Hydrangeas are commonly known as Christmas flowers in South Africa, are native to Asia and America, but they grow well in almost all parts of South Africa, from our coastal areas to the interior. The word hydrangea comes from the Greek “hydr-” (meaning water) and “angeion” (meaning jar or vessel) – so roughly translated hydrangea means “water container”, which is possibly a reference to the large amount of water that this plant requires in order to thrive. The most popular are the big leafed French Hydrangeas. There are many varieties to choose from.
Caring for Hydrangeas is easy. Morning sun is what they want or shade throughout the day as they get protection from day heat. They enjoy moist, yet well drained soil, so a good watering once to twice a week will do the job.
In Autumn you can expect beautiful, golden brown – yellow leaves. This will be an indication to a good time to prune back old wood from the previous summer.
The colour of the blooms is influenced by the pH of the soil – blue if acid and pink if alkaline. To influence the colour for blue, use Shake and Grow Blue or eggshells in the soil. Acid Compost is also a good way to influence acid soil. To influence pink blooms, fertilize with Shake and Grow Pink or add Agricultural lime.