View allAll Photos Tagged Hydrangea
July 11, 2020
Our "late" summer hydrangeas are coming in now, and the early summer ones are still in bloom. The number of blooms and color is incredible this year. I guess nature put it all together just right this Spring!
Brewster, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
Photo by brucetopher
© Bruce Christopher 2020
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...always learning - critiques welcome.
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Hydrangea macrophylla - It has five petaled blue flowers in a mop head.The green leaves have coursely toothed edges and are lance-shaped, with the thin end at the base and tapering gradually to points at the tips. This plant is growing in a neighbor's yard in Carmel, New York.
After I made a Hydrangea Cube, Hydrangea Icosahedron was the next logical step. Just as in the cube, the Hydrangea Tessellation by Shuzo Fujimoto is used as a modular unit. The method of modifying and connecting individual elements was first published by Meenakshi Mukerji but at a later time I came up with the same design independently.
The modified tessellation unit has properties very similar to the Sonobe unit so other, larger assemblies that can be made with Sonobe units can be made with Hydrangeas as well.
This is the head-on view, with pentagonal symmetry of the spiked icosahedron visible.
There are alo other views of this model available:
- backlit view of partial model
- close-up
This is a hydrangea I bought for Easter in 2019. I'm so thrilled that it survived the winter and is blooming, again, It is a little cold here for it (my zone is one too far north for it), but it made it!
You can see that the rabbits have been nibbling on them.
In my garden
Belgium.
National Botanic Garden.
www.br.fgov.be/PUBLIC/GENERAL/index.php
Hydrangea macrophylla is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae, native to Japan. It is a deciduous shrub growing to 2 m (7 ft) tall by 2.5 m (8 ft) broad with large heads of pink or blue flowers in summer and autumn.
Hydrangeas are popular garden shrubs with delicate heads of flowers in shades of pink, white or blue and pretty autumn colour and leaf shape. The mophead and lace-cap hydrangeas are most well-known for their ability to change colour in different soils.
Seen in a front garden in Ramsgate.
My Thanks to all who visit and comment
The hydrangea tree has started to bloom. When more flowers open, this will be fantastic.
Macro. Taken with FujiFilm FinePIx S1000fd.
Hydrangea Colors Are Determined By The Acidity Of The Soil
Hydrangea flower color changes based on the pH in soil. As the graph depicts, soil with a pH of 5.5 or lower will produce blue flowers, a pH of 6.5 or higher will produce pink hydrangeas, and soil in between 5.5 and 6.5 will have purple hydrangeas.
Hydrangea flower color can change based on the pH in soil. As the graph depicts, soil with a pH of 5.5 or lower will produce blue flowers, a pH of 6.5 or higher will produce pink hydrangeas, and soil in between 5.5 and 6.5 will have purple hydrangeas.
The flowers on a hydrangea shrub can change from blue to pink or from pink to blue from one season to the next depending on the acidity level of the soil.[33] Adding organic materials such as coffee grounds and citrus peel will increase acidity and turn hydrangea flowers blue.[34]
White hydrangeas cannot be color-manipulated by soil pH because they do not produce pigment for color. In other words, while the hue of the inflorescence is variable dependent upon cultural factors, the color saturation is genetically predetermined.
In most species, the flowers are white. In some, however, (notably H. macrophylla), they can be blue, red, or purple, with color saturation levels ranging from the palest of pinks, lavenders & powder blues, to deep, rich purples, reds, and royal blues. In these species, floral color change occurs due to the availability of aluminium ions, a variable which itself depends upon the soil pH.[16][17] For H. macrophylla and H. serrata cultivars, the flower color can be determined by the relative acidity of the soil: an acidic soil (pH below 7), will have available aluminium ions and typically produce flowers that are blue to purple,[18] whereas an alkaline soil (pH above 7) will tie up aluminium ions and result in pink or red flowers. This is caused by a color change of the flower pigments in the presence of aluminium ions which can be taken up into hyperaccumulating plants.[19]
Hydrangeas are A a genus of flowering plants.
Several terms redirect here. For other uses, see Hydrangea (disambiguation) and Hortensia (disambiguation).
Hydrangea (/haɪˈdreɪndʒə/[3][4] or /haɪˈdreɪndʒiə/[5]) is a genus of more than 70 species of flowering plants native to Asia and the Americas. Hydrangea is also used as the common name for the genus; some (particularly H. macrophylla) are also often called hortensia.[6] The genus was first described from Virginia in North America,[7] but by far the greatest species diversity is in eastern Asia, notably China, Korea, and Japan. Most are shrubs 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in) tall, but some are small trees, and others lianas reaching up to 30 m (100 ft) by climbing up trees. They can be either deciduous or evergreen, though the widely cultivated temperate species are all deciduous.[8]
Quick Facts Scientific classification, Type species ...
The flowers of many hydrangeas act as natural pH indicators, producing blue flowers when the soil is acidic and pink ones when the soil is alkaline.[9]
Etymology
Hydrangea is derived from Greek and means 'water vessel' (from ὕδωρ húdōr "water" + ἄγγος ángos or ἀγγεῖον angeîon "vessel"),[10][11][12] in reference to the shape of its seed capsules.[13] The earlier name, Hortensia, is a Latinised version of the French given name Hortense, honoring the French astronomer and mathematician Nicole-Reine Hortense Lepaute.[14] Philibert Commerson attempted to name the flower Lepautia or Peautia after Lepaute. However, the flower's accepted name later became Hortensia. This led to people believing Lepaute's name was Hortense, but the Larousse remarks that this is erroneous, and that the name probably came from hortus, garden.[15]
Life cycle
Hydrangea flowers are produced from early spring to late autumn; they grow in flowerheads (corymbs or panicles) most often at the ends of the stems. Typically the flowerheads contain two types of flowers: small non-showy fertile flowers in the center or interior of the flowerhead, and large, sterile showy flowers with large colorful sepals (tepals). These showy flowers are often extended in a ring, or to the exterior of the small flowers. Plants in wild populations typically have few to none of the showy flowers, while cultivated hydrangeas have been bred and selected to have more of the larger type flowers.
There are two flower arrangements in hydrangeas with corymb style inflorescences, which includes the commonly grown "bigleaf hydrangea"—Hydrangea macrophylla. Mophead flowers are large round flowerheads resembling pom-poms or, as the name implies, the head of a mop. In contrast, lacecap flowers bear round, flat flowerheads with a center core of subdued, small flowers surrounded by outer rings of larger flowers having showy sepals or tepals. The flowers of some rhododendrons and viburnums can appear, at first glance, similar to those of some hydrangeas.
Colors and soil acidity
Hydrangea flower color changes based on the pH in soil. As the graph depicts, soil with a pH of 5.5 or lower will produce blue flowers, a pH of 6.5 or higher will produce pink hydrangeas, and soil in between 5.5 and 6.5 will have purple hydrangeas.
Hydrangea flower color can change based on the pH in soil. As the graph depicts, soil with a pH of 5.5 or lower will produce blue flowers, a pH of 6.5 or higher will produce pink hydrangeas, and soil in between 5.5 and 6.5 will have purple hydrangeas.
The flowers on a hydrangea shrub can change from blue to pink or from pink to blue from one season to the next depending on the acidity level of the soil.[33] Adding organic materials such as coffee grounds and citrus peel will increase acidity and turn hydrangea flowers blue.[34]
White hydrangeas cannot be color-manipulated by soil pH because they do not produce pigment for color. In other words, while the hue of the inflorescence is variable dependent upon cultural factors, the color saturation is genetically predetermined.
In most species, the flowers are white. In some, however, (notably H. macrophylla), they can be blue, red, or purple, with color saturation levels ranging from the palest of pinks, lavenders & powder blues, to deep, rich purples, reds, and royal blues. In these species, floral color change occurs due to the availability of aluminium ions, a variable which itself depends upon the soil pH.[16][17] For H. macrophylla and H. serrata cultivars, the flower color can be determined by the relative acidity of the soil: an acidic soil (pH below 7), will have available aluminium ions and typically produce flowers that are blue to purple,[18] whereas an alkaline soil (pH above 7) will tie up aluminium ions and result in pink or red flowers. This is caused by a color change of the flower pigments in the presence of aluminium ions which can be taken up into hyperaccumulating plants.[19]
Species
Hydrangea paniculata
97 species are accepted.[20]
Hydrangea acuminata Siebold & Zucc.
Hydrangea albostellata Samain, Najarro & E.Martínez
Hydrangea alternifolia Siebold
Hydrangea × amagiana Makino
Hydrangea amamiohsimensis (Koidz.) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea ampla (Chun) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea anomala D.Don – (climbing hydrangea) Himalaya, southwest China
Hydrangea arborescens L. – (smooth hydrangea) eastern North America
Hydrangea arguta (Gaudich.) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea aspera Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don – China, Himalaya
Hydrangea asterolasia Diels
Hydrangea barbara (L.) Bernd Schulz
Hydrangea bifida (Maxim.) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea breedlovei Samain, Najarro & E.Martínez
Hydrangea bretschneideri Dippel – China
Hydrangea caerulea (Stapf) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea carroniae Samain & E.Martínez
Hydrangea chungii Rehder – China
Hydrangea cinerea Small – (ashy hydrangea) eastern United States
Hydrangea coenobialis Chun – China
Hydrangea corylifolia (Chun) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea crassa (Hand.-Mazz.) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea daimingshanensis (Y.C.Wu) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea davidii Franch. – China
Hydrangea densifolia (C.F.Wei) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea diplostemona (Donn.Sm.) Standl.
Hydrangea fauriei (Hayata) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea febrifuga (Lour.) Y.De Smet & Granados (syn. Dichroa febrifuga) – central & southern China to Malesia and New Guinea
Hydrangea glaucescens (Rehder) Y.De Smet & Granados – China, Myanmar and Vietnam
Hydrangea gracilis W.T.Wang & M.X.Nie – China
Hydrangea heteromalla D.Don – Himalaya, west and north China
Hydrangea hirsuta (Gagnep.) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea hirta (Thunb.) Siebold – Japan
Hydrangea hwangii J.M.H.Shaw
Hydrangea hydrangeoides (Siebold & Zucc.) Bernd Schulz – Ulleungdo, Japan, Kurils
Hydrangea hypoglauca Rehder – China
Hydrangea integrifolia Hayata – China
Hydrangea involucrata Siebold – Japan, Taiwan
Hydrangea jelskii Szyszył. – Andes
Hydrangea kawagoeana Koidz.
Hydrangea kwangsiensis Hu – China
Hydrangea kwangtungensis Merr. – China
Hydrangea lalashanensis S.S.Ying
Hydrangea lingii G.Hoo – China
Hydrangea linkweiensis Chun – China
Hydrangea liukiuensis Nakai
Hydrangea lobbii Maxim.
Hydrangea longifolia Hayata – China
Hydrangea longipes Franch. – western China
Hydrangea luteovenosa Koidz.
Hydrangea macrocarpa Hand.-Mazz. – China
Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) Ser. – (bigleaf hydrangea) southeast Japan, southern China
Hydrangea mangshanensis C.F.Wei – China
Hydrangea marunoi Tagane & S.Fujii
Hydrangea mathewsii Briq.
Hydrangea megalocarpa (Chun) J.M.H.Shaw
Hydrangea minamitanii (H.Ohba) Yahara
Hydrangea × mizushimarum H.Ohba
Hydrangea moellendorffii Hance
Hydrangea mollissima (Merr.) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea nahaensis Samain & E.Martínez
Hydrangea nebulicola Nevling & Gómez Pompa
Hydrangea obtusifolia (Hu) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea ofeliae Sodusta & Lumawag
Hydrangea otontepecensis Samain & E.Martínez
Hydrangea paniculata Siebold – (panicled hydrangea) eastern China, Japan, Korea, Sakhalin
Hydrangea peruviana Moric. ex Ser. – Costa Rica and Panama, Andes
Hydrangea petiolaris Siebold & Zucc. – (climbing hydrangea) Japan, Korea, Sakhalin
Hydrangea pingtungensis S.S.Ying
Hydrangea platyarguta Y.De Smet & Samain
Hydrangea pottingeri Prain (synonym Hydrangea chinensis Maxim.) – Arunachal Pradesh, Myanmar, southeastern China, and Taiwan
Hydrangea preslii Briq.
Hydrangea quercifolia W.Bartram – (oakleaf hydrangea) southeast United States
Hydrangea radiata Walter – (silverleaf hydrangea) southeast United States
Hydrangea robusta Hook.f. & Thomson – China, Himalaya
Hydrangea sargentiana Rehder – western China
Hydrangea scandens (L.f.) Ser. – southern Japan south to the Philippines
Hydrangea serrata (Thunb.) Ser. – Japan, Korea
Hydrangea serratifolia (Thunb.) Ser. – Chile, western Argentina
Hydrangea sikokiana Maxim.
Hydrangea sousae Samain, Najarro & E.Martínez
Hydrangea steyermarkii Standl.
Hydrangea strigosa Rehder – China
Hydrangea stylosa Hook.f. & Thomson – China
Hydrangea taiwaniana Y.C.Liu & F.Y.Lu
Hydrangea tapalapensis Samain, Najarro & E.Martínez
Hydrangea tarapotensis Briq. – Andes
Hydrangea tomentella (Hand.-Mazz.) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea × versicolor (Fortune) J.M.H.Shaw
Hydrangea viburnoides (Hook.f. & Thomson) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea wallichii J.M.H.Shaw
Hydrangea xanthoneura Diels – China
Hydrangea xinfeniae W.B.Ju & J.Ru
Hydrangea yaoshanensis (Y.C.Wu) Y.De Smet & Granados
Hydrangea yayeyamensis Koidz.
Hydrangea × ytiensis (J.M.H.Shaw) J.M.H.Shaw
Hydrangea yunnanensis Rehder
Hydrangea zhewanensis P.S.Hsu & X.P.Zhang – China
Fossil record
Hydrangea knowltoni
†Hydrangea alaskana is a fossil species recovered from Paleogene strata at Jaw Mountain Alaska.[21] †Hydrangea knowltoni has been described from leaves and flowers recovered from the Miocene Langhian Latah Formation of the inland Pacific Northwest United states. The related Miocene species †Hydrangea bendirei is known to from the Mascall Formation in Oregon, and †Hydrangea reticulata is documented from the Weaverville Formation in California.[22][23]
Four fossil seeds of †Hydrangea polonica have been extracted from borehole samples of the Middle Miocene fresh water deposits in Nowy Sacz Basin, West Carpathians, Poland.[24]
Cultivation and uses
Hydrangeas are popular ornamental plants, grown for their large flowerheads, with Hydrangea macrophylla being by far the most widely grown. It has over 600 named cultivars, many selected to have only large sterile flowers in the flowerheads. Hydrangea macrophylla, also known as bigleaf hydrangea, can be broken up into two main categories; mophead hydrangea and lacecap hydrangea. Some are best pruned on an annual basis when the new leaf buds begin to appear. If not pruned regularly, the bush will become very "leggy", growing upwards until the weight of the stems is greater than their strength, at which point the stems will sag down to the ground and possibly break. Other species only flower on "old wood". Thus, new wood resulting from pruning will not produce flowers until the following season.
The following cultivars and species have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit under the synonym Schizophragma:[25]
S. hydrangeoides var. concolor 'Moonlight'[26]
S. hydrangeoides var. hydrangeoides 'Roseum'[27]
S. integrifolium[28]
Hydrangea root and rhizome are indicated for the treatment of conditions of the urinary tract in the Physicians' Desk Reference for Herbal Medicine and may have diuretic properties.[29] Hydrangeas are moderately toxic if eaten, with all parts of the plant containing cyanogenic glycosides.[30] Hydrangea paniculata is reportedly sometimes smoked as an intoxicant, despite the danger of illness and/or death due to the cyanide.[31][32]
The flowers on a hydrangea shrub can change from blue to pink or from pink to blue from one season to the next depending on the acidity level of the soil.[33] Adding organic materials such as coffee grounds and citrus peel will increase acidity and turn hydrangea flowers blue.[34]
A popular pink hydrangea called Vanilla Strawberry has been named "Top Plant" by the American Nursery and Landscape Association.
A hybrid "Runaway Bride Snow White", from Japan, won Plant of the Year at the 2018 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.[35]
In culture
In Japan, ama-cha (甘茶), meaning sweet tea, is another herbal tea made from Hydrangea serrata, whose leaves contain a substance that develops a sweet taste (phyllodulcin). For the fullest taste, fresh leaves are crumpled, steamed, and dried, yielding dark brown tea leaves. Ama-cha is mainly used for kan-butsu-e (the Buddha bathing ceremony) on April 8 every year—the day thought to be Buddha's birthday in Japan. During the ceremony, ama-cha is poured over a statue of Buddha and served to people in attendance. A legend has it that on the day Buddha was born, nine dragons poured Amrita over him; ama-cha is substituted for Amrita in Japan.
In Korean tea, Hydrangea serrata is used for an herbal tea called sugukcha (수국차) or isulcha (이슬차).
The pink hydrangea has risen in popularity all over the world, especially in Asia. The given meaning of pink hydrangeas is popularly tied to the phrase "you are the beat of my heart," as described by the celebrated Korean florist Tan Jun Yong, who was quoted saying, "The light delicate blush of the petals reminds me of a beating heart, while the size could only match the heart of the sender!"[36]
Hydrangea quercifolia was declared the official state wildflower of the U.S. state of Alabama in 1999.[37]
Hydrangeas were used by the Cherokee people of what is now the Southern U.S. as a mild diuretic and cathartic; it was considered a valuable remedy for stone and gravel in the bladder.[38]
Extrafloral nectaries were reported on hydrangea species by Zimmerman 1932, but Elias 1983 regards this as "doubtful".[39]
The photo above is of Hydrangea 'Annabelle' (Please note there some views of the garden in the photo gallery on the website) follow the link to my website to see rest of the photo that took on 10th August 2025. www.thebrewstop.co.uk/2025/10th-august.html
Blue hydrangeas take on a whole new palette as they begin to fade away for the cold seasons. It is easy to overlook them, but the keen observer is rewarded with a subtle beauty - less flamboyant than the summer blooms, but worthy in the end.
I love hydrangea's and grew up with beautiful heritage ones in my yard. Since then, I have never been able to grow them. I saw this one in someone else's garden.
The XF 55-200 lens is one of those lenses I never think much about, but once I have it mounted on a camera, it is so enjoyable to use. It is versatile and allows for close-ups as well.