Understanding different hydrangea species is a great way to make the best choice for your garden. These flowers take on many forms, each with stunningly unique flowers and colours.
This blog puts the spotlight on 5 hydrangea species that every gardener should be familiar with, offering some insights into their care and what you can expect from them in terms of aesthetics.
If considering growing any major hydrangea species, there are a few tips to keep in mind, such as:
Planting in moist, free-draining soil
Allowing partial shade rather than full sunlight
They like mulch and compost
It’s best to plant hydrangeas during the warmer parts of spring or autumn
Prune them conservatively in early-mid spring as needed (in summer for climbing hydrangea species)
These are by far the most common form of hydrangea species, known for having large, round blooms and a variety of different subspecies or cultivars, including:
And many more
This hydrangea species can clearly come in a wide variety of colours, which can be influenced by the soil pH it’s grown in – acidic for blue and alkaline for pinker shades. These flowers thrive with sun in the morning and shade once the afternoon comes around.
The paniculata umbrella of hydrangeas generally produces clusters of longer-lasting flower heads, rather than larger individual flower heads. It’s the base for multiple cultivars including:
And more
This hydrangea species tends to be a little more sun–tolerant than macrophylla, with flowers that will change in colour throughout the year.
This species of hydrangea is well-known for creating super round, thick clustered balls of flowers, with ‘Annabelle’ variations the most popular form, along with:
And others
They’re more hardy and adaptable than many forms of hydrangeas, tolerating shade and flowering for long stretches throughout the year.
These hydrangeas are notable for their impressive foliage; oak-shaped leaves that go a stunningly reddish bronze in the autumn months. They produce flowers somewhere in between macrophylla and paniculata – longer cones of larger-petaled flowers. Popular variants include:
They like a reasonable amount of shade and need soil to be well drained to thrive.
Known for the ‘Hot Chocolate’ variety, Hydrangea aspera plants have large, velvety, sometimes stunningly brown leaves, adorned with lacecap flowers and vibrant buds, usually in lighter pinks or lavender shades.
These are just some of the most popular hydrangea species, with there being many more out there, including climbing varieties and more. Understanding each species more clearly is the most effective way to guarantee a healthy, thriving garden (which is great for the head!) For more insights into hydrangeas and gardening tasks of all kinds, visit our blog today.
