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Description
Taken on July 30th, 2008.

Name: Hydrangea means 'water barrel' and refers to the shape of the fruit after it has sprung open. In any case hydrangeas need lots of water.
Origin: Japan - introduced into UK in 1788.
Care Tips: Vase life is about one to two weeks.
Description:small, star-shaped flowers packed closely together to form a rounded or pyramidal head. It is also a popular pot plant and garden plant.
Colours: White, pink, blue, lilac, green, red/brown.
Availability: Spring until Autumn
Family: Hydrangeaceae
Trivia: It is suitable for drying.
Varieties: Two common varieties sold are Hydrangea macrophylla (rounded cluster) and Hydrangea paniculata (pyramidal cluster).

Name - The name says it all - it needs plenty of water. Hydor (Greek) means water, angos a jar or vessel (because the fruit is cup shaped). Most of the pot grown ones are Hydrangea (pronounced hiy-DRANE-gee-a) macrophylla, in the past mainly the variety "Hortensia", which they are occasionally called. Macrophylla means large leaved.
# Description - They are low-growing shrubs with short woody stems with largish leaves and large round, impressive flower heads. Some varieties are lace-cap types, some huge pompoms.
# Family - Hydrangeaceae
# Origin - Japan, introduced to the UK in 1788.
# Colour - Different shades of blue, pink and white. The colour is affected by the acidity level of the soil - blue or purple in acid and neutral soils, pink or purple/red in alkaline mixtures.
# Family - Saxifragaceae (saxifrage family)
# Care Tips - It likes bright light but not full sun and loves a spell outside in the shade in summer. In winter it will lose its leaves so hide in a dark spot and bring out again in early spring or plant it outside after flowering. Water plentifully to keep the compost thoroughly moist and feed every two weeks in the growing period with rhododendron fertiliser or similar. Never let it dry out, but if it does, stand the pot in a bucket of water till it revives. Even if the treatment works, the current flowering period will be shortened.
# Trivia - History: The first lace-cap hydrangeas to be discovered by a Westerner were H mariesii and H. veitchii by Charlies Maries while searching in Japan. He later worked in India where he was superintendent of the Maharajas of Gwalior's gardens.

Hydrangea macrophylla, also called bigleaf or French hydrangea, has either pink or blue flowers. Flower color is determined indirectly by the soil pH, which affects the availability of aluminum in the soil. In acid soils the flowers will be blue, in alkaline soils the flowers will be pink. Aluminum is available to the plant in acid soils. Research has determined that the actual mechanism of color variation is due to the presence or absence of aluminum compounds in the flowers.

For blue flowers, maintain a soil pH between 5 and 5.5. Apply aluminum sulfate or sulfur to reduce the pH to this range when you see new growth emerging in April.

For pink flowers, maintain a soil pH of 6 or more by liming your soil.

Description
Taken on July 30th, 2008.

Name: Hydrangea means 'water barrel' and refers to the shape of the fruit after it has sprung open. In any case hydrangeas need lots of water.
Origin: Japan - introduced into UK in 1788.
Care Tips: Vase life is about one to two weeks.
Description:small, star-shaped flowers packed closely together to form a rounded or pyramidal head. It is also a popular pot plant and garden plant.
Colours: White, pink, blue, lilac, green, red/brown.
Availability: Spring until Autumn
Family: Hydrangeaceae
Trivia: It is suitable for drying.
Varieties: Two common varieties sold are Hydrangea macrophylla (rounded cluster) and Hydrangea paniculata (pyramidal cluster).

Name - The name says it all - it needs plenty of water. Hydor (Greek) means water, angos a jar or vessel (because the fruit is cup shaped). Most of the pot grown ones are Hydrangea (pronounced hiy-DRANE-gee-a) macrophylla, in the past mainly the variety "Hortensia", which they are occasionally called. Macrophylla means large leaved.
# Description - They are low-growing shrubs with short woody stems with largish leaves and large round, impressive flower heads. Some varieties are lace-cap types, some huge pompoms.
# Family - Hydrangeaceae
# Origin - Japan, introduced to the UK in 1788.
# Colour - Different shades of blue, pink and white. The colour is affected by the acidity level of the soil - blue or purple in acid and neutral soils, pink or purple/red in alkaline mixtures.
# Family - Saxifragaceae (saxifrage family)
# Care Tips - It likes bright light but not full sun and loves a spell outside in the shade in summer. In winter it will lose its leaves so hide in a dark spot and bring out again in early spring or plant it outside after flowering. Water plentifully to keep the compost thoroughly moist and feed every two weeks in the growing period with rhododendron fertiliser or similar. Never let it dry out, but if it does, stand the pot in a bucket of water till it revives. Even if the treatment works, the current flowering period will be shortened.
# Trivia - History: The first lace-cap hydrangeas to be discovered by a Westerner were H mariesii and H. veitchii by Charlies Maries while searching in Japan. He later worked in India where he was superintendent of the Maharajas of Gwalior's gardens.

Hydrangea macrophylla, also called bigleaf or French hydrangea, has either pink or blue flowers. Flower color is determined indirectly by the soil pH, which affects the availability of aluminum in the soil. In acid soils the flowers will be blue, in alkaline soils the flowers will be pink. Aluminum is available to the plant in acid soils. Research has determined that the actual mechanism of color variation is due to the presence or absence of aluminum compounds in the flowers.

For blue flowers, maintain a soil pH between 5 and 5.5. Apply aluminum sulfate or sulfur to reduce the pH to this range when you see new growth emerging in April.

For pink flowers, maintain a soil pH of 6 or more by liming your soil.