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Hydrangea
Filed under Shade GardensJan 13Hydrangea
Hydrangeas are a wonderful plant that can give a garden a lot of color. The hydrangea originated out of Japan and was discovered there and brought back to the western world during the mid 18th century. There are five main species but one is more common then the rest, hydrangea macrophylla. They like to be in a part sun/shade area of the garden. Hydrangeas are a flowering shrub, which flowers through the spring, summer, and into the autumn. The color of the flower is dependent on the type of soil. Soil rich in alkaline will produce pink flowers and acidic soil will produce blue flowers. The common species that most gardens contain is hydrangea macrophylla. The common name is Bigleaf of French hydrangea. There also other types of hydrangeas found in gardens: hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf), hydrangea arborescens (Smooth or Annabelle), hydrangea paniculata (Grandiflora or Peegee), and hydrangea anomola petiolaris (Climbing hydrangea).
Flowers
Out of all the species of hydrangeas the three common colors of flowers are: white, pink, and blue. They do come in lavender, or lilac color, a deep red/brown, and a light green. The flower blossom is a collection of small flowers about a quarter in size that bloom in a cluster. They can have three basic shapes to the clusters: mophead which is round and shaped like a sphere, lacecap which is more of a flat shape with blossoms blooming around the edge, and panicle which has more of a cone shape to the flower. They make great cut flowers and can last up to a week in a vase. As you cut the flower stems the hydrangea will produce flowers. Make sure you prune those stems back to ensure that the shrub blooms again.
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Gardening Tips
Hydrangeas like to be in a partial sun and shade area of the garden. They do not like the heat of the afternoon and like to be protected by the shade. They love water so be prepared to keep them wet. The flowering season is from the spring to the autumn and need to be pruned back in the autumn. If you want for flowers to bloom you should prune the stems to be about 6-12†from the ground. In the in the early spring add compost and humus to the soil and the type of fertilizer you want to determine the color of the flower. I have some of my hydrangeas next to azaleas and rhododendrons which like acidic soil. This gives the flower a blue color. The color is determined by the amount of aluminum that is in the soil. You can apply aluminum sulfate in the spring and keep the pH around 5 and 5.5. For the beautiful pink flowers you want a more alkaline soil mixture so liming the soil will change the pH to 6 and give you the pink color.
Hydrangeas can grow up to 6 feet high and wide; they are bushy and have woody stems. As the new grow emerges stake the stems of the flowers and needed otherwise let them grow and enjoy. As the seasons progress keep the hydrangea well fertilized with a general fertilizer 10 10 10. You must always water after applying fertilizer so that it reaches the soil. To propagate the plant you need to have a small trench next to the plant. Then remove a little of the bark and lay it in the ground and cover it with soil. Make sure that the tip of growth is uncovered and it will root under the soil.
6 Responses to “Hydrangea”
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marcus said on April 20th, 2007 at 9:03 am
Fantastic web page!
Very useful.
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tovorinok said on July 5th, 2007 at 2:52 am
Hello
Great book. I just want to say what a fantastic thing you are doing! Good luck!
G’night
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hokip said on May 28th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Residential gardening takes place near the home, in a space referred to as the garden. Although a garden typically is located on the land near a residence, it may also be located on a roof, in an atrium, on a balcony, in a windowbox, or on a patio or vivarium. Gardening also takes place in non-residential green areas, such as parks, public or semi-public gardens (botanical gardens or zoological gardens), amusement and theme parks, along transportation corridors, and around tourist attractions and garden hotels. In these situations, a staff of gardeners or groundskeepers maintains the gardens. Impact Gardening is a way of using small space to great effect, keeping plants close together, which blocks weeds and requires very little upkeep once started. Indoor gardening is concerned with the growing of houseplants within a residence or building, in a conservatory, or in a greenhouse. Indoor gardens are sometimes incorporated as part of air conditioning or heating systems. Water gardening is concerned with growing plants adapted to pools and ponds. Bog gardens are also considered a type of water garden. These all require special conditions and considerations. A simple water garden may consist solely of a tub containing the water and plant(s). Container gardening is concerned with growing plants in any type of container either indoors or outdoors. Common containers are pots, hanging baskets, and planters. Container gardening is usually used in atriums and on balconies, patios, and roof tops. Community gardening is a social activity in which an area of land is gardened by a group of people, providing access to fresh produce and plants as well as access to satisfying labor, neighborhood improvement, sense of community and connection to the environment.
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| Hydrangea said on May 29th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
[...] [Source] Elizabeth Toshikian [...]
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Martin Higgs said on August 10th, 2008 at 4:22 am
Interesting tips on blue and pink hydrangeas – have one that flowered white, but mid-summer the blooms turned green.
It is planted in a tub with normal potting soild for terrace plants. Any thoughts as to why the flowers havse turned green and how I can get them back to white (or any other colour that – the blooms just can’t be seem for the leaves).
Thanks
Martin
