CC BY 4.0

Fuji Waterfall buds — Fugi Waterfall Buds Kathy Sill CC BY 4.0

Fuji Waterfall bloom — Fuji Waterfall Bloom Kathy Sill CC BY 4.0

Form 'Endless Summer' Jim Janke CC BY 4.0

Winter Flowers - Jan. 22 - Wake Co., NC Cathy DeWitt CC BY 4.0

Form - Jan. 22 - Wake Co., NC Cathy DeWitt CC BY 4.0

Jan. 22 - Wake Co., NC Cathy DeWitt CC BY 4.0

'Kompeito' New Leaves - March 17 - Wake Co., NC Cathy DeWitt CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Flowers - Sept. - Wake Co., NC Cathy DeWitt CC BY 4.0

Flowers Closeup - Sept. - Wake Co., NC Cathy DeWitt CC BY 4.0

'Jogasaki' Form - June 16 - Wake Co., NC Cathy DeWitt CC BY 4.0