Hydrangea

Just a recent shot of a nearby garden, extraordinary that the ph level of the soil can vary the colour of the blooms from branch to branch.

Did you know? Hydrangea Day is celebrated on the 5th of January every year.

Of all the plants… the Endless Summer (Hydrangea macrophylla) has generated the most volcanic enthusiasm – Michael Dirr, the author of ‘Manual of Woody Landscape Plants’.

Hydrangeas are one of the most beautiful flowers. Inflorescence in the genus Hydrangea comes in groups. Hydrangea has long been a popular flowering shrub. The flowers are considered by many as Grandmother’s old-time flower.

Kingdom

Plantae

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Cornales

Family

Hydrangeaceae

Genus

Hydrangea

Hydrangea is a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants native to southern and eastern Asia (from Japan to China, the Himalaya and Indonesia) and North and South America. Hydrangeas produce flowers from early spring to late autumn. The flowers of Hydrangea are carried in bunches, at the ends of the stems. Each individual Hydrangea flower is relatively small. However, the display of color is enhanced by a ring of modified bracts around each flower.

In most species of Hydrangea the flowers are white, but in some species, can be blue, red, pink, or purple. In Hydrangea species the exact color often depends upon the acidity or alkalinity of the soil. Acidic soils produce blue flowers, neutral soils produce pale cream petals, and alkaline soils result in pink or purple.

Facts About Hydrangea

• Hydrangeas are one of very few plants that accumulate aluminium. Aluminium is released from acidic soils, and forms complexes in the hydrangea flower giving them their blue color.
• Hydrangeas produce their main flower clusters from the tips of shoots formed from the previous season.
• If the terminal buds of these shoots are destroyed, the plant usually fails to bloom. The chief causes of destruction of the terminal buds are excessive winter cold and uninformed pruning.
• Hydrangeas are also widely used as dried flowers, especially the blue Hydrangeas.
• The Japanese refer to these Hydrangea plants as Mountain Hydrangeas because they originate in the mountainous areas on the islands of Japan. These hydrangeas are smaller in stature and have smaller leaves and delicate lacecap flowers.
• Although most Hydrangeas bloom in summer and fall, a few Hydrangeas have developed the ability to set new bloom buds in the spring after the old ones have been pruned off or damaged.
• Endless Summer is just such a hydrangea. This trait is referred to as being “remontant”.

Types of Hydrangeas

There are 3 types of flower blooms in Hydrangea. They are –
Mophead – Globe shaped flower cluster, the most commonly recognized form of Hydrangea bloom.
Panicle – Long, somewhat cone-shaped flower cluster (particularly in Oakleaf Hydrangeas).
Lacecap – Flattened cluster of what appear to be tiny, immature buds surrounded at the edges by typical 4 to 5 petal flowers.

Further, there are many varieties of Hydrangeas. Some of the most popular varieties are tabulated below –

Common Names	Scientific Names	Uses
Bigleaf Hydrangea, Garden Hydrangea, Endless summer, French hHdrangea, Common Hydrangea	Hydrangea macrophylla	The leaves, roots and flowers are antimalarial, antitussive and diuretic. They are said to be a more potent antimalarial than quinine.
Oakleaf hydrangea, Snow Queen	Hydrangea quercifolia	Can be used as a specimen plant where space is adequate, or as an untrimmed hedge or background where screening is desired.
Peegee hydrangea	Hydrangea paniculata Grandiflora	The flowers contain up to 4.06% rutin, which makes them useful for reducing the incidence of recurrent haemorrhages associated with increased capillary fragility, particularly in hypertension.
Smooth Hydrangea	Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle	The flowers are sweetly scented.
Climbing Hydrangea	Hydrangea anomala petiolaris	A boiled concoction of the leaves is used to make a syrup. The sweet sap is used as a drink.

another spectacular hydrangea

a showy bush of hydrangea through variations in soil acidity ranging in colour from pink to violet

a less showy white hydrangea