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

Panicle Hydrangea starter

We just purchased Pinacle Hydrangea starters. We live in Zone 3 area. Is it advisable to winter them in the house ?

Panicle Hydrangea

Hi Lily,

Panicle Hydrangeas are hardy to zone 3, meaning they will over winter outdoors just fine. No need to bring them indoors.

Rooted cuttings - now what?

I live in Massachusetts just north of Boston. I rooted some cuttings of a beautiful hydrangea macrophylla. The roots are still quite small. I am not sure what to do next. They seem too tender to plant in the ground. CAN I winter them over indoors? Thanks in a for any advice.

Overwintering indoors

You should be fine overwintering the cuttings indoors. If these are mere shoots, you might keep them in your living space. If they are small shrubs, in pots, put them in a cool, dark place where temps remain between 40 and 50 °F. Water them one time. Come spring, ease them into the outdoor light and temps.

Endless summer hydrangeas

I have two beautiful hydrangeas that have grown too s
Big for their space and are crowding out other plants. Can I prune or shape them to contain their size and spread?

Pruning Hydrangeas

Yes, Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer’ respond well to pruning. It is best done right after they bloom, and a good practice is to cut back to the next emerging bud. Here is some more info on pruning hydrangeas: Pruning Hydrangea Varieties

Flowers faded

I planted 2 large hydrangeas in early July. They were loaded with huge bright pink flowers. Within a week the colors had faded to a pale dirty pinkinsh greenish off white. New growth is appearing and the flowers aren't a bit dry they are just faded. What should I do?

Potted Hydrangea in Zone 5 winter

Hello, I am new to gardening and really do not know some of the terms used in planting flowers such as "crown" and other various terms, but learning as I go along. I've done well with annuals when I plant seeds and let them go! But, I'm uneducated regarding perennial plants and care. I bought a fully bloomed Hydrangea at Walmart around the 1st of May. I replanted it in a very large pot on my back patio where it bloomed beautifully all through June. When I bought them they were a beautiful blue, but due to ph imbalance in the soil they ended up bright pink, which I didn't mind. When the "mopheads" died I dead-headed them in hopes of seeing them bloom again next spring. As of the end of August they are still thriving in the pot and growing well. The plant is approximately 15-inches tall with new bright green leaves appearing at the top regularly. I'm concerned now that winter is near, what to do with the plant when it gets cold here in SE Nebraska? There is no way for me to carry the plant inside because it's very heavy. Can I keep it safe through winter? Thank you!

Protecting Hydrangeas in Winter

Hello!
The best way to protect your potted hydrangea would be to put it in a sheltered area where it will not be hit by harsh wintry winds, but will still experience some colder temperatures through the winter. It is most likely a winter hardy variety, so it can survive the colder temperatures, but keeping it sheltered from wind will help ensure that it survives. You do not want it to get too warm on your patio, or else the plant may be tricked into thinking spring has arrived and it will grow prematurely.
If it gets cold enough, the plant may die back to the ground, but do not be too alarmed if this happens, as it should re-grow in the spring. Add an inch or two of organic mulch (available at garden centers and hardware stores) to the top of the pot to insulate the roots. Good luck!

Leaves Turning Yellow

Can't You Please Tell Me Why The Leaves of My Plant Are Turning Yellow & Haven't Bloom I'am Taking Care of Them Indoors. Thank You

hydrangea has yellow leaves

Yellow leaves on a hydrangea is usually Chlorosis. This can also result from a pH that is too high (soil is too alkaline), or it may actually be a lack of iron in the soil. Apply a chelated iron or iron sulphate to correct the situation. Ammonium sulphate fertilizer also helps to lower the pH and maintain the acidity of the soil. Apply about one half teaspoon each of iron sulphate and ammonium sulphate to one quart of water. Apply this to the plants about every two to three weeks. About every third fertilization use a complete houseplant fertilizer instead of the above combination.

Which one to plant?

I live in MS and I am wanting to plant these in front of my new lake house. I am not sure when to plant or which ones to purchase to plant. Please help.

Hydrangea in the pot over the winter - PS

Thanks for your advice. Could I leave it in the large pot it's now in while keeping it on my sunny deck here in Williamsburg? I could bring it inside on cold nights and put it back out during the day. Seems a lot of work I know, but I would hate to lose the plant. I am a bit concerned it might not survive in the garage.

Hydrangea

Yes, you could bring it inside on cold nights and leave it out during the day. Keep in mind that in can be stressful on a plant to experience drastic temperature changes (cold to hot and hot to cold), so when you bring it inside keep it in a cool room.

Hydrangea in pot over the winter??

I took a beautiul hydrangea from VA to OH from my parent's yard after they passed away. It grew to be a huge plant but only bloomed once in 5 years. I learned the wrong zone may have been the cause. Now I am back in VA with the plant. The deer ate the plant down to the ground and now I have it in a pot on my deck. Once established again, can I overwinter it in my garage and bring it out each year? We are not allowed to keep fencing up around shrubs (against condo rules), so I fear trying to keep it in the ground. We are deer heaven here in Williamsburg. It is a cherished plant for me and I would hate to lose it. THANKS!

You can try overwintering it

You can try overwintering it in a garage. But a hydrangea that thrived in a winter environment might not thrive in a garage. Give it moisture throughout the season (it would get it outdoors; don’t deprive it). Or could you cover it with, say a wooden “sandwich board”? You see these protecting foundation plants from time to time—something that would deter deer. There are several reasons for lack of bloom, often too much or too little sun. We hope this helps.

Type of Hydrangea

I am moving into a home that has been in our family for at least 150 years. Early pictures of the house show hydrangeas planted all the way around the house. At present there is one plant left. It has large leaves and a huge mop head of dark blue flowers. Any idea what variety it is? Where I could find more like it or would my best bet be to start new plants from a cutting? If rooting, what is the process? I have seen my mother and grandmother take a cutting or just a leaf and grow a new plant.

mystery hydrangea

There is no way for us to know the particular variety of your hydrangea nor where to find one like it. Perhaps you will find notes or the like somewhere in the house! As for getting a match, there are hundreds to choose from these days and it’s likely that no one observing the property would know if you get “modern” replacements. But ask a local nursery person; they may know the heirloom varieties.

If you want more of the plant you have, here’s how to root it:

Take a 5 to 6 inch long cutting from a branch of the hydrangea shrub, ideally from a branch that did not flower this year.
Find the bottom two leaf nodes (the leaf node is where a leaf comes out of the branch) and remove the lower leaves. Most roots will form at this point.
Cut largest leaves down by about half.
Dip the cuttings in rooting hormone (if desired) and insert the hormone ends into damp vermiculite or sterile medium that you have put into a pot.
Water the pot well and allow it to drain. The soil should be moist but not soggy. Cover the cuttings and pot with plastic, creating a greenhouse effect. Use stakes (shish-kebab sticks may be adequate) to keep the plastic from touching the leaves.
Place the pot of cuttings in a bright but shady area. Do not place them in direct sun.
Water again only when the top of the soil begins to feel dry. Overwatering will cause the cuttings to rot. Expect cuttings to begin to form roots in 2 to 3 weeks, depending on the local temperature (they root faster in warm weather) and humidity. Some cuttings root in as little as one week. If you tug on the cutting and it resists the pull, it is rooting.

You can also try the ground layer method:

1. Select a branch (or several) close to the ground . Do not cut the branch off the mother plant.

2. Gently bend the branch down to touch the ground. Along the 5 to 6 inches of the branch where the branch, with at least one leaf node, will touch the ground, remove the leaves. Scrape a little of the bark off the underside of the branch in this area. Make sure at least one leaf node will be under the ground.

3. Dig a little trench about 2 inches deep and lower the branch into it and cover generously with soil (use potting soil if desired).

4. Put a brick or stone on the buried portion of branch so that it will stay under the soil. This also helps to hold the moisture around the branch.

5. Keep the buried branch wet but not soaked. When roots form, cut the branch from the mother plant and lift it to plant it in the garden.

We hope this helps!

type of hydrangea

Hello! I moved into a new house 2 years ago, so I inherited several plants from the previous owner. I am still learning about types of flowers and their care. I have a white hydrangea that grows on the old stems. According to the above, a smooth hydrangea should grow from new stems. Do you know what type mine may be then?
I have never pruned it and it has bloomed for the 2 summers I've lived here. Should I be pruning it?
Thank you.

Hydrangea Varieties

If your hydrangea has flowers similar to those of a smooth hydrangea, but doesn’t bloom on new stems, you likely have a bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla). This variety is capable of blooming on old and new stems. Pruning should be done after flowers fade. See our page on pruning different hydrangea varieties for more information.

what should i do about my potted hydrangeas that are wilted?

Hello, I got 4 different color hydrangeas from Kroger's grocery store. Ones, in a pot I bought got to get the others ones too. Just haven't yet. Well, I got two for 99cents cuz they were wilting and one blossom back up the other hasn't actually I got all the wilting buds off. Then one of mine that was 9.99 it fully wilted its no longer full it drooped completely. The soils are fully moistened im afraid they won't come back but hey I'm new to this. I wanted to start gardening but cannot transfer them to the ground yet. Not til me and my boyfriend move to a new place. Don't want the new tenants to enjoy my with cuz I've done that before and lost a lot of plants. Please someone help???

Potted florist Hydrangea

Potted florist hydrangea from a grocery store are not recommended for planting outdoors in the ground. They are not as hardy as the nursery cultivars.

However, you can still bring the pots outside until frost. When it comes to potted plants, keep them moist but don’t overwater which can lead to droopiness. If the soil is wet, let it dry out a bit before watering again. Also, weather that’s too hot can lead to droopiness so move the plants to a shaded area. If the plant remains wilted, it may have root rot and will not recover.

Usually, florist hydrangeas are considered short-term gift plants to be enjoyed and discarded. They are grown in a greenhouse for big showy flowers and the controlled forcing of flowers weakens the plant itself. If you wish to grow hydrangea outdoors, it’s best to purchase plants that are grown by a nursery for that purpose.

Hydrangeas

My plant is about 5 years old and no blooms how do I get it to bloom sgain

hydrangeas not blooming

Did you prune the hydrangea properly? When you prune depends on the type of hydrangea. Did you have a freeze back in the spring this year? This is another common reason for lack of blooms. Hope this advice helps!

Excellent website..... love azaleas

This is a beauty..... very informative!
Thanks!

Planting Hydrangeas hedge

I am in the foothills outside Asheville N.C. and want to plant a hydrangeas hedge about 50' long. The ground slopes down and away from the hedge down to a creek. It will have good morning sun and shaded afternoons. What type Hydrangea should I use and how do I go about planting the hedge? When, how, etc. Thanks from a newbie to plants.
tom

Planting a Hydrangea Hedge

The location you’ve picked out sounds like a great spot for a hydrangea hedge. The nearby creek should keep the ground moist but well-drained, while the mix of sun and shade will prevent the plants from being burned. The area around Asheville, NC, is a mix of Hardiness Zones 6 and 7, which means that most hydrangeas should do well for you. If you get a lot of sub-zero temperatures in winter, you may want to play it safe and choose a more cold-hardy variety, such as H. paniculata or H. arborescens. If your winter temperatures typically stay above zero, then you can safely add H. quercifolia and H. macrophylla to the mix. At this point, it mostly comes down to choosing which flower colors and style you like the best.

In regards to planting, it’s best to plant hydrangeas in the spring or fall. For directions on how to plant the shrubs, see the Planting section, above. Finally, you may wish to consult your local cooperative extension service, who can give you advice tailored more to your circumstances. Happy planting!

Are hydrangea deer resistant

Do deer stay away from this plant? Or would I be planting a lovely treat for them?

Deer-Resistant Hydrangeas?

Deer have been known to eat almost anything (or taste it at least once), so there is a risk that hydrangeas could be damaged. Some gardeners report that their hydrangeas get eaten to the ground by deer, while others see no damage at all. It will really depend on how hungry the deer is and if there’s anything tastier in the area. So, to answer your questions: No, deer do not stay away from hydrangeas, but they typically favor other garden plants over hydrangeas. Here’s a list of deer-resistant plants: http://www.almanac.com/content/deer-resistant-plants

Growth of plant

Good Morning. I have 2 plants that are about 5-6 years old,that were the same size and planted at the same time. They are approx. 3 feet apart. For the last 3-4 year one of them grows very well while the other does not grow much at all. Right now one is about 20"tall and 17" wide, full of blooms and healthy. The other is about 8" tall and 6" wide with a couple of small blooms. Any ideas as to why there is so much difference between the two plants? Thank You