Hooray for Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas perform well in the St. Louis area and the variety to choose from can be overwhelming. Hydrangeas range in height from varieties like Bobo and the Let’s Dance series (2-3 ft. tall) to Limelight and Pinky Winky ( 6-8 ft. tall). With the wide selection of colors and heights, there’s sure to be a hydrangea that will suit your garden. The smaller varieties are even great in pots. These can be brought up close to the house, mulched and over wintered just fine.

Hydrangea The Big Easy	Big Leaf or Mophead Hydrangeas Ball-shaped or mop type flowers (includes the lacecap flowers) Bloom on old wood, so don’t prune at all unless needed to control height and then right after they’ve bloomed
Hydrangea Blue Jangles
Hydrangea Bobo	Panicle or Peegee Hydrangeas Cone shaped or conical flowers Can tolerate more sun than other hydrangeas Blooms on new wood so can be pruned whenever it’s convenient
Hydrangea Limelight
Hydrangea Little Lime
Hydrangea Fire Light
Invicibelle Ruby	Smooth or Annabelle Hydrangeas A popular old fashion favorite Includes the improved series of Annabelle called Invincibelle hydrangeas Blooms on new wood so can be pruned whenever it’s convenient
Invincibelle Spirit II
Hydrangea Tuff Stuff Red	Mountain Hydrangeas Native to the mountains of Asia and Japan The hardiest of all hydrangeas so summer blooms are a sure thing Blooms on old wood so only prune to control height right after flowering is finished
Hydrangea Tuff Stuff Ah-Ha
Hydrangea Gatsby Gal	Oakleaf Hydrangea Attractive large oakleaf shaped leaves turn reddish maroon in the fall Exfoliating rough bark is intersting all season Blooms on old wood so do not prune unless needed to control height and then right after flowering
Hydrangea Gatsby Pink
Hydrangea Munchkin

Why Didn’t My Hydrangea Bloom?
We get this question frequently and there are a few reasons. This quick video sums up the main reasons, including age of the plant, amount of sunlight, pruning, deer and late frosts.

Flower Color- Blue Verses Pink
All hydrangeas undergo some color change as their flowers mature, but only the bigleaf or mophead varieties can be manipulated from blue to pink or from pink to blue. Blue flowers are the result of a low ph or acidic soil, whereas pink flowers occur in high ph or basic soils.

Hydrangeas in our area tend towards pink. Getting them to bloom blue requires soil amendment. We prefer Espoma’s Organic Soil Acidifier, which with time, will safely and effectively produce bluish flowers. You must apply the acidic feed on a regular basis, once a month during the active growing season, to maintain blue blossoms.

General Growing Tips

• Plant hydrangeas in moist, but well-drained soil.
• Contrary to popular knowledge, most hydrangeas benefit from some morning or late afternoon sun.
• The panicle hydrangeas, like Bobo and  Limelight can tolerate the most sun but should be well mulched to maintain moisture and a cooler root environment.
• Hydrangeas have shallow roots, so they dry out quickly. Watch carefully during periods of high temperatures and/or drought.
• 2-3 inches of mulch benefits all hydrangeas when the summer approaches.