Hydrangea macrophylla
The mop-head and lace-caps of today descend from plants native to a small area in eastern Japan. They are long lived plants, easy to grow, thriving in shade, woodland gardens and near the coast, whilst they also thrive in shady spots. Their flowers range through green, white, pink, blue, red and purple. The flowers give a fine display from June until November. The traditional Hortensias (H. macrophylla), have two basic types of flowerheads.
- LACE-CAPS are usually flat with small flowers without petals in the centre and showy flowers with petals on the outside.
- MOP-HEADS have a ball of flowers at the end of the stems of the current seasons growth.
The Flower colour of Hydrangea macrophylla will vary with soil type and most will form round bushes between 1m and 3m tall.
Flower colour of Hydrangea macrophylla varieties
- The flowers of the pink Hydrangea macrophylla varieties will usually go blue in acid soils, but stay pink in alkaline soils. Blue flowers will only remain blue if the soil is acid and there is sufficient Aluminium Sulphate in the compost or soil in your garden, if the soil is alkaline the flowers will be pink. White varieties do not change colour with the soil.
- If you purchase a Hydrangea macrophylla with blue or pink in its name, on the nursery we have grown the blue ones in an acid compost and the pink ones in a neutral compost. The blue one will also have Aluminium Sulphate added to the compost. As soon as the Hydrangeas are re potted or planted in your garden the colour of the flowers may change depending upon the pH (acidity) of the soil.
- If you use a Peat free compost for blue varieties they will almost certainly come out pink.
- The technical explanation - the blue colour of Hydrangea macrophylla flowers is determined by the presence of an Anthrocynin Delphinidin 3 - Monoglucoside. The blue colour is caused by the binding of Aluminium Sulphate with the Anthrocynin. This happens under acid soil conditions.
*Please note the white and pale coloured flowered varieties will often burn if grown in full sun.
Pruning Hydrangea macrophylla varieties.
- Remove dead heads in spring (late March/early April), and thin out weak and dead stems. You can thin the brown stems to get larger flowers.
- Do not prune in the autumn as the old flowers give some frost protection to young shoots in early spring. The brown flower heads also look great in winter when covered in frost.
- If you need to shorten the plant always cut above a bud.
*Please note any hydrangeas with no add to cart button unless otherwise stated are currently out of stock or are only available in limited numbers. Please contact us to check availability 01622 833218 thank you.
As we are a growing, working nursery please note all our hydrangea plants will be dispatched for delivery either with or without flowers on at time of order.
Large rounded clusters of red flowers opening with green centres turning fully red with age.
A deep red Mop head hydrangea.
A dark purple mop head hydrangea.
Mop head with rounded clusters of white flowers edged with reddish pink margins.
Double clusters of mop head white flowers edged with coral pink to red.
A compact variety with large flat white lace cap flowers in summer with flushed pink edges.
Beautiful rounded clusters of blue mop head flowers in summer.
Clusters of deep red flowers with an orangey white centre gradually turning deep red.
Flat lace-cap flower heads of pink red florets which fade to pale cream in the centre.
Large rounded clusters of deep pink Mop head flowers.
Large clusters of mop head white flowers from summer to autumn.
Beautiful triple star shaped clusters of white green cream mop head flowers in summer.
Mop head with large rounded clusters of white flowers in summer.
A re flowering mop head hydrangea with black stems of blue or pink flowers in summer depending upon soil type.
A re flowering mop head variety with pink flowers in summer turning green with age.
A compact hydrangea with very large flat bright pink or blue marbled white flowers with curly petals in summer. Has black stems with very unusual leaves.
Large white mop head flowers edged bright pink fringed in summer.
Mop head paper white flower heads in summer can become green tinted with red in autumn.
A purple flowering mop head hydrangea.
A purple flowering mop head hydrangea.
Large double lace-cap flowers with pink centres edged white. Flower colour is dependant upon soil pH
Long lasting pink or blue mophead flowers from summer to autumn.
Rose lace-cap flowers in summer changing colour with age.
A richly flowering mop head of blue or pink flowers curling into each other.
Small multi flowered pink lace-cap Hydrangea.
Bi-colour variety with triple star shaped pink flowers edged slightly white.
Bi-colour variety with triple star shaped pink flowers edged slightly white.
A bi coloured hydrangea with purple lilac mop head flowers edged white.
Mop head flowers are double blue which change through a series of colours as the season progresses.
Mop head flowers are double blue which change through a series of colours as the season progresses.
Mop head flowers are double pink which change through a series of colours as the season progresses.
Mop head flowers are double pink which change through a series of colours as the season progresses.
Mop head with rose violet to blue flowers according to soil.
Beautiful variegated variety with white pink lace cap flowers from July to September.
Large balls of double or semi double pink mop head flowers on strong stems in summer.
Large mop head flowers opening green then turning blue streaked green in summer.
Flattened mop head flowers opening greenish cream becoming cream in summer.
Compact variety with beautiful white slightly green curly edged mop head flowers in summer.
Large balls of flowers opening white with green petals slowly turning to pure white.
Purple black stems with flat blue lace cap flowers sometimes with white centres in summer.