Hydrangeas Plant: Easy to care plants with attractive colorful flowers
Image by Sussie Nilsson from Pixabay
Hydrangeas Plants are beautiful flowered plants and a great addition to the garden. The flowers add beauty to the garden and attracts pollinators. They require very little care and maintenance is easy. They are one of the best flowering plants to grow for a beginner.
Quick Details of Hydrangeas Plant
| Other Common Names | Hydrangea |
| Type | Outdoor flowering shrub |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Flowering | Mid summer- Winter |
| Light | Partial shade or filtered indirect sunlight |
| Water | Regular watering |
| Temperature | Warm conditions |
| Soil | Well draining nutrient rich soil |
| Fertilizer | Not required |
| Habitat | Asia,America |
| Toxicity | Yes |
| Common Diseases | Not prone to diseases or pests |
| Scientific name | Hydrangea spp. |
Hydrangeas Plant Buying Instructions
- Buy a healthy plant.
- There should not be any damaged or infested leaves.
- Buy a bushy plant.
Overview of Hydrangeas Plant
Hydrangeas Plant are flowering shrubs belonging to the family Hydrangeaceae and native to Asia and America. The plants can grow up to a height of 1-3 m tall and bears flowers of blue, pink, lavender and white colors. In some cases all the colors are seen in one single plant. The leaves are dark green, serrated oppositely or alternatively arranged. The flowers are formed in clusters. The color of the flowers change with the change in pH of the soil which is mostly due to the presence of aluminum in the soil. Acidic soil produce blue or purple color flowers and alkaline pH produces red or pink flowers. The plants bloom mostly mid summer.
Usage and Advantage of Hydrangeas
- Hydrangeas Plant are grown as an ornamental plant.
General Care for Hydrangeas
Soil
They prefer a well draining, fertile, moist soil. The color of the flowers change with the pH of the soil( mostly depend on aluminum content). Blue flowers are formed in acidic soil and pink in alkaline soils.
Water
Water the plants regularly and deep water them ones a week. In places with dry conditions, it is necessary to maintain the moisture in the soil.
Sunlight
The plants thrive best in partial shade especially when the plants can get sunlight during mornings and shade in the afternoons. Bright direct sunlight can sometimes be harmful to the plant.
Temperature
They prefer normal climatic conditions. They cannot tolerate harsh cold or too much heat. Place them in spots with constant temperature.
Special Care for Hydrangeas Plant
Prune the tips of the plants early spring to remove any dead ends. Deadheading of flowers can be done to encourage new bloom. Mulch the soil with compost to retain moisture and improve organic content.
Fertilization
They do not require any fertilizer. In case of poor soil nutrient level add a balanced fertilizer before blooming.
Pests and other problems for Hydrangeas
They are not prone to any diseases or pests if grown in proper conditions. However excess moisture can lead to rot, Powdery mildew and leaf spot diseases.
Leaf spot disease
Leaf spot is Mostly caused by Cercospora, Alternaria, Phyllosticta or Anthracnose. Seen mostly when the conditions are moist and humid. Avoid over head watering and use a mild fungicide to get rid of them.
Botrytis blight
It is a fungal diseases caused when the plants are infected with Botrytis cinerea.Mostly infected when there is excess humidity and the plants are placed in cold dump spots. The fungus infect the flowers mostly. The infection starts with a water like lesion which develops further into red spots. The infected buds and flowers wilt and fall. This in turn can result in the spread of the disease to other parts of the plants. Remove the infected parts of the plant, use a mild fungicide.
Anthracnose
It is a fungal disease caused due to Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Mostly seen in plants that has been overfertilized. They infect the leaves and flowers resulting in the formation of large brown spots with lightly colored centers. The spots are produced at a certain angle near the veins.
Powdery mildew
It is a fungal disease. A layer of white powdery substance is seen on both the sides of the leaves but mostly on the underside. They can spread fast and cause the plant to wilt and fall.
Bacterial wilt
It is a bacterial disease caused due to Ralstonia solanacearum It looks like a blight but can cause the plant to wilt. Seen mostly in regions with heavy rains and too much humidity.
Use a mild fungicide, garlic water or neem oil to get rid of the fungal and bacterial diseases. Make sure to avoid over watering, overhead watering and excess water or moisture.
Leaves turning yellow
In some cases, the leaves of the healthy plants starts turning yellow. This can be due to excess moisture in the soil, not getting ample amount of sunlight or excess amount of fertilizer in the soil. Make sure not to over water the plant. Provide ample amount of bright direct sunlight.
Brown edges and leaf tip
This happens mostly in newly transplanted plant or plants that has been recently fed. Excess fertilizer can sometimes burn the roots resulting in the brown tips and edges of the leaves.
Propagation of Hydrangeas
They can be propagated through stem cuttings. Select a healthy growing tip. Cut a 5-6 inch long stem cutting from the growing tip. Remove leaves from the base leaving at least 2 nodes intact. Cut down the bigger leaves to half its size. Dip the tip in to a rooting hormone and plant it in a moist potting mix. Water them regularly and provide enough sunlight.
