One of the best plants for summer flowers is the Hydrangea. This plant has about 23 species of shrubs, climbers and small trees, and is largely native to East Asia and both North and South America. In this post I’m going to be talking specifically about ‘the shrub Hydrangea with mop-headed flowers.’
You’re probably already familiar with the two different types of flowers, known as: mop-heads and lacecaps.
If you’re not familiar…
Mop-head flowers have large globe-like heads (see lead photo and photo below) and colors range from pink, red, blue, white or a combination of these colors. Mop-head hydrangeas do very well in protected coastal gardens, loving the moist air and fog. They also make excellent cut flowers. Lacecap flowers are produced on large, flattened corymbs of fertile flowers around which are decorated with a ring of colored ray-florets.
Blue mop head hydrangeas – San Francisco, CA
Five Popular Mop-head Hydrangeas
1. Hydrangea m. ‘Madame Emile Mouillere’
One of the best white cultivars and certainly one of the most popular. This classic Hydrangea has gorgeous mop-head blooms of pristine white that fades to a blush pink or green. This shrub blooms on old or new wood all summmer long, followed by wonderful orange-red fall leaf color.
Exposure: Part shade
Bloom: Summer
Size: 4 to 5 feet high x 4 to 5 feet wide.
Water: Regular
Pruning: To clean spent flowers or to thin out.
2. Hydrangea m Endless Summer
Just like the name says, this popular new cultivar offers more than a month or more of gorgeous blooms and keeps the flowers coming all summer long. Flower color varies. Pink in alkaline soils, blue in acidic. Flowers, which are giant blooms, make excellent cut flowers for fresh or dried arrangements. Yay!!
Bloom: Summer to fall.
Size: 3’h x 3’wide.
Soil: Amend with compost
Water: Regular
Pruning: In summer immediately after flowering.
3. Hydrangea m. ‘Pia’
Small and compact,’Pia’, is the perfect Hydrangea to fit into that tight garden spot! Also, this lovely shrub is an excellent performer…very reliable summer after summer if you treat it right. (no it’s not fussy!). I have been using this variety forever, and it never lets me down. Flowers are dense clusters of rich pink flower heads that start in summer and hold beautifully for months. Also great in containers.
Size: 18″ h X 20″ w.
Exposure: Shade in the afternoon. Morning sun is fine.
Water: Regular
Soil: Amend with compost and top-dress annually with compost if possible.
Pruning: In summer after flowering is a good rule of thumb, though I typically wait until fall or early winter with no issues.
4. Hydrangea m. ‘Glowing Embers’
This compact hydrangea has large round clusters of bright pink blossoms from mid-summer to fall. Beautiful shiny dark green leaves with glowing red blooms makes this little beauty a winner. Wonderful in containers.
Bloom: Summer to fall.
Size: 3’h x 3’wide.
Soil: Amend with compost
Water: Regular
Pruning: In summer, immediately after flowering.
5. Hydrangea m. ‘Nikko Blue’
This is an excellent shrub to use as a specimen, in the border or as an accent. Blooms are classic, with deep blue (ball shaped), and are gorgeous in the garden or in a vase! ‘Nikko Blue’ is a wonderful choice for mixed border and background planting as well as front and center as part of foundation planting. How about for a container? Yes! Just make sure that it’s in a big one. This Hydrangea is larger than some of the others mentioned here.
Bloom: Summer
Exposure: Afternoon shade.
Size: 5’h x 5’wide.
Soil: Amend with compost
Water: Regular
Pruning: Be sure to prune right after flowering for best results the following year.
Happy Gardening!
