What does a mophead hydrangea look like?
Mopheads. Mophead hydrangeas offer big, dome-shape clusters of flowers in blue, pink, or white. Most mopheads bloom in late spring or early summer. Their flower heads often dry right on the plant and continue looking good into winter.
What kind of hydrangea is a mophead?
Hydrangea macrophyllaMopheads (Hydrangea macrophylla) are the most popular hydrangeas grown in home gardens and landscapes. Most mopheads grown today are blue or pink but a few varieties are white. These are also commonly known as French hydrangeas. Lacecap Hydrangeas and Mophead Hydrangeas are both classified as Hydrangea macrophylla.
How do I get my mophead hydrangea to bloom?
In order for any plant to bloom, it has to be healthy. That means the plant is getting enough sunlight, food, and water so that when it comes time to make flower buds, everything is in place and ready to go.
What is the difference between lacecap and mophead hydrangea?
Lacecap hydrangeas are almost identical to mophead hydrangeas with the only difference existing in their flowers. They have tiny fertile flower buds in the center, with showy flowers that circle the edge of the flower head.
Do you prune mophead hydrangeas?
Both mophead and lacecap hydrangeas are considered bigleaf or macrophylla hydrangeas, so they can be pruned right after flowering by cutting back the flowering shoots to the next bud.
How long do mophead hydrangeas bloom?
between 3-6 monthsThe Mophead Hydrangeas or Hortensias produce large rounded flower heads, mostly packed with showy sterile florets. Since the flowers cannot be pollinated, they will bloom on and on through summer, between 3-6 months, until fall approaches and they change color.
Do mophead hydrangeas rebloom?
They will not rebloom, but deadheading will clean up the plant and make way for the next year's fresh flowers.
Where should I plant a mophead hydrangea?
You'll find mophead hydrangea care easiest if you plant them in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. In cooler zones they do well in full sun but, in regions with hotter summers, select a site with afternoon shade.
Do I deadhead mophead hydrangeas?
You should deadhead throughout the blooming season to keep your hydrangeas looking their beast and encourage new flower growth. However, stop deadheading hydrangea shrubs in mid to late fall, leaving any spent blooms in place.
What does a lacecap hydrangea look like?
Lacecap hydrangeas are hydrangeas whose flower heads look like flat caps with frilly edges, which gave the shrubs their unusual yet appropriate moniker. Like mophead hydrangeas, lacecap hydrangeas belong to the bigleaf hydrangea species (Hydrangea macrophylla), which is native to Japan.
Is Miracle Grow good for hydrangeas?
Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Bloom Booster Flower Food This is an all-purpose blossom booster that's suitable for use on a wide variety of perennial and annual blooming plants, including hydrangeas.
What is the most popular hydrangea?
The popularity of hydrangeas continues to skyrocket as hardier, showier varieties are developed every year....Top 10 Best Hydrangea Varieties from Proven Winners ®'Limelight' H. ... Little Lime® H. ... Incrediball® H. ... Fire Light ® Panicle hydrangea. ... Bobo® H. ... Pinky Winky® H. ... Invincibelle® Spirit II H.More items...
How do you know what kind of hydrangea you have?
If the flower buds open a green color, then turn white, and as they age turn green or greenish brown, you have an arborescens type. If the flowers open white and stay white until they get old, then you probably have a macrophylla type. White flowering macrophylla types are less common, but they do exist.
What is a mophead?
Definition of mophead 1 : the mass of material at the end of a mop fluffy nylon mophead collects dirt and dust — advertisement. 2 : a thick or bushy head of hair or the individual possessing it.
Is Limelight hydrangea a mophead?
They are actually hydrangeas, and not your old fashioned big leaf, shade loving blue mophead hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla). They are a patented Hydrangea paniculata cultivar named 'Limelight'.
Do mophead hydrangeas rebloom?
They will not rebloom, but deadheading will clean up the plant and make way for the next year's fresh flowers.
How big do mophead hydrangeas get?
Some can be as large as dinner plates. The leaves are bright green in color with a rounded shape which helps to give the shrub and overall rounded shape. The mophead hydrangeas can grow incredibly tall and incredibly wide.
What are mophead hydrangeas called?
The second is called lace caps and they have blooms that look like flat discs circled with larger, more showy flowers.
What is the most popular hydrangea?
There are many popular hydrangeas but one of the most popular is the mophead hydrangea. This is the one almost all gardeners and florists are acquainted with best and if you purchase flowers from a florist it is likely a mop head variety. In this post, we going to look into how to care for these beautiful plants.
What is a mop head?
The mop heads are one of the most popular garden shrubs because of the unique shape of their flowers. You might also know them as French hydrangeas, bigleaf hydrangeas, or pom pom hydrangeas. Growing them is quite simple. These deciduous hydrangeas come with large heads of blossoms.
Do hydrangeas need pruning?
In terms of pruning the hydrangeas do not require pruning. You can do it for aesthetic purposes especially if you want to get rid of dead branches and you can certainly deadhead the shrub to get rid of blooms once they have reached their peak however the plant will do just fine if you never come at it with a pair of shears. If you opt to prune the mop head hydrangea make sure that you do it right after it has finished flowering so that you don’t disturb any of the new growth.
Do hydrangeas have big leaves?
Referred to also as a big leaf hydrangea, not only are the flower blossoms large and boisterous but so too are the leaves which are big in their shape and size. Some can be as large as dinner plates.
Can you grow mophead hydrangeas in acidic soil?
If you are going to grow mophead hydrangeas, one of the most exciting secrets is that by caring for the soil composition you can change the color of the flowers. If you grow your mophead hydrangeas in acidic soil it will produce blue flowers. If you grow it in highly alkaline soil it will produce pink flowers.
What makes a hydrangea a Hydrangea?
What makes a hydrangea a Hydrangea is the unusual way the flowering is organized. There is nothing unusual for a plant about having your flowers arranged in clusters – usually for hydrangeas as flattened heads ( corymbs or umbels) or tall pyramids ( panicles) – but beyond that, in Hydrangea there is an interesting economy being practiced.
American Hydrangeas
Let’s take a look at our own native species. There is a lot of interest in growing native plants in our gardens these days – a move away from all the ‘exotic’ plants that remain the center of the nursery industry. There are just a few species found wild in America – remnants of the time when Asia and America were linked by a land-bridge.
Climbing Hydrangeas
Let’s skip across the Pacific for something very different in hydrangeas. It comes as a surprise to many to see the climbing hydrangea, Hydrangea petiolaris, also called Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris. We expect a bush, but here we have a plant with long stems that send out roots and cling to any stable surface.
How big do Hydrangeas get?
Size: 3-6ft tall by 5-10ft wide depending on the variety. Grows well in semi-shade or full sun (sheltered site is best) One of the most popular garden shrubs available. Ideal for beds and boarder. Some varieties such as Hydrangea ‘Selma’ only grow to 3ft (90cm) and are ideal for containers and pots.
What is the name of the hydrangea that has a pink flower?
There are many cultivars of macrophylla hydrangeas include Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Selma’, Lemon Zest, Penny Mac, Forever Pink to name a few and many many more. Hydragea macrophylla are well known for there very large flowers and spectacular displays and the ability of the flowers to change colour to pink or blue all though there are some which are ...
How to grow blue hydrangeas?
Blue Hydrangeas need to be grown in acidic soil (high in aluminium) or ericaceous compost in pots. Acidic soil is around PH 4.5-5. A good organic way to try and make your soil more acidic is by mixing Sphagnum moss, composted oak leaves or compost or farm manure into the soil.
Why are my hydrangeas not blooming?
Soils which are too rich can cause poor flowering as the soil could be too high in Nitrogen. Frost damage to young foliage can also affect flowering due to being in areas to exposed. Pruning to hard or at the wrong time can also cause a lack of flowers as Hydrangea do flower on old growth.
How to keep hydrangeas pink?
To help keep Hydrangeas flowers pink the soil needs to be alkaline, if you find your flowers are turning blue you can try applying a dressing of limestone or chalk to the soil around the plant. In very acidic soils this may not work or may need repeating yearly.
How big do macrophylla get?
They do not need pruning (just deadhead in after flowering or early Spring. Size: 3-6ft tall by 5-10ft wide de pending on the variety.
When should I prune hydrangeas?
Pruning macrophylla Hydrangeas. Hydrangea macrophylla can be pruned in late Spring after flowering just below the spent flowers to a good strong set of leaves. In less sheltered areas and colder areas, the mop head varieties can benefit from being pruned in early spring as the old spent flowers can provide some protection from frost ...
How tall does a smooth hydrangea grow?
Also known as wild hydrangeas, the smooth hydrangea is native to the United States. It is a large shrub that can grow up to six feet tall, and is usually planted as a hedge plant. Its scientific name, Hydrangea arborescens, is derived from the word “arbor” meaning tree due to its branching patterns and size.
What color are hydrangea leaves?
Although blue and purple hydrangeas are one of the first colors that come to mind, most species are actually white. In addition, hydrangea leaves can vary from bigleaf to oakleaf types that display bright colors during the fall.
What is the name of the hydrangea that grows on oak leaves?
The oakleaf hydrangea is named for its foliage which is shaped like oak tree leaves. In fact, its scientific name, Hydrangea quercifolia, is derived from Latin word “quercifolia” which literally translates into “oakleaf.”
How big can a peegee hydrangea grow?
However, the PeeGee hydrangea, in particular, can grow exceptionally large and reaching heights of up to 25 feet. 4. Oakleaf Hydrangea.
What is the most common type of hydrangea?
Known by their scientific name as Hydrangea macrophylla, bigleaf hydrangeas are the most common type of hydrangea. Other common names include florist’s hydrangea, garden hydrangea, and French hydrangea. Chances are the hydrangeas at your local florist’s shop are bigleaf hydrangeas.
Why isn't my hydrangea blooming?
A plant that bloomed abundantly this year, may not bloom at all the next. Here are the three main reasons why your hydrangea is not blooming. Too much shade – Hydrangeas prefer shade, but too much can reduce flowering. Bigleaf hydrangeas prefer more shade than panicle hydrangeas which prefer full sun.
How to change the color of hydrangeas?
It is possible to change the color of your hydrangeas by altering the acidity of the soil. Acidic soil at pH 5.5 or below, will produce blue flowers.
What is the difference between a mophead and a lacecap hydrangea?
The Basics – Mophead versus Lacecap. Mophead hydrangeas have big, round heads of many large flowers. Lacecap hydrangeas have a circle of large flowers surrounding many small, fluffy flowers. Both come in shades of blue or pink, usually changed by the acid/alkaline balance of your soil. Lacecap hydrangeas stand up to rain ...
What is the basic form of hydrangeas?
So the basic form of hydrangeas is a ‘lacecap’. Today there are many varieties of both types – you can see our current selection here.
How long do hydrangeas bloom?
Everyone loves Hydrangeas – they are a classic summer shrub for partially-shade parts of the garden, and their long-lasting blooms make a real impact for weeks and weeks – probably longer than any other shrub. They’re popularity, and the big market for potted bushes sold in flower, means that a lot of work has gone into breeding them, with many, many varieties available, and more arriving every day. This makes choosing the ones you want exciting, but the abundance of forms can lead to disappointed if you get something that isn’t what you expected. Some understanding of these shrubs, which have some unusual things going on with their flowers, will make it much easier to know what you are getting, and get what you want. So we are going to dip our toes into some botany and plant history, and find out what is going on. . .
Where did the lacecap hydrangea originate?
It was developed in China from a Japanese species that was naturally a lacecap type, like all wild hydrangeas, and from there imported back into Japan, where it was a rarity in gardens. Thunberg almost certainly ‘found’ it being carefully grown a garden or nursery.
When did hydrangeas get to Europe?
Hydrangea ‘Sir Joseph Banks’. variety, ‘Sir Joseph Banks’ Thunberg’s original variety, ‘Otaksa’, didn’t get to Europe until the 1840s. Amazingly, the wild form of these plants wasn’t ‘found’ by a westerner until Ernest Wilson, an Englishman who often worked for the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard, brought seed back in 1917.
Who was the first person to understand Japanese plants?
The central figure in the first Western understanding of Japanese plants is Carl Peter Thunberg. This Swedish doctor got himself a job at a trading post at a time when it was virtually impossible for foreigners to enter Japan. He was also a botanist, and wrote the first book on Japanese plants, published in 1784.
What is the color of hydrangeas?
Hydrangeas are beautiful bushy deciduous shrubs with large, colorful, showy flowers and large bright to dark green leaves. Hydrangea flowers bloom in shades of blue, lavender, white, pink, red, green, and purple. The bigleaf hydrangea ( Hydrangea macrophylla) is the most popular of these flowering bushes. Other types of hydrangea bushes include ...
What color are climbing hydrangea leaves?
The dull grayish-green summer foliage turns a spectacular red or orange in the fall. Climbing hydrangea leaves are aromatic leaves that are a rounded to ovate shape with toothed edges. From the different hydrangeas varieties, climbing hydrangea leaves are the smallest, measuring between 2” and 4” (5 – 10 cm) long.
How tall does a dwarf hydrangea grow?
‘Dharuma’ hydrangea is a panicle hydrangea dwarf shrub with a slow growth that matures at 5 ft. (1.5 m) tall after ten years. The compact, bushy hydrangea’s outstanding feature is the pointed flowering clusters of pink or white petals and buds. As a small shrub, the hardy hydrangea is perfect for growing in pots or in small gardens where space is limited.
What is a Nikko Blue Hydrangea?
The Nikko Blue hydrangea is one of the most popular mophead hydrangea shrubs. The flowering bush has deep blue florets contrasting with large green, ovate leaves. The ‘Nikko Blue’ blooms profusely from early summer until the fall. Flowers are blue in acidic soils and develop pink hues in alkaline soils.
What is the name of the shrub with the most flowers?
Bigleaf hydrangeas are the most popular flowering shrub in gardens. The common hydrangea names—bigleaf and mophead—refer to the leaf size and flower shape. The showy hydrangea flowers are large, rounded flower clusters. The large, bold glossy, ovate leaves can be 4” to 6” (10 – 15 cm) across.
How big are Pee Gee hydrangea leaves?
Leaves measure 3” to 6” (7.5 – 15 cm) long and 3” (7.5 cm) wide.
How long do hydrangea leaves grow?
Here are the types of hydrangea leaves: Bigleaf hydrangeas leaves are thick and glossy with serrated margins and grow up to 8” (20 cm) long. Panicle hydrangeas have narrow, dark-green fuzzy leaves that grow up to 5” (12 cm) long. Smooth hydrangea leaves have a coarse texture and medium to dark green color.
What does a lacecap hydrangea look like?
Lacecap Hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) Lacecap hydrangeas has flowers that look like a circle of unopened buds surrounded by open petals. In reality, the unopened buds are the fertile flowers with pollen and the outer flashy petals are sterile and are just there to attract bees.
What is the name of the hydrangea that has a ball-shaped flower cluster?
Annabelle Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) For a long time, Hills-of-Snow, or Sevenbark Hydrangea, ( Hydrangea arborescens 'Grandiflora') was one of the most popular pom-pom type hydrangeas grown. It has ball-shaped flower clusters that are a somewhat dull white. The flowers are not as showy as we've come to expect from hydrangeas, ...
What is a peegee tree?
Peegee, or tree, Hydrangea ( Hydrangea paniculata 'Grandiflora') is the most commonly grown variety. Peegee's have massive elongated flower clusters in mid to late summer. They got the moniker 'Peegee' from an abbreviation of paniculata Gandiflora, however, the term is commonly applied to all Hydrnagea paniculata.
Why aren't my hydrangeas blooming?
One of the most asked gardening questions is, " Why didn't my hydrangeas bloom? " The three probable reasons are: 1 It was pruned at the wrong time. 2 It wasn't pruned at all. 3 A late frost killed the flower buds.
How to keep lacecaps blooming?
However after about three years, the blooming will diminish. To keep your lacecaps flowering well, prune out 1/3 of the oldest branches each spring. This will encourage new growth every year, while maintaining some relatively older growth for producing flowers.
What is an oak leaf hydrangea?
Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) Oakleaf Hydrangea ( Hydrangea quercifolia) is easily recognized by its oak leaf shaped foliage. While it also has lovely flowers, the large serrated leaves are the major attraction, especially when they change colors in the fall. Oakleaf hydrangea bloom on old wood.
How long does it take for a climbing hydrangea to grow?
It will slowly make its way up a tree or support, taking a decade or more to reach maturity. However once established, it improves year after year.
How big does a rough leaf hydrangea get?
It features long, narrow, hairy foliage and blooms in late summer and fall. It's also much larger, growing to 12 feet tall and wide in Zones 7-9.
What is the color of a black stem hydrangea?
Black-stem hydrangea ( Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Nigra’) has beautiful mophead flowers, but as its name suggests, the stems are what stand out most. They are a dark purple-black color that contrasts against the green foliage and pastel blue or pink blooms.
What is a Lacecap Hydrangea?
Instead of producing a one big rounded cluster of showy florets, they form a flower head composed of a ring of colorful florets surrounding a lacy cluster of small florets. When it comes to lacecap hydrangea care, they have similar needs as their mophead cousins.
How tall does a lacecap hydrangea grow?
Its stiff stems keep the spectacular flowers standing upright. It grows four feet tall and wide in Zones 5-9.
What is a pink shira?
A relatively new bigleaf hydrangea variety with mophead flowers, Pink Shira is a variety of Hydrangea macrophylla with strong stems, compact habit, and long-lasting blooms. Its flowers start out a lovely shade of lime green then turn pink or lavender (this one doesn't go blue).
What are the two main groups of hydrangeas?
Hydrangea flowers can generally be broken down into two main groups: mophead hydrangea and lacecap hydrangea. Each group contains a gorgeous assortment of species and varieties, which can fill different areas in your garden. Here's a look at some of the most colorful options, and how to care for them so you get the most blooms possible.
When did the Endless Summer Hydrangea come out?
Endless Summer hydrangea is one of the most famous rebloomers. Introduced in 2004, it allows gardeners in Northern climates to be able enjoy hydrangeas in their gardens. It features big mophead clusters of blue or pink flowers and grows five feet tall and wide in Zones 4-9.
