Hydrangea Macrophylla
| Name: Hydrangea Macrophylla | Family: Hydrangeaceae | Type Plant: Deciduous shrub, often used as a cut flower |
| Flowering time: Summer to early autumn (June to September) | Best time to buy: Summer (when in bloom) | Max Height: 1-2 meters |
| Sun/Shadow: Partial shade to full sun |
Origin
The Hydrangea Macrophylla is a flowering shrub from the Hydrangeaceae family and perhaps the most popular Hydrangea.
It originates from East Asia and is commonly found in classical Chinese gardens built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is also found in coastal areas and mountains in Japan.
Due to fossil remains, it’s believed that the Hydrangea Macrophylla has been in Asia for more than 140 million years. Europe got to know this plant around the year 1735.
Characteristics
The Hydrangea Macrophylla is a deciduous ornamental shrub with oval, serrated, dark green leaves.
The spherical flowers can be pink, purple, or blue, depending on the soil pH. On acidic soils, the flowers turn blue, on alkaline soils, they turn pink, and on neutral soils, they become purple.
The Hydrangea macrophylla blooms profusely in spring and summer, reaching a maximum height of 130 cm, and when displayed outside, attracts many butterflies, bees, and bumblebees. When the plant is displayed inside, it’s often combined with other flowers and greenery. But the Hydrangea Macrophylla is also very pretty on it’s own, in a pot.
The Hydrangea is a symbol for peace.
Care
To successfully keep hydrangeas thriving indoors, you will need to provide them with high-quality, bright, indirect light. This light can come from a south-facing window, which will offer sunlight throughout the day, or from an east-facing window, which will receive morning sunlight. Plenty of light is needed to keep them blooming. But be careful not to put them in direct afternoon sun, or the leaves and blooms will burn.
The spot the Hydrangea is in also needs to be a little cool. Give it enough water and make sure the soil is always moist. For an extra long blooming time, add some plant food to the Hydrangea once every two weeks.
Blooming time
The best time to buy this plant is in spring, March. Naturally it starts flowering in April or May. With the right care, indoor Hydrangeas can thrive annually.
This floriferous shrub can bloom with the right care all the way until August, with spherical flowers.
