Hydrangea (/ha?'dre?nd?i?/;common brands hydrangea or hortensia) is a genus of 70-75 kinds of flowering vegetation native to southern and eastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea, the Himalayas, and Indonesia) and the Americas. Undoubtedly the greatest species diversity is at eastern Asia, notably China, Japan, and Korea. Most are shrubs 1 to 3 meters high, but some are small trees, and more lianas reaching up to 30 m (98 ft) by climbing up trees. They could be either deciduous or evergreen, though the cultivated temperate types are all deciduous extensively.Having been introduced to the Azores, H. macrophylla is currently very common, on Faial particularly, which is recognized as the "blue island" due to the vast number of hydrangeas present on the island.Life cycleHydrangea bouquets are produced from early spring to late autumn; they develop in flowerheads (corymbs or panicles) most often at the ends of the stems.
Usually the flowerheads contain two types of plants: small non-showy blossoms in the guts or interior of the flowerhead, and large, showy flowers with large brilliant sepals (tepals). These showy blossoms are extended in a diamond ring often, or to the exterior of the small flowers. Plants in outrageous populations routinely have few to none of the showy flowers, while cultivated hydrangeas have been bred and decided on to have more of the bigger type bouquets.There are two flower arrangements in hydrangeas with Corymb style inflorescens, which includes the commonly grown "bigleaf hydrangea"--Hydrangea macrophylla. Mophead flowers are large circular flowerheads resembling pom-poms or, as the name implies, the brain of any 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 plants of some viburnums and rhododendrons can appear, initially, comparable to those of some hydrangeas.Garden soil and colors acidityIn most kinds the plants are white, however in some types (notably H. macrophylla), can be blue, red, red, light purple, or dark crimson. In these species the color is affected by the presence of metal ions which can be found or tied up depending upon the land pH. For H. h and macrophylla. serrata cultivars, the flower color can be dependant on the relative acidity of the soil: an acidic soil (pH below 7), will have available aluminum ions and typically produce flowers that are blue to purple, whereas an alkaline soil (pH above 7) will tie up aluminum ions and bring about pink or red flowers.
This is caused by a color change of the bloom pigments in the presence of aluminium ions which can be adopted into hyperaccumulating vegetation.[6] Minimizing the pH of potting soils or mixes usually does not change the flower color to blue, because these soils have no aluminum ions. The ability to blue or pink a hydrangea is affected by the cultivar also. Some plants are selected for their ability to be blued, while some are bred and selected to be red, pink or white. The flower color of most other Hydrangea species is not influenced by aluminum and cannot be changed or shifted. Hydrangeas also have a nickname called 'Change Rose'.
Sweet Carol Bliss Hydrangea © 2013 Patty Hankins
All Summer Beauty hydrangea , lacecap hydrangeas , mophead hydrangeas
hydrangea flowers blooming in Louisville, Kentucky, USA June 2013
My blue hydrangea plant is huge this year and loaded with blooms.
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