French hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), often known as bigleaf hydrangea or florist’s hydrangea, is a deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub renowned for its enormous flower heads and love for shade. Hortensias, also known as mopheads, have spherical flower heads composed entirely of male flowers. Lacecaps, on the other hand, have flattened flower heads composed entirely of tiny female flowers surrounded by more opulent, larger male blooms.
As French hydrangea, what?
Hortensia, also known as the French hydrangea (H. macrophylla), is a kind of hydrangea that is frequently grown for its massive clusters of globular flowers that come in shades of pink, lavender, blue, and, in very rare cases, white. These developed types are pushed festive hydrangeas from the florist.
What size can a French hydrangea reach?
French hydrangea can therefore grow up to 12 feet tall and spread, although it often matures at 6 feet tall and wide. French hydrangea should be planted in a location that will allow it to grow and mature in the garden.
What makes it known as a French hydrangea?
Despite having a widespread name, the French hydrangea is actually a native of Japan’s eastern coast and has been bred and grown there for decades. According to the University of Florida Extension, the plant was imported to Europe and the Americas in 1789 and given the popular name French hydrangea. The flower’s popularity peaked in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and by the 1950s, people had lost interest in it. Numerous new cultivars, including kinds that bloom all season long, have been created as a result of a rediscovered respect for the plant.
How is a French hydrangea cared for?
Even though lacecaps are more subdued, they are still beautiful in bloom. They entice bees and butterflies to the garden with their flower heads, which are slightly domed and ringed with delicate fertile florets. Their flowers float above broad, vivid green deciduous leaves like mopheads. Lacecaps are supremely elegant, yet mopheads might be more flamboyant. Showcase these ethereal blooms in sweeping fern and hosta arrangements in heavily shaded wooded areas.
Can the two varieties of flowers be combined in a garden? Absolutely! Plant them in the same manner that Tyler and Byrd Garland did in their garden near Macon, Georgia. Use delicate lacecaps in front, where their beautiful blossoms will be noticed, and magnificent mopheads in the back.
How To Choose The Best Macrophylla Hydrangea More than simply gorgeous blooms should be considered while purchasing French hydrangeas. Pick a mature plant that has balanced branching on all sides. The stems should be covered in plump buds or flower heads that are about to bloom or open in late spring and early summer. Bright green leaves that are not drooping are ideal (an indicator that the plant may not have been watered regularly).
Where To Plant Macrophylla Hydrangea French hydrangeas appreciate morning sun, afternoon shade, and wet, well-drained soil. Water the plants as soon as you get them home, thoroughly moistening the soil. Play around with the positioning prior to planting. The majority of French hydrangeas can be planted 3 to 4 feet apart, but you should check the tag to determine how big your choice will get. Create a hole that is the same depth as the pot and two to three times as wide. Put the plant in the hole’s middle after removing it from its container. With your fingertips, gently release the root-sides. ball’s Half of the original soil and half of the compost should be used to fill the hole. Mulch and water your plant frequently to aid in its establishment. In order to promote new blooms, it’s crucial to constantly water, feed, and remove old blossoms if you purchase a repeat bloomer.
When Should Hydrangea Macrophylla Be Pruned French hydrangeas that only bloom once, like “Nikko Blue,” blossom on growth from the previous year. Just after summer flowering, prune. French hydrangeas that bloom repeatedly include “Blushing Bride” and “Dooley,” which produce flowers on both old and young growth. These can nearly always be pruned.
How much sun is required by a French hydrangea?
When you enter a garden and see a hydrangea in bloom, your interest is immediately piqued. The Bigleaf Hydrangea, also known as Hydrangea macrophylla, makes a statement with its large, vibrant blooms that simply cannot be disregarded. The majority of us visualize this hydrangea when the name is mentioned. We’ve all undoubtedly given or received one at some point in our life; it’s a favorite pot plant of florists. However, the French hydrangea really shines in a garden setting.
A mature garden hydrangea is a woody, deciduous shrub that is at least 5 feet tall and roughly that wide. Large, matte-green foliage in colors ranging from medium to dark serve as the backdrop for the two distinct bloom shapes. either 1) hortensia or mophead blossoms, or 2) lacecap blooms. If you will, both bloom forms are the same plant with “different hair color. Many folks who are unfamiliar with lacecap blossoms are perplexed by this area. Yes, they are supposed to look that way, but no, the young, fertile flowers in the middle will never develop into the hortensia or mophead, which is their sibling. Their lacy, more delicate appearance gives the garden a new perspective.
When hydrangeas start to bloom, you can buy them at your local garden center. While it’s a good idea to look around now and decide what you want, planting hydrangeas in the late spring or early summer demands more care on your side. In order to meet the demands of all those large leaves and blossoms, the newly placed plant does not yet have a root system in place. To allow the plant to grow its mature root system throughout the first two growing seasons, you will need to water it frequently during dry spells (this applies to all newly planted plants, not just hydrangeas).
French hydrangeas are frequently mentioned among plants that thrive in shade. Technically, this is incorrect. French hydrangeas require at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight to bloom well. They don’t need afternoon sun in the direct, especially in the South. Increased “transpiration,” or water loss from the leaves, is a result of direct sunlight. Planting hydrangeas in the arduous late-afternoon sun will make them appear wilted and thirsty. As soon as dusk falls, the plant will begin to heal by itself if there is enough water in the soil. Avoid watering a plant that has become wilted by the sun since too much water might cause root rot issues. Hydrangeas require water quickly if they begin to droop in the morning before it becomes too hot.
If your hydrangeas were planted under trees and have yet to blossom, you might wish to “limb up the trees to enable more light to touch the hydrangeas” or, alternatively, move them to a site with more sunlight in the fall, just before the trees begin to shed their leaves.
You must dig a hole at least twice as big as the pot your hydrangea is in before bringing it inside. Before deciding between the 2-gallon plant and the 5-gallon plant, consider this. A smaller plant will likely have less transplant shock and will soon reach the size of a larger plant. Due to the lack of aluminum in the potting soil, practically all hydrangeas in nursery pots will have pink blossoms. Depending on the pH of the soil, once seeds are buried, their color may change; more on this later.
Take the soil out of the hole and combine it in the following ratio with the amendments:
1 part enlarged slate chip product, 1 part finely powdered pine bark chips, 1 part granite sand, or another soil aerator
Editor’s note: According to new information, the planting hole should be thoroughly broken up with native soil rather than being supplemented with additional materials. In theory, plant roots should grow through the modified hole and into the surrounding soil, but in practice, they are often slothful, and the planting hole serves as a containment, creating a scenario known as “pot bound.” It is preferable to add soil amendments to the entire planting area if they are necessary.
Examine the roots of your plant after removing it from the pot. The plant is said to be “potbound” if the roots have developed into a mat or are circling the exterior of the soil. Be brutal in removing these matted roots by cutting them loose. You might find that you significantly reduce the plant’s root ball. Rest assured that the roots will reappear and spread out into the surrounding soil. In my toolbox, I always have a serrated knife or an old tree saw just in case a transplanting situation arises.
Place the plant in the hole that has been made. If you overdug, you might have to pull out the plant and replace the hole with adjusted soil until the plant’s crown is at or just above the surrounding soil level (remember that adding water will compact the soil below the plantyou may want to plant slightly high to compensate for this). Sprinkle a little amount (about 1/2 cup) of a good balanced, timed-release fertilizer that feeds the roots for three to four months before replacing the plant in the hole.
After you’ve placed your plant, start filling the hole with the adjusted dirt. As you fill the hole completely, gently firm the earth as you go. Finish the planting process by giving the soil a good soaking, or until no more air bubbles are visible on the surface. This guarantees that the soil and the roots are in direct contact and prevents the drying out of valuable roots. To help with moisture retention, add a two-inch layer of excellent mulch on top of the soil around the plant.
Watch your plant grow while relaxing. Be patient with little (1 gallon) plants’ first two years of blooming. In their first two seasons, smaller plants often devote all of their energy to growing. Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizers as well, as they will just promote quick green growth and no bloom. High phosphorus fertilizers, commonly known as bloom boosters (a greater second number), are also ineffective for promoting hydrangea bloom development.
Even seasoned gardeners sometimes get confused about when and if to prune French hydrangeas. French hydrangeas are often compared to an azaleaprune after flowering in the South. Typically, this refers to July—certainly before August 1st. Removing up to a third of the growth won’t harm the plant. The bloom buds for the upcoming season are already present in the new growth that will emerge following pruning.
Take no fall trimming.
You are merely taking out your blossoms. The hydrangea’s leafless branches may not be the most beautiful feature of a winter garden, but if they have been planted properly and have a decent evergreen background, they are not nearly as distracting.
An older plant may require a good “renewal pruning” if it has been allowed to overrun its area or has grown lanky and barren on the bottom. Renewal pruning is the term for severely cutting the plant back (down to 18 or lower) either in the early spring or right after bloom. The result will be a “stump” with few, if any, leaves, but the plant will swiftly regenerate thanks to its vast, established root system. For that growing season, you will give up flower, but you will acquire a plant with improved proportions. Simply avoid trying this in the fall since you risk killing your plant.
As the hydrangea buds start to appear, one more pruning task is finished as part of spring housekeeping.
Find any older or dead branches on each plant, then cut them off as far back as the ground (you may need a pair of loppers for this). Regular cane removal promotes new growth. By softly scratching a branch with a pocketknife or fingernail, you can determine whether it has living tissue. It is a living branch if there is a green layer immediately below the surface. Additionally, now is an excellent time to remove any lingering dead flowers.
An established hydrangea just need the spring maintenance listed below:
As a topdressing, spread a 1 1/2 to 2 inch layer of compost or composted cow dung over the fertilizer.
Frost-damaged leaves should be plucked or chopped off; healthy leaves will quickly replace them, improving the appearance of your plants.
Consider these other hydrangeas for your garden:
The newest popular shrub in the nursery industry is the hydrangea. Although the recently released “Endless Summer macrophylla has sold incredibly well, there are many additional hydrangea kinds that are well worth planting. In actuality, amassing hydrangeas may be very rewarding. Consider including these varieties of hydrangeas in your landscape in addition to French hydrangeas:
Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora, sometimes known as PeeGee hydrangeas, and other paniculata variants
More details about hydrangeas:
You might want to buy a reference book as your interest in hydrangeas grows. In 2004, two new products that can be highly useful were introduced to the market:
By Michael A. Dirr, 2004’s Hydrangeas for American Gardens was published by Timber Press. The renowned University of Georgia horticultural Michael Dirr is the writer of numerous books that are highly regarded, including Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. His hydrangea book is filled with lovely color plates and is well-researched and educational.
C.J. Van Gelderen and D. M. Van Gelderen’s Encyclopedia of Hydrangeas was published by Timber Press in 2004. Another outstanding resource with color illustrations and explanations of hydrangeas from around the globe. Comparing facts with that in Dirr’s book is intriguing.
One final online resource for hydrangea knowledge
hydrangea society of America (founded 10 years ago in Atlanta, Georgia)
Which hydrangea thrives in shade the most?
The best hydrangea to grow in shade are oakleaf varieties. Because of its striking oak-shaped leaves, they get their name. Oakleaf hydrangeas have fluffy spring buds, huge summer blooms, brilliant fall leaves, and peeling winter bark, making them suitable for all four seasons.
Are hydrangeas suited for coffee grounds?
Coffee has always been amazing to me. If not magical, then pretty close. I mean, I’m a writer, and I’m pretty convinced that writers account for at least half of the sales in the coffee industry. But this also means that every day, we throw away tons of used coffee grounds. Although coffee grounds alone are not very harmful to the environment—in fact, I’ll teach you how to use them in your yard in a moment—they do add to the volume of landfills. Coffee, ever the sociable drink, mixes with other trash in foul trash heaps to produce methane, which as we all know is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. So the next time, try something a little different rather than simply throwing the grinds in the trash.
If you just drink one pot of coffee per day, you will have a lot of wonderful, mineral-rich grounds left over after you finish your first pot of the day, which you can use to enhance your garden. We coffee aficionados enjoy the strong coffee fragrance, but insects that harm flowers respond negatively to it. Coffee grounds not only deter ants and snails, but they also stop neighborhood cats from digging in your flowerbeds. Therefore, pile the material high around your preferred plants to ward off slimy, stingy, or fluffy pests.
Use coffee grinds to alter the color of your hydrangeas. The soil around hydrangeas becomes more acidic thanks to coffee grinds. Chemically speaking, the plant can more readily absorb naturally occurring aluminum in the soil as a result of the increased acidity. Pretty blue flower clusters are the result. Coffee grinds let you play with the color to transform pinker blossoms into other shades of blue, or perhaps a shade of purple in between, even if coffee won’t influence the brilliance of the flowers (pale blue flowers will remain pale blue, for example).
Coffee contains nitrogen, which helps plants grow, so give your plants a boost by turning the grinds into a natural fertilizer. Add a quarter cup of coffee grounds to four or five liters of water to make a “tea of coffee grounds.” Pour the liquid over all of your plants the next morning for a nutrient boost after letting it set overnight.