Growing Hydrangeas

How to Plant, Grow, and Prune Hydrangeas

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With immense flower heads, hydrangeas flaunt an old-fashioned charm in summertime that’s hard to resist. While these flowering shrubs are low-maintenance, proper care will keep them blooming. Our Hydrangea Guide provides summer plant care tips for all you need to know about growing hydrangeas—from watering to fertilizing to pruning to winter care.

About Hydrangeas

Unrivaled in the shrub world for beautiful flowers, these elegant plants are easy to cultivate, tolerate almost any soil, and produce abundant blooms. Colors beguile with clear blue, vibrant pink, frosty white, lavender, and rose blossoms—sometimes all blooming on the same plant!

Hydrangeas are excellent for a range of garden sites from group plantings to shrub borders to containers. Varieties abound (every year, it seems, breeders present us with more options!), and gardeners’ expectations of bloom size and color are boundless. To know how your hydrangea will grow, pay attention to the types, defined below. When you know what to expect, delights will be magnified.

Enjoy this ode to the beautiful of hydrangeas and learn how to grow hydrangeas in our guide below.

Planting

When to Plant Hydrangeas

Plant in spring after the last spring frost or in fall before the first fall frost. See local frost dates.
Plant before the heat of summer arrives.

Where to Plant Hydrangeas

Most hydrangeas will thrive in fertile, well-draining soils that receive plenty of moisture. Add compost to enrich poor soil.
Generally, hydrangeas prefer partial sun. Ideally, they will be given full sun in the morning, with some afternoon shade to protect from the hot midday sun. This is especially true for the Bigleaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla), which is prone to wilting. Some varieties are more tolerant of full sun.
Space hydrangeas anywhere from 3 to 10 feet apart, depending on type.

How to Plant Hydrangeas

Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 2 to 3 times as wide.
Set the plant in the hole and fill it half full with soil. Water. After water is absorbed, fill the rest of the hole with soil.
Water thoroughly again.

Pink hydrangea flowers

How to Grow Hydrangeas from Cuttings

Hydrangeas can easily be grown from cuttings. They root readily and the process makes for a great lesson in propagation. Here’s how to do it:

On a well-established hydrangea, find a branch that is new growth and that has not flowered. New growth will appear lighter in color than old growth, and the stem will not be as rigid.
From the tip of the branch, move 4 to 5 inches down and make a horizontal cut. Make sure that there are at least 3 to 4 pairs of leaves on your cutting.
Remove the lowest pair of leaves from the cutting, trimming them flush to the stem. Roots grow more easily from these leaf nodes, so if you can afford to remove more than one pair of leaves, do so. Be sure to keep at least 2 pairs of leaves at the tip end of the cutting, though.
If the remaining leaves are quite large, cut them in half, removing the tip-half. This prevents the leaves from hitting the sides of the plastic bag you will place over the cutting later on (to keep the humidity up).
(Optional) Dust the leafless part of the stem with rooting hormone and an anti-fungal powder for plants (both available at a local hardware or garden store). This will encourage rooting and discourage rotting.
Prepare a small pot and fill it with moistened potting mix. Plant the cutting in the soil, sinking it down to the first pair of remaining leaves. Water lightly to get rid of any air gaps around the stem.
Cover the entire pot loosely with a plastic bag. Make sure the bag isn’t touching the leaves of the cutting, otherwise the leaves can rot. (Chopsticks or something similar can be used to prop up the bag and keep it off the leaves.)
Place the pot in a warm area that’s sheltered from direct sunlight and wind.
Check on your cutting every few days to make sure that it isn’t rotting and only water again once the top layer of soil is dry. With luck, the cutting should root in a few weeks! (Check by gently pulling on the cutting; if you feel resistance, roots have formed.)

Care

Hydrangea Care

Watering

For the first year or two after planting and during any drought, be sure hydrangeas get plenty of water.
Water at a rate of 1 inch per week throughout the growing season. It’s better to deeply water 3 times a week than sprinkle water in a shallow manner. This encourages root growth.
Bigleaf and smooth hydrangeas require more water, but all varieties benefit from consistent moisture.
Leaves will wilt if the soil is too dry, and flowering will be hampered by a lack of water.
Use a soaker hose to water deeply and keep moisture off the flowers and leaves.
It’s best to water in the morning to prepare hydrangeas for the the heat of the day and to avoid disease.
Add organic mulch underneath your hydrangeas to help keep the soil moist and cool, add nutrients over time, and improve soil texture.

Fertilizing

If your soil is rich, you may not need to fertilize hydrangeas. Too much fertilizer encourages leafy growth at the expense of blooms. The best way to determine your fertility needs is by using a soil test.

Apply fertilizer based on your specific hydrangeas. Each variety has different needs and will benefit from different application timing.

Bigleaf hydrangeas can benefit from several light fertilizer applications in March, May and June.
Oakleaf and panicle hydrangeas do best with two applications in April and June.
Smooth hydrangea plants only need fertilization once, in late winter.

Winter protection

In the fall, cover plants to a depth of at least 18 inches with bark mulch, leaves, pine needles, or straw in the fall. If at all possible, cover the entire plant, tip included, by making cages out of snow fencing or chicken wire, and loosely filling the cages with leaves. (Do not use maple leaves, as they tend to mat when wet and can suffocate the plant.)

How to Change the Color of Hydrangea Flowers

It is possible to change the flowers’ colors, but not instantly. Color correction takes weeks—even months. Wait until the plant is at least 2 years old to give it time to recover from the shock of its original planting. Also note that it’s easier to change blue flowers to pink than pink to blue.

It’s not every hydrangea that changes color. The color of some Bigleaf hydrangeas (H. macrophylla)—especially Mophead and Lacecap types—and H. serrata cultivars change color based on the soil pH.

Acidic soils with a pH of less than 5.5 produce blue flowers; soils with a pH greater than 5.5 produce pink flowers. White flowers are not affected by pH.

See How to Change the Color of Hydrangea Flowers for more information.

Hydrangea colors

How to Prune a Hydrangea

Many of our readers’ questions involve pruning hydrangeas. And no wonder—it’s confusing, and all depends on the variety of hydrangea. Luckily, as long as you know which type you’ve got, it’s easy to figure out what sort of pruning technique to employ.

Learn the essentials below, then read more about how to prune hydrangea varieties here.

Hydrangea Type	When to Prune	Where Flowers Appear
Bigleaf (H. macrophylla)	Summer, after flowering	On old growth
Oakleaf (H. quercifolia)	Summer, after flowering	On old growth
Panicle (H. paniculata)	Late winter, before spring growth	On new growth
Smooth (H. arborescens)	Late winter, before spring growth	On new growth
Mountain (H. serrata)	Summer, after flowering	On old growth
Climbing (H. anomala subsp. petiolaris)	Summer, after flowering	On old growth

Pruning Common Hydrangeas

The most common garden hydrangea shrub is the Bigleaf variety, Hydrangea macrophylla. (See more below.)

Bigleaf (H. macrophylla), Oakleaf (H. quercifolia), Mountain (H. serrata), and Climbing hydrangeas (H. anomala subsp. petiolaris) are pruned AFTER the flowers fade in the summer. These varieties bloom on the previous season’s stems (“old wood”).

Flower buds actually form in the late summer and flower afterwards the following season, so avoid pruning after August 1.
Only cut away dead wood in the fall or very early spring.
To prune, cut one or two of the oldest stems down to the base to encourage branching and fullness.
If the plant is old, neglected, or damaged, prune all the stems down to the base. You’ll lose the flowers for the upcoming season, but also rejuvenate the plant for future years.
It’s best not to deadhead (remove faded blooms) on the big Mopheads; leave them over the winter and cut them back in early spring (to the first healthy pair of buds). It’s fine to deadhead the Lacecaps; cut down to the second pair of leaves below the flower head.
When growing H. macrophylla (and H. serrata) varieties in Zones 4 and 5, do not prune unless absolutely necessary, and then do so immediately after blooming. Otherwise, remove only dead stem in the spring.

Other Hydrangeas

Panicle (H. paniculata) and Smooth (H. arborescens) hydrangeas are pruned BEFORE flower buds are formed. These varieties bloom on the current season’s stems (“new wood”).

Prune in the late winter when the plant is dormant. This means that if the buds are killed during the winter, the plant will produce new buds in the spring which will produce blooms.
In general, prune only dead branches, and do not prune to “shape” the bush.

Read more about how to prune hydrangea types.

Pests/Diseases

Protect against pests and disease by choosing resistant cultivars.

Powdery mildew, leaf spot, wilt, and bight can all appear on hydrangeas.
Pests are rare, but can appear when plants become stressed. Common pests include aphids and red spider mites.

Properly caring for hydrangeas is your best defense. (See above tips on watering and hydrangea care.)

Harvest/Storage

How to Cut and Store Dried Hydrangea Flowers

Use dried hydrangea flowers to create a wreath or other decorations around the house:

Cut the flower heads when the flowers have matured and developed a papery consistency.
Remove leaves from stems, and hang upside down in a warm, dry, dark, airy room.
When completely dry (usually a couple of weeks), store in a dry location out of direct sunlight.
To enhance flower color, spritz dry flowers with diluted fabric dye.

Bigleaf Hydrangea (mophead)

How to Use Hydrangeas in a Bouquet

Place the freshly cut hydrangea stems immediately into cold water to avoid wilting.
Recut the woody stems at a slant under water. Remove lower leaves on the stems.
Arrange the stems in a vase and place in a cool spot.
Check the water in the vase daily and mist the blooms with water.
Soak wilting blooms in cool water for 10 to 15 minutes to revive them.

Recommended Varieties

For a more detailed overview of the many types of hydrangeas, check out Hydrangea Varieties for Every Garden.

There are two main groups of hydrangeas:

Group 1: Plants that Bloom on New Growth (This Year’s Stems)

The following hydrangeas, which form their buds in early summer on new growth, will flower reliably each year, requiring no special care.

Panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata)
- ‘Grandiflora’ is a big, old-fashioned, floppy variety, ‘Tardiva’, ‘White Moth’, and ‘Pee Wee’ fit the scale of small gardens. ‘Limelight’ produces cool-green flowers and grows to a height of 6 to 8 feet.
Smooth hydrangeas (H. arborescens)
- Look for the cultivars H. arborescens ‘Grandiflora’ and ‘Annabelle’, which produce many large (up to 14 inches across), tight, symmetrical blooms in late summer.

Bigleaf hydrangea lacecap
Image: Lacecap hydrangea

Group 2: Plants that Bloom on Old Growth (Last Year’s Stems)

If you live in Zone 8 or warmer, choose plants from this group. Gardeners in cool climate zones will find many of them a challenge, because they set flower buds in the fall. Although hardy to Zones 4 and 5, the buds are prone to damage by an early frost in fall, a late frost in spring, or excessively cold temperatures when dormant in winter. This, along with untimely pruning, can result in inconsistent flowering or no flowering at all.

Oakleaf hydrangeas (H. quercifolia)
- You can expect exceptional fall color from ‘Snow Queen’, ‘Snow Flake’, and ‘Alice’.
Bigleaf hydrangeas (H. macrophylla)
- We love ‘All Summer Beauty’ (Mophead), which has profuse, dark blue flowers—turning more pink in soils with near neutral pH. If its buds are winter-killed, the plant will form new ones in spring and still bloom.
- ‘Nikko Blue’ (Mophead) is vigorous, with large, rounded, blue flowers.
- ‘Blue Wave’ (Lacecap) produces rich blue to mauve or lilac-blue to pink flowers.
- ‘Color Fantasy’ (Mophead) has reddish or deep purple flowers and shiny, dark green leaves. It grows to about 3 feet tall.
Mountain hydrangeas (H. serrata)
- Examples are ‘Bluebird’ and ‘Diadem’. In acidic soil, ‘Preziosa’ produces blossoms of an extraordinary blend of pale shades of blue, mauve, violet, and green.
Climbing hydrangeas (H. anomala ssp. Petiolaris)
- ‘Firefly’ is a newly-patented variety exhibiting variegated foliage.

For more about hydrangea varieties, see Hydrangea Varieties for Every Garden.

Wit & Wisdom

The word “hydrangea” is derived from Greek hydor meaning “water” and angeion meaning “vessel,” referring to the plant’s seed pods, which look like small water jugs.
In the language of flowers, hydrangeas symbolize gratitude for being understood, or frigidity and heartlessness. See more flower meanings.

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Reader Comments

I have three hydrangeas-good

I have three hydrangeas-good bloom, leaves look good but the stems are weak and the bloom tilts. What can I do to strengthen the stems? I usually prune them in late fall. I am in Canada so the winter is cold and long. Thanks.

When it's pruning time, you

When it's pruning time, you could remove the canes that are at angle of less than 45 degrees to the ground level. Also, remove all old canes from the center to give way to stronger vertical canes growing from the center.

I have a blue hydrangea that

I have a blue hydrangea that has a new plant coming out of the root and. need to know how to begin a new plant. thank you

To replant a hydrangea

To replant a hydrangea sucker, first you need to slice betwen the sucker and the plant and gently dig it up. If you can get enough of the roots attached, you can simply replant in someplace else. Following our planting advice on this page. Water in well.

I also have a pink hydrangea,

I also have a pink hydrangea, but all the blooms died off and I removed them and now all the leaves have curled up and I removed them also. will it bloom again from the stem or is it gone ??

My son has very healthy

My son has very healthy hydrangeas and new plants coming out of the ground. I dug some up (they have roots) and want to plant them in my yard. Any specific instruction? Should I cut the leaves off? The ones I tried planting in the ground have wilted really badly. Should I just leave them and wait and see if they take?

How can I start a new plant

How can I start a new plant from a cutting with roots? They look really droopy. Should I cut off droopy leaves?

I planted two hydrangeas

I planted two hydrangeas about six years ago. They bloomed and were beautiful the first year but haven't bloomed since. They get sun in the morning and are watered as needed.
The plants are growing really well and look really healthy but no blooms. Help!

"Why doesn't my hydrangea

"Why doesn't my hydrangea bloom?" is a very common question and you are not along. The 3 most common answers here are: Excessive nitrogen fertilizer, too much shade (they can tolerate some shade but still need 6 hours of direct sunlight a day), and bad pruning (some hydrangea buds on old wood and gardeners prune off the buds -- see this page for more detail on how to prune to keep your blooms).

I just moved in and have two

I just moved in and have two old hydrangea and they are beautiful. But the flowers flop to the ground. How do I get the to stay up off the dirt. I live in zone 7 or 8 and I have seen others that don't. Are they being trimmed to low? I would like them to stand up more like a bush.

When it's pruning time, you

When it's pruning time, you could remove the canes that are at angle of less than 45 degrees to the ground level. Also, remove all old canes from the center to give way to stronger vertical canes growing from the center.

Writing from Virginia.

Writing from Virginia. Running behind schedule in late July, but can I still plant Hydrangea at this point or should I wait until Fall? The spot gets morning sun and then lots of shade. In the past the spot and still the ground have been deep in pine needles. Thanks!

Hi Ted, Morning sun and light

Hi Ted, Morning sun and light afternoon shade is ideal for hydrangea. They love well-drained soil so pine bark mulch is perfect. You want to plant hydrangea when it is dormant and has lost all of its leaves. Late fall is the perfect time. You're welcome!

My hydrangea plant leaves are

My hydrangea plant leaves are been eaten but by what I don't know. There is hardly a leaf that has not been chewed on, any idea's what it might be. I can't see anything when I look at it to indicate what might be eating it. (I live in the Pacific Northwest. Port Angeles)

There are a variety of pests:

There are a variety of pests: deer, slugs, Japanese beetles, and earwigs. We usually put slug and snail bait around our hydrangea--plus broken eggshells around the base of the plant. You may want to bring a chewed-up leaf to your garden center to get it IDed and the right solution.

I need some advice. I

I need some advice. I recently purchase 2 mophead endless summer hydrangea one is blue the other pink. We recently completed a flower bed border adjacent to my back porch. I planted each one on opposite ends of the flower bed. They were doing great til the last week or so. The blooms are wilting and turning brown on the blue one and the same for the pink except the pink’s leave are brown too. I make sure to water them every evening. They get morning sun and afternoon shade. I am so sick with worry because I don’t want to lose them. They were so beautiful. I was thinking about deadheading the wilting flowers. Please advise. Thanks

Our first guess is that you

Our first guess is that you are overwatering. On doing further reasearch, it seems a strong possibility: One source suggests that this plant tolerates full sun when/if the soil is consistently moist. It sounds like, with your making sure to water every evening, in a setting that has morning sun (which is not the hottest sun of the day), followed by shade, your plant is just too wet. Leave it go for a while—say, until the soil dries out. And then water only occasionally. As for deadheading, this plant benefits from deadheading. That is, it wil continue to produce blooms (until the first frost). We hope this helps.

I have 4 Hydrangeas ( White)

I have 4 Hydrangeas ( White) that I planted this spring and have had beautiful large blooms thru the summer. I noticed that now there are still many new blooms but they are green and not turning white. What is going on?

It depends on your variety of

It depends on your variety of hydrangea. For example, Annabelle hydrangeas, which bloom white, always turn green when they have been in bloom about two weeks (sometimes they stay white a little longer). In general, it is common for many varieties of hydrangeas to turn is green as they age, especially in climates where it gets hot and humid.

my plant is planted on the

my plant is planted on the side of the house where the it is sunny in the afternoon. would this be to much sunny and cause plant to turn brown or do I need to water more! ideas please

my plant is planted on the

my plant is planted on the side of the house where the it is sunny in the afternoon. would this be to much sunny and cause plant to turn brown or do I need to water more! ideas please

my 2 yr old pinkie winkie

my 2 yr old pinkie winkie hydrangeas bloomed beautifully last year,but so far this yr. nothing.suggestions anyone?thanks,ann

Did you have a late frost

Did you have a late frost this spring that could have hurt the buds? Did you prune the bush at the wrong time? See pruning tips above.

I live in north central Texas

I live in north central Texas with sweltering summers. I want to plant hydrangea but would like recommendations on specific ones that would do well in my area.

Oakleaf hydrangea can do well

Oakleaf hydrangea can do well in Texas. You must have acidic soil (pH 5-6 minimum) and a shady or partly shaded site. Morning or late evening sun is ideal. Contact your county cooperative extension--they'll have the best local advice.

I had two hydrangeas that

I had two hydrangeas that bloomed well for years then less well or not at all. I divided and transplanted. Now I have thriving plants and few to no blossoms. I am ready to dig them up and replace with new. How can I get them to bloom? Please help. Zone 4. Morning sun. Afternoon partial shade.

I have a hydrangea (pink) but

I have a hydrangea (pink) but I planted on a spot where the sunlight was hitting it but it burn the flower and only a little bit of the leaves so I took it and planted on a pot what do I do to it so it could get nice and beautiful again

I have had 2 hydrangea

I have had 2 hydrangea plants: both quite large when I moved in. I am trying to figure out if I need to cut down the long stems in the fall or spring? I didn't last year and all the green came back but I have had limited flowers, sometime none- so should I cut those things down each year or leave them?

See our pruning advice above.

See our pruning advice above. You need to find out if your hydrangea blooms on old or new wood before pruning.

I want to transplant my

I want to transplant my beautiful pink hydrangea to a larger pot. Will it stand the transplant at this time of year.? It is about 1 1/2 yrs What do you recommend?