HYDRANGEAS!
HYDRANGEAS!
Custom Search
HYDRANGEA SPECIES
- 'Annabelle' Hydrangea arborescens
- Lacecap Hydrangeas
- Mophead Hydrangeas
- Oakleaf Hydrangeas
- PeeGee and Family
If you have a specific question or problem, you may go directly to the FAQ's Many pages on this site can be reached only through the FAQ's.Many people remember hydrangeas from their childhood. Today we are falling in love with them all over again. And the good news is that we can now grow many hydrangeas our grandmothers never even dreamed of. Some newer hydrangeas grow in colder climates, some are so small they will fit into the perennial border, and others have amazingly large blooms and deep colors.
The hydrangeas on this site are divided into four groups. I have included common names as well as botanical names so that hydrangea enthusiasts of all types can relate to the plants.
(I took the picture above in Atlanta, GA about 1998 when Penny McHenry was still living. Penny was the beloved founder and long-time president of the American Hydrangea Society. This was her home and some of the hydrangeas which later became known as Hydrangea macrophylla 'Penny Mac')
THIS IS NORMAL!
This is what your hydrangeas will probably look like after the first few frosts. After a freeze it will look even worse (blackened leaves). This is the normal (albeit not very graceful) way that all hydrangeas prepare for winter hibernation. In a few more weeks (or perhaps you have already experienced it) hydrangeas will have lost their leaves, and they will be a cluster of sticks (stems) with buds on each node.
It's important that these stems be preserved with all buds intact until they bloom next summer. DO NOT PRUNE them now!
If your hydrangeas are growing in a very cold climate, they may need Winter Protection However, many climates in the US are fine for growing hydrangeas without any protection. Hydrangeas need a period of dormancy and rest and most will not survive long without it.
If you've ever had a hydrangea that wouldn't bloom, don't miss the story of Amy-Beth and David. This may give you some ideas.
