These have been selected for centuries to develop large, rounded heads entirely of sterile florets and they come in many colors, from red and pink to blue and white. These are forms of the Chinese Hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla. The Mop-head Hydrangeas, which come in blues and pinks, can be grown from zone 6 all the way into zone 9. There are types that will grow well in zone 3 and others that do best in zone 6 and warmer regions. What kinds of Hydrangeas you choose to grow depends on where you live. Even when they fade they turn attractive tones of pink, red, buff and tan, so that many gardeners cut them and let them dry to use as winter decoration in the house. Not only are they colorful, in shades of reds, pinks, blues and white, but they last and last, since they can’t produce seeds. These flower head can be 12 inches across and they develop at the ends of the stems. Gardeners have for many, many years, chosen plants that have more of these large outside flowers, called sterile florets, so that today the flowers heads are almost entirely made of them, making a big head of flowers like a colorful ball or a fat pyramid. The small ones produce seeds and the large ones don’t – they are there to attract insects. Most wild hydrangeas have bunches of small, fluffy flowers with a ring of larger flowers around the outside, looking a bit like a crown. It is the flowers that are the main glory of hydrangeas. The bark is light brown and peels off as it gets older, keeping the stems fresh and clean. Some show a little color in fall, but mostly they turn brown before falling for the winter period. The leaves are smooth and soft, in a light shade of green. The leaves are large (about eight inches long), simple oval shapes and usually they have small, soft ‘teeth’ along the edges. Some kinds can be grown on a single trunk, but usually they have many stems coming from the ground. Hydrangeas are deciduous shrubs with twiggy branches that form rounded plants between three and eight feet tall. Our most popular (by far) of the Panicle Hydrangeas would be either the Limelight Hydrangea which is larger and the Little Lime Hydrangea which doesn’t get quite as tall. This type are also good shrubs to plant behind smaller bushes, or behind beds of summer bedding plants, like Impatiens or Begonias. With their huge pointed flower-heads they make a wonderful show. Some of the larger varieties, like the Panicle Hydrangea, make great specimen shrubs planted in the lawn, in a planting hole in a patio, or even in a large pot. You can use a single color, or mix colors together. Often in gardens there are narrower areas between walks and fences or buildings, and if you have such a space, a row of Hydrangeas is a wonderful way to fill it. Perhaps you have a shady walkway alongside your house – if you do then a row of Hydrangeas makes a spectacular display running alongside it. In any shady corner, a Hydrangea is always the first flowering shrub to think of using. So for a shade garden these are ideal plants to use. Because they flower later they provide flower interest when your other plants have finished blooming. If you have, or are planning, a garden with Azaleas and Camellias, then Hydrangeas are great additions, since they enjoy similar growing conditions. In more northern regions they will generally do better with some sun for at least part of the day. Shady areas underneath shade trees or on the north of your house are ideal spots for Hydrangeas, but many will also grow in sunny areas too. When not in flower they have large, attractive leaves that make a gentle background. Hydrangeas typically grow three to eight feet tall, so they work well to produce flowers right near eye-level and they are a suitable size for even the smallest garden. There are several different types of Hydrangeas, suitable for different climates and garden locations and without them our summer gardens would be pretty drab and uninteresting. Not only do they bring this late bloom, but they are shade-tolerant too, so they can brighten the darker, shadier parts of the garden. This is where Hydrangeas step in, bringing color and interest in summer and into fall with their large, long-lasting heads of flowers in a wide range of colors. Many flower in spring, so it is pretty easy to have a colorful garden at that time, but as the season goes on we can find ourselves with a green garden, lacking the excitement of flowers. Flowering shrubs are an essential part of any garden’s ‘plant furniture’ and bring lots of color into our lives.
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