Southern Accents: What determines the shade of hydrangeas?
Marjorie Imus: The pH level
of the soil determines the color of the flowers. You can test your soil with a kit from a
local garden center. A pH of 6.5 to 7.0 is sufficient for getting blue
flowers. With a higher pH, you get pink flowers.
SA: Where is the best site for growing hydrangeas?
MI: Most
hydrangeas are woodland plants, so they require some shade. Especially in
the South, they like protection from the harsh western sun. The exception to this rule
is Hydrangea paniculata, which will flourish in full sunlight.
SA: When is the ideal time to plant hydrangeas?
MI: After the danger of frost in the spring, or during the fall.
SA: How much care and attention do they need?
MI: They like
to be mulched to keep their root system cool, and regular watering is
important. A top dressing of compost is always good in the spring.
SA: What is the best method of pruning hydrangeas?
MI: Actually, we don't really prune. We remove old flower heads and branches in
the spring after the last frost. Sometimes, if a shrub is scraggly, we will
cut it to the ground to allow all new growth to come out in late spring.
More than likely, there will be no flowers that upcoming season, but they
will be profuse the following season.
SA: What are the different species and their attributes?
MI: H. aspera, H. heteromalla, H. paniculata, and H. scandens are deciduous
shrubs and can grow up to 20 feet tall in the wild.
H. seemannii, H. anomala petiolaris, and H.
serratifolia are all climbers. They grow vigorously once they have set
their roots and can cover the side of a house or a garden wall when
trained. They can also climb up a tree or spill down a bank for a ground
cover.
H. arborescens and H. macrophylla are lacecap types,
growing 3 to 12 feet. However, they can be kept in the garden at 5 to 7
feet by pruning.
H. quercifolia is a white to ivory oakleaf hydrangea
that grows an open panicle that is up to 5 inches wide at the base of the
flower. I love to use the foliage in the fall because it becomes a
beautiful dark red.
SA: Which species is the most popular?
MI: The most popular
would be the French hydrangea (H. macrophylla). It is a familiar sight in
many gardens.
SA: Which is your personal favorite?
MI: I love H.
macrophylla. It makes a great statement in arrangements. Some of the
panicle types, which feature a cluster of small blooms attached by short
stems to a thicker main bloom stem, also work well in arrangements.
SA: What is the best cutting technique to prevent
wilting?
MI: Cut in the cool of the morning. Remove all lower leaves, except
the ones you want to use in the arrangement. You can immerse the whole
flower in water for up to two hours. We also cut vertically about 1 inch
into the stem, allowing even more water to be drawn up.
RESOURCES: MingleWood, 1100 Reynolda Rd.,
Winston-Salem, NC, 336/725-5364.
