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Hydrangea

Phonetic Spelling
hy-DRAN-jee-ah
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Hydrangeas are deciduous shrubs with flowers in terminal, round or umbrella-shaped clusters in colors of white, pink, or blue, or even purple. If they flower blue, your soil is acidic (having less than 5.5 pH) and if they bloom pink, your soil is alkaline (higher than 6.5 pH).  If your soil is between acidic and alkaline, then you will probably have purple flowers.

Hydracyanosides, a group of toxic cyanogenic glycosides, have been isolated from the leaves of Hydrangea macrophylla. The occurrence of these toxins throughout the genus is poorly known, so other species of Hydrangea should be treated with caution and not consumed. 

 

See this plant in the following landscapes:
Floricyle Foundation Planting: Back of House Juniper Level Botanic Gardens: Muscadine Bed Coastal Shade Garden A Sampling of Shade Gardens
Cultivars / Varieties:
H. anomala subsp. Petiolaris, H. arborescens, H. macrophylla, H. paniculata, H. quercifolia, H. serrata
Tags:
#purple#showy flowers#poisonous#white flowers#purple flowers#pink flowers#blue flowers#native garden#cutting garden
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
H. anomala subsp. Petiolaris, H. arborescens, H. macrophylla, H. paniculata, H. quercifolia, H. serrata
Tags:
#purple#showy flowers#poisonous#white flowers#purple flowers#pink flowers#blue flowers#native garden#cutting garden
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Hydrangea
    Family:
    Hydrangeaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    USA, Asia
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Poisonous
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Mounding
    Multi-stemmed
    Rounded
    Texture:
    Coarse
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Occasionally Wet
    NC Region:
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    Less than 1/2", oval, capsule, shaped like a cup, dry and hard. Winged seeds insdie.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Blue
    Pink
    Purple/Lavender
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Corymb
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Good Cut
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Cross
    Star
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Terminal, round or umbrella-shaped corymb clusters in colors of white, pink, or blue (or sometimes purple). Flowers are 4- 5-parted. The sterile flowers (around the margin or the entire cluster) are much enlarged. Bloom time varies per type but generally blooming falls between spring to fall.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Insignificant
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Leaf Margin:
    Lobed
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Leaves are opposite, simple, stalked, pinnate venation, 4"-8" in long, toothed and sometimes lobed.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Light Brown
    Bark Description:
    Not particularly showy
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    Red/Burgundy
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Houseplants
    Naturalized Area
    Walkways
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Cottage Garden
    Cutting Garden
    English Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Foundation Planting
    Hedge
    Mass Planting
    Attracts:
    Pollinators
    Problems:
    Poisonous to Humans
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Low
    Poison Symptoms:
    Only H. macrophylla is known to be toxic. TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN. Nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, and sweating.
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    hydracyanosides (cyanogenic glycosides).
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No
    Poison Part:
    Bark
    Flowers
    Leaves
    Stems