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Can you ID this hydrangea please?

5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago

Hi everyone, I'm just wondering if anyone can tell me the name of this hydrangea?

Thanks so much.




Comments (16)

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Looks like a macrophylla that is being grown in slightly acidic soil so the blooms are a little purple-ish. They are very hard to identify just based on the bloom as macrophylla blooms usually look too similar but their care is normally about the same as other macrophyllas. Getting the same shade of purple colors, however, will require having a plant with a similar DNA & soil with similar pH, phosphorus, etc. The DNA allows the plant to resist turning blue, which makes it easier to get purples. Purples occur in a narrow range of soil pH but require amending the soil precisely and often too... which can be a pain. The best variety recommendations would be macrophyllas with the word "purple" in the variety name (as long as they are winter hardy where you live)... or, of course, some common ones like Endless Summer Original, BloomStruck and Merritt's Supreme can be made to turn purple too. If you live far away, it may be easier to control/amend the soil pH & nutrients if the plant is potted. If you plant it where the soil is more alkaline or lacks aluminum, the blooms will turn a shade of pink.

  • 5 years ago

    Thanks again Luis for your help. I have 4 of these and am wondering if you can plant them in full sun. My soil is acidic. I'm in zone 8a in BC Canada.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Especially if you are near salt water = cooler and more humid full sun should be fine. Farther inland a lot will depend on how moisture retentive the planting site soil is. Also individual kinds apparently vary somewhat because at my previous place north of Seattle the two Bailey products sold using the aforementioned The Original as well as the Twist 'n' Shout trademarks both were prone to wilting. In the same soil where other macrophylla material did not do this.

  • 5 years ago

    Very interesting. I also have Annabelle not sure where to put that one either. I've been gardening now for a few years and I'm still a beginner. lol


  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I find arborescens hydrangeas like Annabelle, Invincibelle, etc. to be more sensitive to heat stess in the summer than regular macrophyllas so, I provide them with shade by 10am or so and liberal amounts of water when watering (water when the soil feels dry at a depth of 4"). And mulch, lots of mulch.

  • 5 years ago

    Luis, thanks so much for helping me. I'm feeling a little confused as to what I should do. I have those 4 purple hydrangeas that I started from cuttings. I showed you the pics. In addition to those, I have (3) Annabelle hydrangeas that I just bought.

    Now, I have a nice garden bed on the side of my front lawn where I use to have my rhododendrons. They did well there but I needed a change. I'm not sure which of these to plant there. You suggested that I wait until next year to plant the purple ones. If I do that, I won't have anything to plant there except for Annabelle. Have I confused you yet?


    Is there a small ornamental tree that loves the sun, that I could plant there to provide some shade? I was thinking of a couple of butterfly bushes. Would they provide some filtered shade? or maybe you have other ideas? I really don't want to go out and buy 3 more hydrangeas. My dh will kill me. LOL

    Thanks Louis.

  • 5 years ago

    Louis..by the way. The friend that I received the purple hydrangea clippings from had them in a sunny area. They weren't burnt or anything, that's why I took the clippings because I loved how they look. Whatever hydrangeas I don't plant there, I will put the other ones in large containers on my large shade/sun deck.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    You can plant them all if you consider winter protecting the macrophylla cuttings when they go dormant in the Fall. But the cuttings looked rather small for growing outside yet. As for trees, I would ask locally at a plant nursery what shade trees are in stock that do not have a shallow root system and that could be used to provide shade (describe or show pics of the spot) so they can give good ideas based on measurements you supply. It is hard to predict if the cuttings will perform fine in your location compared to your friend as your soil, sunlight and watering regime may differ from your friend's. But, you can simply try. I was once unsure where to grow some hydrangeas so I placed them, pot and all, in the location I was considering and grew them there for a whole year. I had to tweak the spot because they were not getting enough water once and then again when the summer sun was hitting them through mid afternoon (that is a no-go over here). Then I planted them in the Fall.

  • 5 years ago

    I've decided to give my Annabelles to a neighbor who has a better spot than I do. I'm going to shop around to see if I can find a dark purple paniculata that will like the sun, and doesn't flop (if there is such a thing) Thank you again Louis for helping me with this.

  • 5 years ago

    FYI, only macrophyllas produce purple-ish blooms, when the soil pH and nutrients are just right and the plant has the right DNA. Paniculatas tend to produce white (or creamy-ish white) blooms that turn shades of pink as they age. Or they produce blooms that start lime green and add shades of pink. Many paniculatas can get quite tall but nowadays, there are compact versions being introduced of those tall varieties (for example, Vanilla Strawberry has a compact version called Strawberry Sundae; Limelight has Little Lime, Quickfire has Little Quickfire, etc.). It would exciting to see paniculata blooms also in blue or purple though! Good luck!

  • 5 years ago

    Hi Luis, what about this one? It is called "Bloomstruck" - It doesn't mind the sun. https://plantaddicts.com/endless-summer-bloomstruck-hydrangea

  • 5 years ago

    It is a hydrangea macrophylla and prefers the same conditions as your cuttings: morning sun only until 10-11am or dappled sun.

  • 5 years ago

    Well, maybe I should just consider growing "Sunflowers" ? LOL

  • 5 years ago

    You can get away with growing Bloomstruck in full sun in the PNW.....and many other macs. But they will need frequent watering in summer until they become fully established. And likely will not look quite as robust and deep green as those in more shade.

  • 5 years ago

    Thanks garden_gal and Luis...

    I phoned my local nursery and they suggested Boho. It is a paniculata and will survive the sun here in BC, and it is only about 3' tall. It doesn't flop over. It's not purple but pure white.