How To Care For A Hydrangea Plant: Growing Info + Tips

Hydrangea Plant Overview

Hydrangeas (common names hydrangea or hortensia) 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.  Hydrangeas are also widely used as dried flowers, especially the blue Hydrangeas.

Hydrangeas are one of the very few plants that accumulate aluminum. Aluminum is released from acidic soils, and forms complexes in the hydrangea flower giving them their blue color. 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. But not all types of hydrangeas will change bloom color. Only some bigleaf and mountain hydrangeas are able to change according to the soil chemistry and the presence of aluminum in the soil. 

Types of Hydrangeas

3 Types of Flower Blooms in Hydrangea

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.

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6 Popular Varieties of  Hydrangea

Dozens of species exist worldwide, but most hydrangeas in U.S. garden centers belong to one of six species:

Bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla)

Known as French or florist types, have rounded "mophead" flower clusters or "lacecap" of tiny bud-like blossoms ringed with showy florets. With colors from white to pink, purple and blue, these include old-timers such as Nikko Blue and new rebloomers such as Endless Summer. (USDA zones 5 through 9). Bigleaf  hydrangeas are the most common type of hydrangea.  Chances are the hydrangeas at your local florist's shop are bigleaf hydrangeas. 

Smooth hydrangeas(Hydrangea arborescens)

Also known as wild hydrangeas, include old-fashioned favorites such as Annabelle, with its over-size, round, white blooms and new varieties in intense pink. North American natives, smooth hydrangeas flower reliably in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. The most striking cultivar of smooth hydrangea is the "Annabelle" - which is a name that is commonly used to refer to all smooth hydrangeas.  It is a large shrub that can grow up to six feet tall, and is usually planted as a hedge plant.  

Panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata)

Also known as Grandiflora and Pee Gees, have long, pyramid-shaped flower clusters. New varieties expand color choices from blushing white to deep pink and pale lime. (USDA zones 3 through 8)

Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) are North American natives with cone-shaped flower clusters and lobed, oak-like leaves. Blooms range in color from white to deep, rosy red. Fall foliage spans yellow-bronze to deep burgundy. (USDA zones 5 through 9)

Climbing hydrangeas (Hydrangea petiolaris) 

They become hefty, soaring vines, easily covering large walls and sturdy supports. Their lacelike white flower clusters complement appealing cinnamon-red bark. (USDA zones 4 through 8)

Mountain hydrangeas (Hydrangea Serrata) 

They may have delicate lacecap flowers or smaller, mophead-like blooms. Colors range from white and pink to brilliant purple-blues.  They are a great choice for areas with late winter cold snaps. (USDA zones 5 through 7/8)

How to Care for a Hydrangea Plant? (Tips)

Geography

Hydrangea is a genus of 70–75 species of flowering plants native to Asia and the Americas. By far the greatest species diversity is in eastern Asia, notably Korea, China, and Japan. Most hydrangea bushes are easy to grow in Zones 3-9 in US and prefer partial shade. 

Planting Season

Fall is the best season to plant hydrangeas, followed by early spring. The best time of day to plant is early morning or late afternoon. Keep new plants well-watered until established.

Where to plant

Hydrangeas love the warm morning sun, but they dislike the heat of the afternoon. The best place to plant hydrangeas is in a sheltered location with sunny mornings and shady afternoons. The further north your garden is located, the more sunlight your hydrangeas need. An average rule of thumb is six hours of sunlight per day. However, hydrangeas growing in the south can perform on only three hours of sunlight. Do not plant hydrangeas beneath a tree - the root competition and lack of sunlight will prevent them from thriving. 

If you lack the space in your garden to grow hydrangeas, you can grow hydrangea in a pot. Consider planting dwarf hydrangeas, such as Little Lime, Mini Penny, and Buttons 'n Bows.

Sunlight

Hydrangeas thrive in lightly shaded locations, but they still need four to six hours of daily sun to flower well. Most hydrangea plants bloom best in part shade, but some will tolerate full shade or full sun. The amount of sun hydrangeas can handle depends on your location - in areas further north they can take more sun, while further south they prefer just a few hours of morning sunlight. 

Water

Hydrangeas need plentiful water to hydrate their leaves and blooms. Water to keep the soil cool and consistently moist, not overly wet or dry.  Container hydrangeas may need daily watering. Add mulch to help keep soil moist.

Soil

Hydrangeas flourish in well-drained, moisture-retentive soil. Soggy or overly dry soil won't do. Adding organic matter such as earthworm castings at planting time improves aeration, enhances water retention and benefits in other ways.  Soil composition can affect the flower color of H. macrophylla and H. serrata. Other varieties can tolerate a range of soil alkalinity.

Fertilizing

If your soil is rich, you may not need to fertilize hydrangeas. If your soil is light or sandy, it's best to feed the plants once a year in late winter or spring. Too much fertilizer encourages leafy growth at the expense of blooms.

Apply fertilizer based on your specific hydrangeas. Each variety has different needs and will benefit from different application timing. The best way to determine your fertility needs is by using a soil test.

• Bigleaf hydrangeas need several light fertilizer applications in March, May and June.

• Oakleaf and Panicle hydrangeas do best with two applications in April and June.

• Smooth hydrangea plants only need fertilization once, in late winter.

Hydrangeas rely on solid nutrition for luxurious blossoms and leaves. A complete, balanced fertilizer such as Pennington® UltraGreen® All Purpose Plant Food 10-10-10 at planting lays the foundation for health and beauty. To encourage more flowers, try Pennington® UltraGreen® Color Blooms & Bulbs Plant Food 15-10-10.

Pruning

Hydrangeas vary in how and when they bloom. Understanding these differences is critical when you're armed with pruning shears. Prune at the wrong time and you may clip off hidden buds waiting to become blooms. If you prune too much, you will be removing potential blooms.

Some hydrangeas bloom on branches that grew the year before (called "old wood"), some types bloom on this year's growth (called "new wood"), and some bloom on both old and new wood.

Smooth hydrangeas and Panicle hydrangeas form buds and flowers on brand new stems each summer. Cold winters can kill them to the ground, but they'll shoot back with “new wood" and lavish summer blooms. Prune these types back to one-half their size right before spring growth begins. This encourages new stems, which means more flowers.

Most other hydrangeas bloom primarily on old stems. Flower buds form during summer months, overwinter on stems, and bloom in late spring to early summer on “old wood." When stems are pruned by you or cold weather - you lose some or all of your blossoms. If pruning is needed, do it immediately after flowering.

A few select Bigleaf and Mountain hydrangeas bloom on both new stems and old. These reblooming or “remontant" varieties have a showy flush of early flowers on old wood, and then new stems bud and flower from summer into fall. Even if winter damages old stems, you still experience summer blooms. Other than removing dead or damaged wood, these varieties flourish with little or no pruning at all. 

If you're not sure what kind of plant you have, don't prune any later than mid-summer or you risk removing next year's blooms. Or simply wait to prune until the plant leaves out again next spring so you can see what's dead and what's not. Then just take off the dead stuff.

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