Hydrangea Plant

For decades the Hydrangea family existed mainly on the shoulders of two cultivars namely Hydrangea apiculata graniflora and Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora.

The first variety is white and the second considered being pink. Actually Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora bloomed white with the flower color turning somewhat pink with the arrival of fall.

Sometimes we would have a blue variety available to sell but it was a rather weak form with poor winter hardiness.

The above three flowering shrubs were all that we had available to sell at the garden center and in 1962 we offered them only as bare root plants.

For those of you new to gardening bare root refers to shrubs and other nursery stock that has been dug up at the nursery then the soil carefully removed from the roots.

Nursery stock would be dug or harvested in the fall, placed in cold storage under mist then shipped to various garden centers and accounts across the nation.

Container grown plants didn’t show up on the market place until sometime during the1960’s with the exception that Monrovia nursery in California was producing stock grown in metal cans as was Greenleaf Nursery in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

These metal containers were referred to as egg cans.

I can remember asking why they were called egg cans and I was told that egg products were packaged and sold in them.

I have no idea if this is factual or not but that is what I was told.

Now back to hydrangeas!

Today when you go shopping for these beautiful flowering shrubs there are so many varieties and colors available that the choices seem almost without limit.

Colors such as

• white
• pink
• blue
• rose
• purple
• mauve
• bicolors

are all available.

Hydrangea colors can be somewhat deceiving as a Blue Hydrangea may flower pink or mauve whereas a pink variety may sport blue or purple flowers depending on soil chemistry

Should you want to experiment with your plants by seeing what colors can be achieved here is how to start.

1. Test your soils ph so you will know the starting point.
2. Lime will raise the pH level.
3. Aluminum Sulfate will lower the ph
4. Nitrogen and phosphorus tend to promote pink flowers.
5. Follow the simple chart to arrive at the desired color.

• pH 4.5 produces blue
• pH 5.0 produces midrange blue
• pH 5.5 produces lavender
• pH 6.0 produces purple-pink
• pH 6.5 produces mauve
• pH 6.7 produces mid-range pink
• pH 7.0 produces dark pink

With only a very few exceptions Hydrangeas prefer a partial shade to full shade environment with full shade becoming the standard in the deep south.

There is only one variety which will prosper in full light which is Oakleaf.

Plant forms such as shrub, tree and vines have all made their way to the various retailers from coast to coast.