French Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) Shrub - Plants and Shrubs for Gardening

French Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) Shrub

French Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) Shrub - Plants and Shrubs for Gardening. The French Hydrangea belongs botanically to the Fagaceae family. It is a woody, deciduous, perennial shrub with a fast growth rate, which acquires a spherical shape. The leaves are simple, large, elliptic-ovate in shape, with serrated margins, and are green in colour. The magnificent long flowering period is usually from mid-spring to mid-summer, with very ornamental, beautiful flowers of various colours, borne on a corymbose inflorescence. The flowers are succeeded by brown-coloured capsule fruits. The French Hydrangea is a relatively easy-to-grow shrub. It grows in almost any soil type, acidic to alkaline - but not calcareous - with excellent drainage and a high organic matter content. It can be used both in gardening and in landscape architecture, planted as specimen, in groups and also in compositions with other plants. Among the French Hydrangea varieties of particular interest are the variegated Hydrangea macrophylla 'Tricolor' and Hydrangea macrophylla 'Altona', which is suitable for planting in coastal areas.

► It is offered at a price determined by the particular characteristics of the plant, such as the size of the pot, its height, age and shape. Large shrubs are also available for sale (and planting) upon prior arrangement. In any case, the price or prices listed are indicative.

BRIEF INFORMATION FOR FRENCH HYDRANGEA

 

	FOLIAGE	Deciduous
	HEIGHT	1.50 - 3.00 m
	DIAMETER	1.50 - 3.00 m
	EXPOSURE	Half-Shade, Shade
	MINIMUM TEMPERATURES	From -18 to -23 °C
	WATERING	Regular
	SOIL	Medium
	SOIL pH	Acidic to Alkaline (4.5 - 8)
	FLOWERS	White, Pink, Red, Fuchsia, Blue, Purple
	FLOWERING SEASON	Mid-Spring to Mid-Summer
	SEASIDE PLANTING	No

 

 

VARIETIES OF FRENCH HYDRANGEA

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Altona'

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Altona' blooms profusely. It has blue or pink flowers. In neutral pH soils, the flowers acquire a pinkish-purple color with white centers. It is a variety suitable for planting in coastal areas.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Ami Pasquier'

'Ami Pasquier' has an extremely compact appearance. The color of its flowers varies from crimson-red in alkaline soils, purple in slightly acidic soils to blue in very acidic ones.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Ayesha'

The variety 'Ayesha' produces abundant and compact flower heads, 20 cm in diameter.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Blue Bonnet'

Spherical shrub with a height and diameter of 1.50 m. It has wonderful blue flower color in very acidic soils.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Generale Vicomtesse de Vibraye'

The variety 'Generale Vicomtesse de Vibraye' is among those Hydrangeas that produce the most beautiful pale pink or blue colored flowers. The flowers turn green in autumn, offering an excellent choice for dried flowers.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Lanarth White'

'Lanarth White' has flattened white flower heads. It is suitable for small gardens as well as for planting in pots.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Lemon Zest'

Hydrangea 'Lemon Zest' produces spherical inflorescences with pink flowers that have blue highlights. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its foliage has a lemon-yellow color.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Montgomery'

Hydrangea variety 'Montgomery' is a compact shrub with flowers that look beautiful regardless of soil pH. Their color ranges from rich ruby in alkaline soils to purple-magenta in acidic ones.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nigra'

'Nigra' has bright pink flowers and pale green leaves. It is one of the classic and oldest varieties of long-leaved hydrangea, as it was introduced to Europe from China in 1800 under the name H. macrophylla var. mandshurica.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Normalis'

'Normalis' has flattened flower heads, with small fertile florets in the center and large sterile ones at the periphery. Their color ranges from pink to blue, depending on the acidity of the soil.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Parzifal'

Impressive variety of Hydrangea, as 'Parzifal' has flowers, which are often borne on three different colored inflorescences at the same time. Colors range from rich pink to intense magenta and light blue. It is suitable for cut flowers and dried flowers.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Pia'

'Pia' belongs to the elegant, small-growing Hydrangeas, with a height and diameter of 90 cm. A particularly valuable characteristic of this variety is the stability of the pink to purple-red colour of its spherical flowers, irrespective of variations in soil pH.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Tricolor'

A distinctive ornamental variety, 'Tricolor' has variegated green leaves with cream stripes and sometimes yellow margins. It produces profuse pinkish-white flowers from July to October that turn pale purple when ripe and are borne on flattened-flat inflorescences. Fertile flowers (center) turn blue in acidic soils.

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