Hydrangea macrophylla
Bigleaf Hydrangea, French/House Hydrangea
Mature Size, Growth, Longevity
Average mature size 3-6' tall with an equal or greater height. Can grow to 10' in optimal conditions. Rounded form with multiple erect, thick stems, which are usually unbranched. Fast growth rate. Short lived, possibly 20 years.
Native Range
Native to Japan.
Flower and Fruit Details
Flowers clustered into corymbs, variable by selection, but generally up to 2" or more diameter, outer flowers sterile, July-August. Color can be deeply impacted by soil pH, and may not always be exactly what was indicated on the nursery tag - see below. Fruits are capsules, 1/4-5/16" long, not showy, with many small, brown seeds, formed after flowers fade.
Leaf and Bark Features
Deciduous: Leaves are quite large, 4-8" long, thus the species name macrophylla, meaning "large-leaf". Early to leaf out in the spring, which can lead to freeze damage. Leaves are green to dark green in summer. Fall color can be green, yellow, bronze, to maroon. Fall color is not remarkable. Bark is light and shiny, with a gray- or straw-brown color.
Culture and Care
Transplant from container into moist, well-drained, soil amended with peat moss or leaf mold. Best in partial shade. Not tolerant of dry conditions. Flower buds are formed on previous season's growth - do any pruning after flowering, before new buds form. Stems often die back to ground during winter cold, but new stems will grow back from roots. Zones 6-9; extra winter protection needed further north. Flowers usually turn blue at soil pH 5-5.5, pink at pH 6-7, or higher. These Hydrangeas are generally free from disease or pest trouble, problems that do come along are usually site-related.
Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts
Very showy flowers. 3-season interest: Spring, Summer, and Fall. Not adequately winter hardy in northern states. Often killed back to the ground, then regrows from the roots, but those new stems will lack flowers for their first year, providing only leaves for ornamental value. Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested. Flower color of some cultivars strongly affected by concentration of aluminum ions in the soil, which is impacted by soil pH. Generally, pH 5.0-5.5 produces blue, while pH 6.0-6.5 to slightly higher produces pink. But even this can be variable.
Suggested Uses
A good plant for shrub borders, and can be used as a grouping plant.
Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA
The following taxa are (or were) represented in the collections at Boone County Arboretum. Additional taxa may be available in the trade that are not included here.
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bailmer' // Endless Summer® Bigleaf Hydrangea
Shrub. Grows to 3-4' tall & wide. Remontant (reblooming) flowers, very showy, "mophead" type, July to September. Blooms are pink, edged with white. Add aluminum sulfate to the soil to make flowers turn blue, or add lime to make the flowers pinker. Blooms on both old and new growth, so produces flowers every year, regardless of severity of the winter. Needs part shade. Used as a hedge. Does best in rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils. Must be mulched and kept moist if grown in full sun.
-- not currently in our collection --Hydrangea macrophylla 'Domotoi' // Domotoi Bigleaf Hydrangea, Domotoi Hydrangea
Shrub. This compact, rounded, bushy shrub grows to 3-4' tall & wide. An old Japanese variety, it is a strong grower. Individual mophead flowers are large, doubled, pale pink to violet-blue-mauve; very attractive. Leaves are large, dark green and lustrous. There are conflicting reports as to vigor, this form may become distorted if too well fed. Prefers moist, organic, well-drained soil in sun/part shade. Cold hardy to Zone 6. Good for shaded areas, foundation plantings, and cut flowers.
-- not currently in our collection --Hydrangea macrophylla 'Fasan' // Fasan Bigleaf Hydrangea, Pheasant Hydrangea, Twilight Hydrangea
Shrub. Fast growing to 4-5' tall and wide. Lacecap flowers, red in alkaline soils or lilac-blue in acid soils, vivid and eye-catching against dark green glossy leaves. This cultivar may be susceptible to powdery mildew, cold winters and spring frosts. One of 26 cultivars in the Teller series bred in Switzerland. The original hybrid names have Swiss or German names for birds. For example, 'Fasan' is translated as 'Pheasant' and is synonymous with the cultivar name 'Twilight'.
-- not currently in our collection --Hydrangea macrophylla 'Grefuglo' // Fuchsia Glow™ Hydrangea
Shrub. A prolific, repeat-blooming mop-head type hydrangea with vibrant, fuchsia-pink flowers (especially above pH 6) from early summer through fall. Vigorous grower, but with a compact/mounded habit, only 2-5' tall and wide. Makes a good accent plant or in mass plantings, or near a water garden or pond. Can grow in patio containers. Needs partial shade. Cold-hardy to Zone 4.
Bed 54Hydrangea macrophylla 'Lady in Red' // Lady in Red Bigleaf Hydrangea, Lady in Red Hydrangea
Shrub. A 2002 release, hybridized by Michael Dirr. It is a Lacecap type hydrangea, with superior cold hardiness, mildew resistance, and red pigmentation, with flowers changing from white to red, and even the stems and fall foliage are red. Flowers sometimes start out pink or blue, depending on soil pH, then aging to burgundy. Grows to 4-5'. Beautiful throughout the growing season, the red-veined leaves becoming a rich, reddish-maroon for fall.
Bed 212Hydrangea macrophylla 'Lemon Wave' // Lemon Wave Bigleaf Hydrangea, Lemon Wave Hydrangea
Shrub. Rounded habit, 4-6' tall and wide. Most noted for its unusual variegated foliage - dark green leaves (4-8") are irregularly blotched with patches of white, creamy yellow or lemon yellow. Lacecap flowers may be white to mauve to blue. Flattened flower clusters (corymbs), mostly small, fertile florets, w/ scattered, showy florets forming a marginal ring. Aphids, leaf spot fungus and powdery mildew are possible problems, usually not serious. Use for hedges, containers, grouping/massing.
-- not currently in our collection --Hydrangea macrophylla 'Mariesii Variegata' // Mariesii Variegated Bigleaf Hydrangea, Mariesii Variegated Lacecap Hydrangea
Shrub. Showy lacecap flower heads and large leaves that are variegated, green with creamy white edges. Great for the shrub border or as an accent plant, or use in containers or as a cut flower. Zones 5-9. Tolerates acid or alkaline soils, up to pH 8.5. Flowers turn gentian blue in acidic soils, or pink in alkaline soil, w/ outer sepals whitish. Good as a specimen plant, or under the shade of trees. Apply an acidic fertilizer in March if needed. Mulch and provide some shade.
-- not currently in our collection --Hydrangea macrophylla 'Merritt Supreme' // Meritt's Supreme Bigleaf Hydrangea
Shrub. Semi-dwarf, 3-4' tall. Stocky, with thick stems; red specks on stems. Large, dark green leaves endure into the fall. Early, large, mophead flowers, 6-8" across, June/July-Sept., staying in perfect condition, developing green, red or purple autumnal tints. Will flower as a young plant; flowers have a winged appearance. The large flower heads are dark blue at pH 5.5 if in full sun, but at pH 6-6.5 if in the shade, and will turn to lilac, creamy, or maroon-purple. At higher pH, flowers are rosy-red-pink. Very adaptable.
-- not currently in our collection --Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nikko Blue' // Nikko Blue Bigleaf Hydrangea, Nikko Blue Hydrangea
Shrub. Grows to 4-6' but slow to establish. Forms a small bush with tight, neat, rounded flower heads. Early-blooming, large, 4-6" mophead flowers, June/July through fall. In acid soils flowers start cream w/ blue margins then solid light blue. Pink in neutral/alkaline soil. Most showy in acid soils, where flowers stay blue. It is remontant (reblooming) in nature. Floriferous, producing new flower heads all summer. Heat & cold tolerant with good sun tolerance. This is an old favorite; has stood up to the test of time.
Bed 51 - Bed 212Hydrangea macrophylla 'P11HM-11' // BloomStruck™ Endless Summer® Bigleaf Hydrangea, Bloomstruck™ Endless Summer® Hydrangea
Shrub. A new variety w/ sturdy, reblooming, red stems & big, beautiful blooms all summer long. Gets 3-4' tall & 4-5' wide, with a mounded habit. Mophead flowers 3.5-5" across, blooming late spring through fall. Blooms on last season's growth, and on current season's growth.. Displays vivid purple or rose-pink flower heads. Dark green leaves, with red veins and petioles, plus deep burgundy/purple fall foliage color. Heat tolerant. Disease resistant. Partial shade is preferred, plus moist, well-drained soil. Zones 4-9.
Bed 48 - Bed 54Hydrangea macrophylla 'Penny Mac' // Penny Mac Hydrangea
Shrub. Remontant (repeating) bloom, pink/blue mophead flowers. Flowers all summer & even after late autumn frosts. Fast grower, 4-6' tall and 3-4' wide. Namesake: from the garden of Penny McHenry of Atlanta, Georgia, founder of the American Hydrangea Society. More cold hardy than many other cultivars, Zones 5-9. Minimal care needed. Dramatic effect when used in a mass planting, or in mixed borders with perennials and other shrubs. Also good for woodland gardens, containers & cut flowers.
-- not currently in our collection --Hydrangea macrophylla 'Pia' // Pink Elf® Bigleaf Hydrangea, Pink Elf® Dwarf Hydrangea, Winning Edge Hydrangea
Shrub. One of the smallest bigleaf hydrangeas and promoted as a dwarf, commonly 2-3' tall. May revert to 5' tall. Remove any upright shoots to keep dwarfed. Mophead flowers, 3-4" across, July-August. Pink to pale red, or reddish-blue flowers in alkaline soils. Pink or mauve if maintained in neutral, pH 7 soil. Blue-violet in acid soils. Blooms on old wood, spring pruning will remove flower buds. Zones 5-11. Excellent accent plant, container plant, in cottage gardens, or for cut flowers. Also good in borders, edging, window boxes or tub planters.
Bed 204Hydrangea macrophylla 'PIIHM-I' // Twist-n-Shout® Endless Summer® Bigleaf Hydrangea
Shrub. From the Endless Summer series, with abundant blooms produced all summer. A Zone 4-9 remontant bloomer (on last season's growth & on new, current-season's growth), "guaranteeing" reliable blooms every year, regardless of previous winter. This was the first lacecap-type (lacy in middle of flower), reblooming hydrangea. rose-pink flowers in neutral to alkaline soils, or purple-pink to periwinkle blue flowers in acid soils. Blooms form on sturdy, red stems. Has a red-burgundy fall color. Grows to 3-5' tall and 3-4' wide.
-- not currently in our collection --Hydrangea macrophylla 'Pink Beauty' // Pink Beauty Bigleaf Hydrangea
Shrub. Grows to 3-5' tall and wide. Lustrous, grayish-green foliage. Young foliage and stems are coppery bronze to burgundy. Large mophead flowers, July - August, clear pink in neutral to alkaline soil, then aging to crimson. Bluish flowers in acid soils. Flowers are excellent for cutting. Zones 5-9. Prefers part shade, tolerates full sun if mulched and kept moist. Tolerates pollution, and various soils. Use in mass plantings, hedges, screening, containers, and general garden use. Usually lives about 20 years.
Bed 52Hydrangea macrophylla 'Variegata' // Variegated Bigleaf Hydrangea
Shrub. Grows 3-6' tall, with an equal or greater width. Slower growth rate than others of this species. Variegated leaves, medium green with creamy white edging. Lacecap flowers, white to rose-pink-tinted in alkaline soil; pale blue in acid soil. Flowers only on old wood, so few flowers after a cold, hard winter. Zone 6-9. Needs shade/part sun. Attracts butterflies. Good in containers, in a woodland garden, or for cut or dried flowers.
Bed 204