Hydrangeas
Do hydrangeas have a continuous spring and summer bloom?
There are many different varieties and shades of hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla). Some hydrangeas start to bloom in the spring and stop in the middle of the summer, while others start to bloom and keep on blooming until the end of the season. Some hydrangeas only flower on young wood, while others only do so on aged wood. The best approach to guarantee that you’ll see flowers all summer long is to select one or more varieties with contrasting traits. Although hydrangeas enjoy the heat and sunlight of the summer, they still require the kind of tender love that will prevent them from wilting when you want them to bloom.
How many weeks do hydrangeas bloom?
All varieties of hydrangeas bloom all through the growing season. While the plants continue to produce new blooms to replace the old ones, individual blooms might remain for weeks. To stimulate the plants to produce new flowers, the majority of gardeners cut away old, spent blossoms.
Do hydrangeas like shade or the sun?
With the ideal balance of morning sun and afternoon shade, hydrangeas flourish. Even the sun-loving Hydrangea paniculata will thrive in some shade. Some hydrangea cultivars may survive complete shadow, though.
The oakleaf hydrangea, also known as hydrangea quercifolia, is a substantial species of hydrangea that may reach heights of up to eight feet. In a shade garden, this big bush makes a beautiful backdrop. The height will provide excellent midsummer seclusion. Oakleaf hydrangeas are summer bloomers with mostly white blooms, elegant oakleaf-shaped leaves, and lovely peeling bark.
Hydrangea anomala ssp. petiolaris is another choice for full shade. This climbing species, which has lacy, white blossoms in the summer, can reach a height of 50 feet if it is given adequate support. The foliage is a rich shade of green and would look wonderful growing up a tree trunk or covering the face of a building. It would also look lovely covering the roof of a garden shed.
Full shade cultivars require the same upkeep as partial shade. In the deeper shade, it will be especially crucial to keep the plants free of leaf litter and with excellent airflow. Water your plant once a week after it has become established. Keep a watch on the leaves, and if you notice any drooping, especially during the hot summer months, water them right away. The importance of this increases in hotter regions.
These leaves’ unique shape would be a lovely complement to Hosta leaves. The white blossoms would contrast nicely with the lighter hues of your shady blooms and provide some brilliant brightness to your shaded locations.
Shade Varieties
There are a few different hydrangea cultivars that thrive in the shade. Some types can even thrive in zones 3 (which doesn’t warm up until later in the spring), which is one of the coldest growing regions. Let’s examine some of the best shade selections!
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snow queen’
The movie “Snow queen” is stunning. The flowers are stunning, as they are with all hydrangeas. These rose blush-colored blossoms appear in the middle of summer. The foliage of this plant is my favorite component. The leaves begin the season in a very deep green, gradually changing to a deep reddish bronze color, and finally finishing in that shade, offering a stunning splash of color to your fall landscape.
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Alice’
With a height ranging between 12 and 15 feet, this Oakleaf Hydrangea is one among the biggest. In the summer, this plant blooms with incredibly deep cream-colored flowers. A woodland garden would be a truly lovely place for “Alice.” This cultivar would look especially beautiful if it were grown as a bordering hedge.
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’
‘Annabelle’ enjoys partial shade and has some of the largest flowers in the hydrangea family (12 inches wide!). These enormous blossoms can be supported all season long by the sturdy stalks. This shrub can grow up to five feet tall and five feet broad, so give it plenty of area to expand. These enormous, all-white blossoms bloom for a long time.
In a mass planting, as a specimen shrub, or as a foundation planting, “Annabelle” would look lovely. These bushes should still be included in your cutting garden. Imagine a bunch of flowers that large! Wow!
In June, are hydrangeas in bloom?
Although I believe blue hydrangea will be out of season in late November or early December, I would really enjoy a bouquet that also includes a few white cabbage roses. Can I use another blue flower in its place?
Plant guru response:
You’ll be happy to learn that florists may purchase hydrangeas all year long. Therefore, you won’t need to replace the hydrangea flowers in your bridal bouquet with another flower.
Although hydrangeas are typically used for bridal bouquets in the spring (March, April, May) and summer (June, July, August), we are noticing an increase in the use of hydrangeas in fall weddings (September, October, November). When a bride wants a big, white bloom in the winter (December, January, or February), hydrangea blooms are frequently used. This lovely flower is a superb option for wedding flowers.
Why isn’t my hydrangea in bloom?
All varieties of hydrangeas should begin to bloom in the early spring or mid- to late-summer, and each flower should endure for many weeks.
Too much fertilizer, not enough sunlight, transplant shock, moisture stress, frost damage on developing flower buds, and severe trimming of the old wood that supports this season’s new hydrangea blossoms are the causes of hydrangeas not blossoming.
For more information on the reasons why your hydrangea isn’t blooming and how to make sure it blooms profusely the following year, continue reading.
Are hydrangeas water-intensive plants?
Although the hydrangea’s leaves and flowers seem delicate, little careful care is actually needed for them. Everything you need to know about caring for hydrangeas is provided in these recommendations.
- Over the course of the growing season, water at a rate of 1 inch per week. To promote root growth, deeply water three times each week. All varieties of hydrangeas benefit from constant moisture, but bigleaf and smooth hydrangeas need more water. To water thoroughly while keeping moisture off the flowers and leaves, use a soaker hose. Hydrangeas won’t wilt as much if they are watered early in the day on hot days.
- To keep the soil around your hydrangeas cool and moist, add mulch. Over time, an organic mulch decomposes, supplying nutrients and enhancing soil texture.
- Apply fertilizer according to the type of hydrangeas you have. Every variety has varied requirements and will profit from applying fertilizer at various times. A soil test is the most effective tool for determining your fertility requirements.
- In March, May, and June, bigleaf hydrangeas require numerous mild fertilizer applications.
- Two applications in April and June work best for oakleaf and panicle hydrangeas.
- The only time smooth hydrangea plants require fertilizing is in the late winter.
- By selecting cultivars with resistant characteristics, you can avoid pests and diseases. Hydrangeas can have leaf spots, bight, wilt, and powdery mildew. Although they are uncommon on hydrangeas, pests might arise when the plants are under stress. Aphids, leaf tiers, and red spider mites are examples of potential pests. Your best line of defense is to properly care for hydrangeas.
Should you remove hydrangea blooms that have died?
Your hydrangea shrubs’ blossoms appear to be withering or turning brown. No need to worry—this is merely a signal that it’s time to deadhead—remove the blossoms from the plant.
Deadheading hydrangeas doesn’t cause any damage to the plants at all. Flowering shrubs stop producing seeds when the spent blooms are removed, and instead focus their efforts on developing their roots and leaves. You will be doing your hydrangeas a favor by deadheading because this strengthens and makes plants healthier.
How can I encourage my hydrangea to bloom more?
Early spring or mid-July through late summer are the blooming seasons for hydrangeas. The methods for extending hydrangea blossoms’ life and producing more of them are discussed below.
Plant the hydrangea where it will receive morning light and afternoon shade, keep the soil continuously moist, and treat it in the spring with a fertilizer that is well-balanced to encourage more flowers. To encourage more blossoms, don’t prune your hydrangea too frequently. Hydrangeas bloom on the growth from the previous year.
Continue reading to find out how to lengthen the time that your hydrangea blooms as well as my personal pick for the best fertilizer for hydrangeas to enhance blossoming.
Do hydrangeas regrow each season?
Hydrangeas will indeed reappear each year if they do not perish during the winter. Though not all gift hydrangeas are bred to grow especially winter-hardy. Thus, hydraneas occasionally do not endure the winter. However, most hydrangeas will reappear each year.
Do hydrangeas have several blooms?
Bigleaf hydrangeas can be cultivated in full sun in regions with cold summers and enough of summer precipitation. These hydrangeas do, however, prefer early light and afternoon shade where summers are hotter or drier. These will produce fewer or no blooms if grown in excessive shade.
When grown in Northern states, bigleaf hydrangeas can be very temperamental. Although some types are only reliable in Zones 6–9, others are hardy in Zones 4 or 5. Early fall frost, late spring frost, and extremely cold winter temperatures can all have an impact on flowering in colder climates. After the first frost, you can choose to cover bigleaf hydrangeas with 12 to 18 inches of mulch. You should take the mulch off as soon as the threat of frost has passed in April.
Think about cultivating one of the numerous new hydrangeas that flower on both old and new wood. Although they are actually remontant, or plants that bloom more than once in a season, they are frequently referred to as rebloomers. Or simply appreciate bigleaf hydrangeas for their vibrant foliage; some cultivars have variegated leaves in shades of lemon-lime or green and white. The rough leaves of these plants provide the garden wonderful texture and fall color. Guilded Gold, “Lemon Wave,” and Light-O-Day are examples of popular cultivars with variegated leaves.
How to Get More Bigleaf Hydrangea Flowers:
- In regions with average soil and half-day sun, grow bigleaf hydrangeas; in those with full-day sun and chilly summers, do the same.
- In the spring and early summer, give them plenty of water; from late summer to early autumn, you can let them dry out a little.
- Every year, add organic matter (like compost) to the soil.
- Pruning should only be done to remove unhealthy or dead branches. Plant kinds that only bloom on old wood should only be pruned in late June or early August.
- Wrap the stems in burlap and insulate with shredded leaves to give them further winter protection.
- Don’t cram the plants together or up against other plants; leave plenty of room between them.
- Don’t spoil bigleaf hydrangeas too much; if they receive too much water, fertilizer, etc., they might only produce leaves rather than blossoms.
Can hydrangeas be kept in pots?
Do hydrangeas thrive in containers? Given that potted hydrangeas received as gifts rarely survive longer than a few weeks, it’s a reasonable question. The good news is that they can, given the proper treatment. Growing hydrangeas in pots is a great idea because they can grow to be fairly large and have beautiful blossoms all summer long. Learn more about container-grown hydrangea plants and how to take care of hydrangea in pots by reading on.