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 When we think of hydrangea flowers, we usually picture a luscious ball of hydrangea florets in various shades of purple, pink, blue and white. But did you know that hydrangeas can also appear in other forms? There are several types of hydrangea flowers and they don’t always come in that globular form which we are familiar with.
There are many species of the hydrangea plant. They are grown in different parts of the world - from China to the United States. To better appreciate them, I’ve listed them down here together with their distinguishing features:
Hydrangea Arborescens
- This specie, also known by its other names like Smooth Hydrangeas, Wild Hydrangea or Sevenbark, is one of the hardiest hydrangea species around. The most common sub type of this specie that is popularly planted is “Annabelle” which produces lovely white blooms. They have been reported to withstand severe winters and produce plentiful flowers year after year. Another distinguishing feature is the blooms are known to measure over 10” in diameter.
Hydrangea Anomala
- This is the specie of hydrangea that produces a woody climbing plant. It is native to Asia, in southern and central China, northern Myanmar and the Himalaya. The hydrangea flowers of this specie are flat corymbs measuring up to 15cm. in diameter.
Hydrangea Macrophylla
- French hydrangea, lacecap hydrangea, mophead hydrangea are just some of the names that refer to this specie of hydrangea flowers. This popular specie is planted in many parts of the world. When we think of hydrangeas, this is the type that we usually picture in our heads. It comes in many different colors - blue, purple and pink shades - and the color is determined mainly by the aluminum content of the soil.
Hydrangea Quercifolia
- This specie is also called Oakleaf hydrangea, so called because it is naturally found in forests, near streams, thriving under the shade of large tress like oak trees and American beech. This type of hydrangea is native to many parts of the United States. Unlike hydrangea macrophylla, the colors of the flowers in this specie is not affected by the pH of the soil.
Hydrangea Radiata
- This specie is native to the Souther Appalachians. It’s also called silverleaf or snowy hydrangea because of the distinctive appearance of the leaves of this hydrangea bush which features dark green foliage on top and silvery white underneath. The flowers produced by this specie are white corymbs that are more than 1cm in diameter.
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