Hydrangea Production: Species-Specific Production Guide: January 2016
Hydrangea Production: Species-Specific Production Guide: January 2016
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Hydrangea Production:
Species-Specific Production Guide
Amy Fulcher, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Tennessee
James S. Owen, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Virginia Tech
Anthony LeBude, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, North Carolina State University
SPECIES-SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS
2
Pruning. Hydrangea arborescens will need to be pruned can be damaged by low temperatures. Flower color
multiple times each season during production to produce ranges from pink to lavender to blue depending on
full, densely branched plants that ultimately produce many cultivar and soil chemical properties (Figure 4a).
blooms, which form on new growth. Avoid pruning in the There are also a few white-flowered cultivars whose
spring, the season of sale, as that can delay flowering. Note flowers may turn very pale pink or blue as they age.
the problems mentioned above associated with weak stems Two horticultural groups of H. macrophylla are
and large, heavy corymbs. recognized — mopheads, also called hortensias, and
the lacecaps. Mopheads have large, round corymbs
consisting primarily of large, sterile flowers (Figure
H. macrophylla — Bigleaf Hydrangea
4b). Lacecaps have an inflorescence consisting of an
Bigleaf hydrangea is native to Japan and Korea. Plants
outer ring of large, sterile flowers and an inner core
usually grow 3 to 6 feet high, but can grow to 10 feet with
of small fertile flowers (Figure 4c). Some selections,
width becoming equal to or greater than plant height. Big-
both mophead and lacecap, are remontant and
leaf hydrangea is considered hardy in USDA plant hardiness
will rebloom later in the season. Bailey Nurseries’
zones 6 to 9. However, hardiness varies among cutivars,
remontant selection, The Original Endless Summer
and selection must be made carefully to match the location.
(Hydrangea ‘Bailmer’), and marketing efforts related
Cold injury to the flower buds and improper pruning are
to it are credited, at least partially, with the resur-
the usual reasons for flower failure in the landscape. Bigleaf
gence in hydrangea popularity.
hydrangeas form flower buds during late summer and fall;
therefore, buds are exposed to winter temperatures and
Figures 4a, b, and c. (a) Even on a given plant, shown here The Original Endless Summer (Hydrangea
‘Bailmer’), the flower color can vary; (b) a mophead, or hortensia, flower type; (c) a lacecap flower type.
Low phosphorus levels have the potential to prevent exces- General flower color management. Bigleaf hydran-
sive algae growth in reclaimed water and have the added gea is popular in part because some cultivars have blue
benefit of conserving a natural resource. Phosphorus levels flowers (sepals), yet flower color can be manipulated to
of just 0.29 pounds/yd3 P2O5 were sufficient to produce de-
4
produce a range of colors from pink to lavender to blue
(Figure 6). The color intensity is determined by a culti-
var’s inherent ability to produce blue pigment, aluminum
availability in the soil or substrate as managed by alumi-
num addition and pH, and a cultivar’s ability to uptake
aluminum. When the soil/substrate pH is acidic (4.5–5.5),
sepal color can be expected to be blue because aluminum
is generally highly available at a low pH. At pH ≥ 6.0, sepal
color is most likely pink. Between pH 5.5 and 6.0, sepal
color might be pink, blue or lavender, or a mixture of pink
and blue flowers may be present on the same plant. This
is highly dependent upon cultivar. The flower color is not
permanent. There are a few cultivars, such as ‘Pia,’ ‘Masja,’
‘Alpengluhen,’ and ‘Todi,’ that do not turn blue regardless
of soil pH, or they have several colors on an individual
inflorescence. At low pH, these flowers may turn an un-
attractive muddy-red. Additionally, some new selections
such as H. macrophylla BloomStruck are hybrids that do
not turn blue readily regardless of cultural or production Figure 7. To ensure the highly desirable blue
practices, resulting in florets with blue-purple (blurple) sepals on H. macrophylla, water, substrate and
coloring. nutrients must be closely managed.
5
10 percent Kaolite (v/v), a calcined clay mineral, in the Photo Credit Jim Owen
potting substrate increased aluminum and sepal blueness.
Plants grown in 10-20 percent zeolite (mined from volcanic
rocks and ash layers reacted with alkaline groundwater)
precharged with aluminum produced blue sepals when it
was the only source of aluminum. However, growth was
reduced at 30-40 percent zeolite. Adding calcined clay and
aluminum sulfate supported blue sepals even at higher pH
values. Increasing levels of Pozzolan (thermally activated
kaolin-clays), and/or aluminum increased blue color and
consumer desirability ratings, both of which were best
when aluminum sulfate and Pozzolan were used in combi-
nation (Figure 8).
6
Figure 10. H. macrophylla can be produced as a Figure 11. Terminal softwood, semi-hardwood
standard form. (shown) and hardwood cuttings all root readily
when treated with a rooting hormone.
7
symptoms but were not rendered unmarketable. At approxi- H. quercifolia — Oakleaf Hydrangea
mately 75 days, new and more severe damage was present. Oakleaf hydrangea is native to the southeastern U.S. and is
hardy to USDA plant hardiness zone 5. Most cultivars reach
Pruning. Hydrangea paniculata flowers on new wood 6 to 8 feet in height. Plant spread is greater than height as
so it can be pruned in winter or early spring. Plants can be plants sucker from roots. Like most hydrangeas, oakleaf hy-
pruned immediately following blooming and may bloom drangea benefits from light shade in the landscape but will
again. For field production cut back to within 6 inches of tolerate full sun in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions if
ground in February to March after the first growing season given ample moisture. They are subject to root rot if overir-
and after the second growing season if not sold. Pruning rigated or placed in poorly drained soil. Oakleaf hydrangea
plants in container production can lead to different flow- flowers in early to midsummer. Flowers are large, white to
ering results than for those planted in the field. Pruning cream-colored panicles and may turn pink to rose as they
can increase flower size in the field, although in replicated age, depending on the cultivar and location (Figure 13).
studies, hand pruned ‘Limelight’ and Little Lime in #3 Inflorescences are composed of a mixture of large, sterile
containers had fewer and smaller flowers than plants and small, fertile flowers.
treated with water or PGRs.
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