Lush hydrangea heads are among the most recognisable flowers in gardens and bouquets. We have gathered photos of hydrangeas from bouquets UFL florists made for our customers and added a practical guide: the main types of hydrangea, why they change colour, how to make cut hydrangeas last in a vase, how to dry them and what they symbolise. Learn more in hydrangea vase care and revival.
Flowers delivered across Kyiv: potted plants and flower baskets.
Hydrangea is a genus of shrubs, small trees and climbers with about 75 species. Most come from East Asia — Japan, China and Korea — and from North and South America. The scientific name comes from the Greek hydor, "water", and angeion, "vessel": the seed capsules look like tiny jugs. It suits the plant's nature too — hydrangeas love water.
What we call hydrangea flowers are mostly large sterile florets with showy sepals. The small fertile flowers hide in the centre of the head and are visible in "lacecap" varieties, where the sterile florets form a ring around the edge.
The colour of bigleaf hydrangeas depends on whether the plant can take up aluminium from the soil. In acidic soil (pH below about 5.5) aluminium is available and the flowers turn blue or lilac. In neutral or alkaline soil (pH above 6) aluminium is locked up and the flowers stay pink. White varieties don't change colour.
Gardeners control the colour deliberately: for blue flowers they acidify the soil and add aluminium sulphate; for pink they add lime and avoid acidic feeds. It's best to change colour gradually over a season. Read more about feeding plants in our article on natural fertilisers. How to change the colour yourself: how to change hydrangea colour.
Hydrangeas drink a lot and quickly droop if the stem dries out. These rules will keep a bouquet looking good for 7–10 days:
If a hydrangea wilts, you can often revive it: recut the stem and fully submerge the head and stem in cool water for 30–60 minutes, then return it to a vase with fresh water.
Mature late-summer and autumn heads, whose petals have become slightly firm and papery, dry best. The easiest method is "drying in water": stand the stems in a vase with a little water (5–7 cm) and don't top it up. Over 1–2 weeks the water evaporates and the heads dry gradually, keeping their shape and a muted vintage colour. You can also hang them upside down somewhere dry and dark.
The meaning of hydrangeas varies by culture. In Japan they are associated with heartfelt emotion, gratitude and apology, and the summer rainy season is inseparable from hydrangeas blooming by temples. In the Victorian language of flowers their meaning was ambiguous — from heartlessness to boastfulness — so old flower dictionaries didn't recommend them for declarations of love. Today hydrangeas are given as a symbol of gratitude, abundance and sincere feelings, and in American tradition they are the flower of the fourth wedding anniversary. Learn more about plant symbolism in our article on the language of flowers.
A few more photos of hydrangeas we've arranged for customers. They pair easily with roses, lisianthus, eucalyptus and seasonal greenery — find more ideas in our gallery of beautiful flower bouquets.
Panicle hydrangeas are the most popular in Ukrainian gardens. Vanille Fraise opens with creamy white cones that gradually turn strawberry pink; Limelight blooms lime green and blushes pink in autumn; Phantom has huge cream flower heads; Polar Bear is snow white; Bobo is a compact shrub up to a metre tall that suits containers; Diamond Rouge is one of the darkest red varieties.
Among smooth hydrangeas the best known is Annabelle, with white balls up to 25 cm across, plus its sturdier version Incrediball and the pink Bella Anna. Among bigleaf hydrangeas, look at the Endless Summer series: it blooms on both old and new wood, so it flowers even after a harsh winter. How to plant, prune and protect it in winter is explained in bigleaf hydrangea. Everything about the most popular type is in panicle hydrangea. Annabelle and other white mopheads are covered in smooth hydrangea.
Plant hydrangeas in spring after the frosts or in early autumn. Panicle and smooth hydrangeas tolerate sun, while bigleaf ones prefer light partial shade. All types like moist, loose, slightly acidic soil and a mulch of pine needles or bark to keep in moisture.
Pruning depends on the type. Panicle and smooth hydrangeas are cut back fairly hard in early spring because they bloom on new wood. Bigleaf hydrangeas are not cut back, as their flower buds form on last year’s stems, so in spring you only remove dry flower heads and frost-damaged twigs. Bigleaf hydrangeas are bent down and covered for winter; panicle hydrangeas overwinter uncovered. To grow a new bush, see our guide to propagating hydrangeas from cuttings. Step-by-step cover instructions by species are in preparing hydrangeas for winter.
In spring, flowering bigleaf hydrangeas in pots appear in shops — a lovely gift for Women’s Day or Mother’s Day. Keep the plant in bright indirect light at 18–20 °C and never let the soil dry out; water with soft, settled water.
After flowering you can plant the hydrangea in the garden or keep it indoors: in autumn cut it back by a third and move it to a cool room (5–8 °C) for winter dormancy, then bring it back into the warmth in February. Step-by-step care and winter rest are in potted hydrangea care.
A single hydrangea head adds volume to a bouquet, which is why florists love it: it pairs beautifully with roses, peony-style roses, lisianthus, eucalyptus and dried flowers. Blue hydrangea with white roses is a fresh wedding classic, while pink hydrangea with cream roses makes a tender bouquet for Mum.
Read also: types of flowers, the guide to roses, peonies: types and care.
With proper care, 7–10 days, sometimes longer.
Usually from lack of water: the stem has dried out or the air is too warm. A fresh cut and submerging the head in water for 30–60 minutes help.
For bigleaf hydrangeas, acidify the soil to below pH 5.5 and add aluminium sulphate. White varieties don't change colour.
In Ukrainian gardens from June to September, depending on the type. Cut hydrangeas are available from florists almost all year round.
Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
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