It’s not difficult to grow hydrangea in Houston (South Texas), but it’s also not simple. It can be very difficult to grow a beautiful hydrangea shrub that will blossom and endure in the sun and humidity.
It gets difficult when you have to choose the right variety up front. The Oakleaf hydrangea is the kind that thrives in our climate (Hydrangea quercifolia). Although it performs better than other varieties, this lovely shrub does not resemble the hydrangeas we see in books or at flower shops. The cream-colored, cone-shaped flowers on this 8-foot-tall shrub have a rounded appearance. Throughout the season, flowers will transform to pink and even reddish brown in the autumn (note: you cannot change the color of Oakleaf hydrangea by changing acidity of the soil)
PeeGee hydrangea follows as the best performer for South Texas on our list of hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata). Again, not the hydrangea you see in magazines. Typically white-green, cone-shaped blossoms eventually turn pink with maturity. If unpruned, PeeGee hydrangea can reach a height of 15 feet, which is impressive for a shrub. PeeGee hydrangeas can often be taught to resemble trees with correct pruning.
However, the picture-perfect French hydrangea or mopheads are what the majority of us would like to grow (Hydrangea macrophylla). These hydrangeas are undoubtedly the most challenging to grow in Houston (and southeast Texas). Do you feel up to the task?
Starting with the ideal location for hydrangeas: The east side of the home (or any other structure) will receive morning sun and afternoon shade. If space on the east side is not a possibility, your other choice is the north side. Of course, if you’re like me and have trouble with orientation, pull out your compass or pour yourself a cup of tea, and spend some time watching: Find a location that receives some morning sun but is sheltered for the majority of the day.
The size of your site is the second thing to think about. Hydrangeas require space to expand. Take into account that French hydrangeas can reach heights of 7 feet and a width of 8 feet. For your hydrangea to flourish, leave at least 2 feet in each direction (from the plant’s center) when you plant it.
The hue of the hydrangea is the third factor to take into account. In Southeast Texas, pink and red colored blossoms are the easiest to grow (our clay soil is very alkaline and as such works best for pinks and reds). Once you master hydrangea cultivation, you can experiment with altering the soil’s acidity (If you want blue hydrangeas, you will need to add Aluminum sulfate to the soil, to lower your pH and make soil more acidic).
Got it all? Let’s make a large hole. The hole must be twice as wide as the pot that your hydrangea came in. The hole should be dug to a depth equal to the soil in your pot plus 4 inches. Fill the hole with compost to a depth of about 4 inches. Add the soil you dug out over your hydrangea before planting it. Mix potting soil in with your clay soil if it’s too dense (keep the ratio 3:13 part potting soil, 1 part clay). Mulch should be applied to the top 4-5 inches of the plant. We advise using cedar mulch (keeps the termites away). Water the mulch until it’s evenly wet.
Maintaining the health of your hydrangea comes last but not least. Moist soil is ideal for hydrangeas. Hydrangeas require daily watering until they are established (2-3 weeks). Just water the dirt (mulch) around the roots; don’t water the leaves or the flowers; let the rain take care of it. Early in the morning is advised for watering hydrangeas, followed by late at night. Once established, you must experiment and make a few observations. Water your hydrangea bush every other day as of now. Maintain that schedule if your leaves appear healthy (not drying out or wilting). You need to reduce the frequency of watering if your leaves begin to turn yellow to rust-colored. Mulch will quickly become your closest ally. It safeguards the roots, effectively holds water, and gives bugs a place to live.
When should your hydrangea be planted is the next concern. The best response for our area is: When the weather is nice outside. It shouldn’t be very hot, wet, or cold: between November and April (weather report should not mention any hard freeze). Only from February to May do we often sell hydrangea at Scent & Violet.
Would you like to raise the ante a bit? Place thyme, lemon balm, and chives close to your hydrangeas. These plants may thrive in the shadow and will aid in luring helpful insects. Why not utilize some of them in your cooking as well? Also think about growing some native Texas flowers that do well in shade.
Your hydrangea lived and flourished, right? You want to prune it since it has gotten too huge. Check out this video from North Coast Gardening to learn how to prune hydrangeas properly.
A full-service florist in Houston, Texas, Scent & Violet, flowers and presents offers flower, plant, and gift delivery in Houston, Katy, Richmond, Fulshear, Sugar Land, and Bellaire. We want to develop a hassle-free, regular buying source for presents, plants, and flowers. We really believe that giving gifts can lead to stronger relationships, better settings, and better mental states than receiving them.
Do hydrangeas thrive in the heat of Texas?
Hydrangea shrubs come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and cultivars that come in an amazing array of colors. While some hydrangea varieties won’t do well in the stifling Texas heat, there are undoubtedly those that do well there.
The most common kind of hydrangea in our area is unquestionably the oakleaf variety since it can withstand the heat without becoming overheated. They don’t exactly resemble the common hydrangeas with bloom clusters in the shape of globes that frequently adorn the covers of home and garden publications. Oakleaf hydrangeas have tiny white blooms that grow in panicles that resemble cones and tumble downhill, giving them a hybrid appearance between hydrangeas and lilacs. As you may undoubtedly infer from the name, its lobed leaves resemble oak tree leaves quite a little. Before the plant goes dormant for the winter, the blossoms change as they ripen from milky white to delicate pink and occasionally take on a wine-red hue. Oakleaf hydrangeas can grow up to 7 feet tall when fully grown.
Another magnificent species of hydrangea that thrives in Texas is PeeGee. With huge, cloud-like bunches of blooms reaching heights of up to 15 feet, they are absolute attention-getters. These shrubs are excellent accent plants for the front yard because you can even train them to grow into trees. PeeGees have blooms that start out white with a delicate green tint and gradually grow more pink as they mature, much like oakleaf hydrangeas do.
The traditional variety of French hydrangeas that you frequently find in bridal bouquets. Their mophead-shaped, spherical blossoms appear in a stunning array of white, green, purple, pink, and blue hues. By experimenting with the pH and Aluminum levels in the soil with different amendments, you can even extract a Sleeping Beauty and turn them from pink to blue, or from blue to pink. Although these hydrangeas are extremely popular in more Northern parts of the US, they are obviously more difficult to maintain in Houston, but it is possible with the right care. You may create the garden of your dreams if you take extra care to ensure that the striking, icy blue blossoms receive all they require to thrive.
How are hydrangeas prepared for winter in Texas?
To give your flower beds the best chance of surviving the hot summer months, it is crucial to make sure they are trimmed and weeded while planting hydrangeas.
The entire hydrangea bed benefits from flower beds that are kept manicured, weed-free, and clean.
Every summer and fall, we apply mulch to the beds to assist maintain moisture. To shield the hydrangea plants from the winter’s frost, we create a mound of mulch around them in the fall.
These are my new friends—wonderful, beautiful, incredible friends—with their filtered sunlight, new mulch, and moist soil.
Where should hydrangeas not be planted?
growing circumstances The best place to grow hydrangeas is where they will receive morning light and afternoon shade because they require well-draining soil. Both full sun and deep, consistent shadow are unsuitable for hydrangeas. Choose a location where your hydrangeas will receive at least three to four hours of direct sunlight each day.
In Texas, how much sunlight do hydrangeas require?
According to my personal observations, hydrangeas thrive in areas with morning sun (up until around 10) and afternoon shade. They should be planted in similar fashion to azaleas in places with dark, alkaline soil. For each plant, create a hole that is 3 feet broad and 15 to 18 inches deep. Get rid of all the natural dirt.