- Bigleaf hydrangea
Botanical name: Botanical name: hydrangea macrophylla
Average Size at Maturity: 3 -13 ft tall, 2.5 – 8 ft spread
Bloom Time: Summer
Flower Color: Pink, blue, white, purple, red, cream
Foliage Color: Green, yellow
Growth Rate: About 2 ft or more a year
Landscape Use: Perfect for filling in the middle of a border, eye-catching plant for midsummer, great centerpieces of mixed containers
Light Needs: Partial shade – fully receive the morning sunlight while being partially shaded in the afternoon – 4 hours of sunlight
Parent Act: Hydrangeas reproduce sexually. The pollen is scattered by the wind and starts the reproduction process. Then, the seeds grow inside the flower and eventually the flower clusters die.
Special Feature: The soil pH will affect flower colors. Bigleaf hydrangeas growing in acidic and aluminum-rich soil will bloom blue, while in alkaline soils they bloom pink. An appropriate amount of aluminum sulfate or lime can be added to the soil to adjust the pH if you want to control the flower color.
Water Needs: Does best in consistent moisture, often gets droopy leaves when it needs more water
