Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are one of my favorite plants to use in areas of the landscape with part shade and shade. Today Southern Gardening is on the Mississippi Gulf Coast admiring some beautiful hydrangeas. Let’s take a look at some of these beauties. Bigleaf hydrangea is one of the most popular and widely grown species known for its ability to change color according to the soil pH and aluminum availability. In soils with a low pH, flower color is blue or purple. In less acidic soils, or those with a pH above 6, flower color is pink. One of my favorites, lacecap hydrangeas, are bigleaf hydrangeas that have flat, round flower heads. The centers are fertile flowers, and they are surrounded by outer rings of sterile flowers. The structure of these flowers is similar to a fancy “lace cap” or pinwheel. Little Lime Hydrangea, a panicle hydrangea, is a popular dwarf variety of the Limelight Hydrangea. It is known for its compact size, making it ideal for smaller gardens, borders, and containers. Little Lime typically grows to about 3 to 5 feet in height and width, making it more manageable than its larger counterparts. It prefers full sun to partial shade. Oakleaf hydrangea is the native species commonly found in Mississippi. The plant produces large, cone-shaped clusters of flowers, typically starting out white and gradually turning pink as they age. The flowers bloom from late spring to early summer. The leaves are deeply lobed, resembling oak leaves, which is where the plant gets its name. In summer, the leaves are a rich green, turning to shades of red, orange, and purple in the fall. Consider adding some of these beautiful hydrangeas to your landscape. I am Eddie Smith, and I will see you next time on Southern Gardening.