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.
Dwarf Mop head with blue or pink flowers. Flower colour varies with soil pH.
Bi colour mop head with cream purple red edged dark purple flowers in summer. Flower colour varies with soil pH.
Large rounded clusters of red flowers opening with green centres turning to red with age.
Medium Hydrangea with lilac-pink Mop head flowers in Summer.
Medium hydrangea with lilac-pink mop head flowers in Summer.
Large clusters of red purple mop head flowers opening with white green centres and fringed edges.
Delicate blue mop head flowers with jagged slightly white edges in summer.
Delicate blue mop head flowers with jagged slightly white edges in summer.
Large tight pale pink mop head flowers on strong stems in summer remaining decorative until autumn.
Large clear pink to mauve blue Mop head flowers from summer to autumn.
A mop head hydrangea with single creamy white flowers from summer to autumn.
**PRE ORDER OUR NEW VARIETIES FOR 2025 NOW FOR DELIVERY FROM LATE MAY/JUNE 2025 ONWARDS ACCORDING TO GROWING SEASON**
Mop head with large pink balls of flowers on black stems .
Mop head with large pink balls of flowers on black stems.
Long lasting large blue Mop head flowers with black stems.
Flat bright lace-cap blue flowers on long stems.
Flat bright lace-cap blue flowers on long stems.
Large flat wide lace-cap deep blue to indigo sterile florets surrounding tiny even deeper blue flowers.
Large flat wide lace-cap deep blue to indigo sterile florets surrounding tiny even deeper blue flowers.
Large flat wide lace-cap pink sterile florets surrounding tiny even deeper pink flowers.
Deep bluer than blue mop head flowers in summer. Needs aluminium sulphate to attain intense colour.
Rich flat blue lace-cap flowers in summer.
A development of 'Runaway Bride' with larger flat notched white flowers in summer becoming tinged pink in autumn.
**PRE ORDER OUR NEW VARIETIES FOR 2025 NOW FOR DELIVERY FROM LATE MAY/JUNE 2025 ONWARDS ACCORDING TO GROWING SEASON**
A dwarf Hydrangea with red Mop head flowers.
Mop head with white flowers fading to dark green and a red border on each petal.
Mop head with white flowers fading to dark green and a red border on each petal.
Large rounded balls of single blue flowers continuously from June to the frosts.
Large rounded balls of single pink flowers continuously from June to the frosts.
Bi colour mop head blue or pink flowers with white margins in summer.
Strong branches of flat bicolour cream white lace cap flowers rimmed with pink in summer.
**PRE ORDER OUR NEW VARIETIES FOR 2025 NOW FOR DELIVERY FROM LATE MAY/JUNE 2025 ONWARDS ACCORDING TO GROWING SEASON**
A rich flowering hydrangea with large flat vibrant cherry red lace cap flowers in summer.
**PRE ORDER OUR NEW VARIETIES FOR 2025 NOW FOR DELIVERY FROM LATE MAY/JUNE 2025 ONWARDS ACCORDING TO GROWING SEASON**
Lace cap hydrangea with rounded mop head like flowers opening white turning pastel blue or power pink edged with sterile white flowers in summer.
A special hydrangea with unusual wavy edged hot pink flowers.
A special hydrangea with unusual wavy edged hot pink flowers.
Compact variety with curly blue mop-head flowers.
Compact variety with curly blue mop-head flowers.
A compact variety with curly pink mop-head flowers.
Lace-cap Hydrangea has fully double white sterile flowers.
Lace-cap Hydrangea has fully double white sterile flowers.
Dark cooper foliage and lace-cap flowers opening shades of pink darkening with age.
Dark cooper foliage with lace-cap flowers opening to shades of pink darkening with age.
Mop head hydrangea with long lasting very deep dark purple flowers.
![Hydrangea macrophylla [Dolce Gipsy] = Dolgip (PBR) (L)](https://files.ekmcdn.com/signaturehyd/images/hydrangea-macrophylla-dolce-gipsy-dolgip-pbr-l--1221-p.jpg?w=500&h=500&v=bf9d0f14-4e8c-4ec8-88bf-3c3ddb32423f)
Large white then pale pink turning to deep pink lace cap flowers in summer.
Green leaves tinged bronze and flat lace-cap flowers white with a pink edge.
Pale blue or pink mop head flowers in summer.
Beautiful large double pink mop head flowers in summer.
Beautiful large double pink mop head flowers in summer.
Double pink lace cap flowers from late spring to early autumn.
Bright green leaves margined red with bright red balls of flowers.
Large rounded clusters of light blue flowers opening with cream green centres turning to blue.
Large rounded clusters of light blue flowers opening with cream green centres turning to blue.
Large rounded clusters of pink flowers opening with cream pink centres turning to pink.
Large rounded clusters of pink flowers opening with cream pink centres turning to pink.
A compact variety with large intense pink mop head flowers in summer.
Stunning bright cranberry coloured mop head flowers with cream centres & intense dark purple leaf colour throughout the season.
**PRE ORDER OUR NEW VARIETIES FOR 2025 NOW FOR DELIVERY FROM LATE MAY/JUNE 2025 ONWARDS ACCORDING TO GROWING SEASON**
Flat clusters of pure white lace-cap flowers with fringed edges on strong stems.
A compact hydrangea large white mop head flowers opening in summer edged with pink.
A compact hydrangea large white mop head flowers opening in summer edged with purple.
'Pink Fireworks' parent to Hanabi 'Fireworks' with large flat soft double pink star shaped flowers in summer.
Also called Hydrangea macrophylla Gentian Dome is a deep blue purple mop head hydrangea.
**SOLD OUT**
Flat double light blue or lilac pink dark purplish pink flowers.
A compact variety with beautiful single blue mop head flowers in summer.
Pink or blue lace-cap flowers in summer.
Blue or pink lace-cap flowers in summer.
A compact variety with double light blue lace cap flowers in summer.
A compact variety with double light rose lace cap flowers edged pink in summer.
A vigorous growing variety with double blue lace cap flowers in summer.
A vigorous growing variety with double pink lace cap flowers in summer.
**PRE ORDER OUR NEW VARIETIES FOR 2025 NOW FOR DELIVERY FROM LATE MAY/JUNE 2025 ONWARDS ACCORDING TO GROWING SEASON**
A compact variety with double light blue mop head flowers in summer.
A lace cap hydrangea with double white flowers in summer.
**SOLD OUT**
A vigorous growing variety with double rose pink lace cap with flowers in summer.
A strong well branched hydrangea with large white mop head flowers in summer which are made up of many small double flowers.
**SOLD OUT**
A compact variety with dense double light blue mop head flowers in summer.
A lace cap hydrangea with double rose-pink flowers in summer.
Flowers are green to blue opening looking like a lace cap with sterile flowers on the edge. Then fill out to double flowers creating a mop head.
Flowers are green to pink opening looking like a lace cap with sterile flowers on the edge. Then fill out to double flowers creating a mop head.
Flat lace-cap fuchsia pink toned flowers with fringed edges.
Mop head flowers are pink and if grown on an acid soil will be mauve to purple.
Very large intensive pink coloured lace cap flowers in summer.
Very large intensive pink coloured lace cap flowers in summer.
A white lace-cap Hydrangea with wavy edges and pinkish margined flowers.
A large dense mop head of rich clear pink or blue flowers in acid soils in summer.
A large dense mop head of rich clear pink or blue flowers in acid soils in summer.
A lace cap hydrangea with bright rose to deep pink flat flower heads in summer.
Called Glam Rock or Schloss Wackerbarth. Large balls of spectacular coloured Mop head flowers of red pink with a blue centre and greenish tips.
Dense deep rich rose red mop head flowers in summer and green leaves usually with red tinted edges.
Soft green mop head flowers changing to darker shades of green as the season continues. Good for cut flowers.
A compact hydrangea with very dense green or green white mop head flowers becoming green by autumn.
A bi coloured hydrangea with pink green mop head flowers in summer.
A bi coloured hydrangea with purple green mop head flowers in summer.
Large green flowers turn dark red from the outer edge of the petals
Large green flowers turn dark red from the outer edge of the petals
Flowers are concave usually pink and on acid soil produce many blue flowers.
Mop head flowers pale pink in shade on a neutral or alkaline soil but darker shade. On acid soil flowers are violet in shade and aubergine purple in full sun.