The latest Hydrangea breeding has produced a dizzying array of repeat flowering plants. Old-fashioned Hydrangeas set buds on the previous year’s growth, but the new Hydrangeas set flower buds on both old wood and new wood. In Portland, this means flowers from June through frost!
These are the Hydrangeas we’re planning to carry:
Blushing Bride from the Endless Summer® Collection — white mophead
Bloomstruck from the Endless Summer Collection - dark blue, purple or dark pink mophead with purple stems
Endless Summer® The Original — pale blue or pink mophead
Pistachio — unique green flowers w/ pink or blue tips, mophead
Twist-n-Shout from the Endless Summer® Collection — blue or pink lacecap
Wedding Gown from Hydrangea Double Delights series
Hydrangea 'Bloomstruck'
Hydrangea 'Pistachio'
Hydrangea 'Twist-n-Shout' (Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries, Inc.)
Hydrangea 'Wedding Gown'
Dwarf Hydrangeas
Love Hydrangeas but don’t have the space? Dwarf Hydrangeas are the answer. Most mature below 3’ and work well both for containers and in small garden spaces. Thanks to busy breeders, there are many to offer & here are a few:
Bigleaf Hydrangeas:Hydrangea macrophylla — Berlin, Pia, Rio & Wedding Gown
Peegee Hydrangeas:Hydrangea paniculata — Bobo, Peewee, Strawberry Sundae ('Strawberry Sundae is taller, 4-5', but it's still half the height of other H. paniculatas)
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Pia' (Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries, Inc.)
Hydrangea paniculata 'Bobo' (Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries, Inc.)
Hydrangea paniculata 'Strawberry Sundae' (Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries, Inc.)
Hydrangea quercifolia
Hydrangea Species
Hydrangea anomala petiolaris
Climbing Hydrangea
Hydrangea anomala petiolaris
White lacecap flowers, May-June
Self-attaching vine
Fast-growing, 15-25’
Shade to part shade
Hydrangea-arborescens
Smooth-leaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
Huge green white or pink flowers in July-August
Blooms on new growth
Prune in late winter
Part shade
Hydrangea aspera
Rough-leaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea aspera
Pretty lavender lacecap flowers in summer
Quilty leaf texture
Excellent peeling bark
Best in afternoon shade
Hydrangea integrifolia
Evergreen Climbing Hydrangeas
Hydrangea integrifolia & H. seemanii
White lacecap flowers, May-June
Glossy evergreen leaves
Self-attaching
Best in afternoon shade
Hydrangea macrophylla
Big-leaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla
Pink blue or white flowers
Mophead or Lacecap
Some varieties repeat bloom through summer
Best in afternoon shade
Hydrangea paniculata
PeeGee Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata
White green or pink flowers
Blooms in July
Dwarf & tall-growing varieties available
Sun-part shade
Hydrangea quercifolia
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia
White flowers in cone-shape clusters, June-July
Oak-leaf shape leaves turn dark maroon red in fall
Part shade, sun ok
Mountain Hydrangea
Hydrangea serrata
Delicate lacecap pink or blue flowers in July-August
Pretty fall color
Part shade or full shade
Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'
Availability
Year-round
Best selection is May-September
Facts: Hydrangea
Family: Hydrangeaceae
Genus: Hydrangea from the Greek hydor meaning water, and aggeion, meaning vessel; a reference to cup-shaped fruit
Common Name: Hydrangea
Origin: China, Japan, Himalayas, Philippines, Indonesia, North and South America
Characteristics: About 100 species of shrubs, small trees or vines.
Two types of flowers are present on most Hydrangeas – fertile & sterile.
Fertile flowers are small and inconspicuous, and are usually found near the center of a cluster.
Sterile flowers are large and showy. Flowers are held in differing cluster formations.
Mophead – Round or dome-shape clusters of mostly large sterile flowers hide fertile flowers beneath. Blue, pink, lavender, green, white & combinations of these colors are available. Find mopheads on Hydrangea arborescens, Hydrangea macrophylla and Hydrangea serrata.
Lacecap – Flat round clusters of small fertile flowers edged by larger sterile flowers available in white, pink, lavender and blue. Find lacecaps on Hydrangea aspera (H. aspera ‘Villosa’ pictured), Hydrangea macrophylla and Hydrangea serrata, as well as the climbing Hydrangeas, H. anomala petiolaris, H. integrifolia & H. seemanii.
Panicle/Cone - Long cone-shape clusters of white green or pink flowers. Some are so full of big sterile flowers that small fertile flowers disappear. Others are more open & have a lacy appearance. Find cone flowers on Hydrangea paniculata (pictured) and Hydrangea quercifolia.
Leaves are deciduous or evergreen and vary from simple, opposite or in whorls of three, oval or toothed, smooth or serrated. Many Hydrangea varieties develop lovely red to dark purple & mahogany fall color. Peely bark adds winter interest on some species.
Flower Color:
Blue & pink flowers of Bigleaf Hydrangeas, Hydrangea macrophylla change color depending on soil pH.
Low pH is acidic = blue flowers
Higher pH is more alkaline = pink flowers
Mid-range pH = purple flowers
Soils west of the Cascades are typically acidic, so Hydrangeas are typically blue when planted in the ground.
To Change Colors:
To turn flowers purple or pink, add lime to the planting area & reapply twice a year.
To deepen blue color, add Aluminum sulfate once a year.
To maintain a specific pH, test the pH twice a year using a soil test kit.
White hydrangea color cannot be manipulated with soil pH.
pH Flower Color
4.5 deep, intense blue
5.0 medium blue
5.5 lavender-purple
6.0 pink-purple
6.5 mauve-pink
6.8 medium pink
7.0 intense, deep pink
Culture: Most Hydrangeas perform best when planted in dappled or afternoon shade. Those in full sun often burn and require extra watering.
Pee Gee Hydrangeas (H. paniculata), and Oak Leaf Hydrangeas (H. quercifolia) are exceptions that can be planted in sunny spots but will still perform well in part shade. Soil should be consistently moist and well-drained. Cold tolerance varies.
Fertilizing: For blue flowers, use fertilizer for acid-loving plants. Use rose & flower food for all other hydrangeas. In all cases, follow the package directions for whatever food you choose.
Pruning:
Remove dead flowers in fall or late winter. Count 2 leaf-sets beneath the flower cluster and cut just above the second set. Repeat-blooming Hydrangeas can be dead-headed as old flowers fade.
Hydrangea arborescens blooms on new wood, so prune branches to knee-level in late winter.
Rejuvenating or down-sizing large Hydrangeas – in late winter, take a long look at the overall structure of the plant.
Make 3-5 thinning cuts evenly through the body of the plant, choosing the branches are the most offending and cut them back to a major branch or to the ground.
After each cut, step back and choose the next wisely.
Remove dead wood, and branches that are growing toward the interior of the plant.
This type of careful pruning encourages growth in the interior & from the base during spring.
Next, remove dead flowers and cut back branch tips. Count 2 leaf nodes down from branch tips and cut above the second node. This ensures summer flowers.
Pests & Diseases: Hydrangeas are prone to fungal problems, but they are typically not life-threatening. Leaf Spots and Powdery Mildew are the most common diseases in Portland, and they can often be avoided by increasing soil drainage and air circulation in the environment of the plant. If plants become diseased, remove affected foliage, remove all leaves from beneath the plant in fall when leaves drop naturally, and mulch the ground under the plant. Fungicides are available in addition to cultural treatment.
Succulent new growth attracts slugs, aphids and deer. All can distort and stunt growth. Slugs can be effectively controlled with bait or beer, aphids can be washed off with water or insecticidal soap, and there are several sprays out there that deter deer.
Hydrangea 'Endless Summer'
Find the Perfect Shrubs for your garden
Read up on some of our favorite shrubs and remember, this is only a smattering of the variety of shrubs we carry all year long! Note: Viewing a Native Plant will take you into our Native Plant section.