Hydrangea Pics: hydrangea_quercifolia_snow_queen_lg

Hydrangea (/ha?'dre?nd?i?/;common names hydrangea or hortensia) is a genus of 70-75 kinds of flowering vegetation native to southern and eastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea, the Himalayas, and Indonesia) and the Americas. Certainly the greatest varieties diversity is in eastern Asia, notably China, Japan, and Korea. The majority are shrubs 1 to 3 meters large, but some are small trees and shrubs, as well as others lianas achieving up to 30 m (98 ft) by climbing up trees. They could be either evergreen or deciduous, although cultivated temperate species are all deciduous widely.Having been introduced to the Azores, H. macrophylla is very common now, on Faial particularly, which is recognized as the "blue island" because of the vast number of hydrangeas present on the island.Life cycleHydrangea plants are created from planting season to late fall months; they expand in flowerheads (corymbs or panicles) most often at the ends of the stems.

Typically the flowerheads contain two types of blossoms: small non-showy bouquets in the guts or interior of the flowerhead, and large, showy blooms with large brilliant sepals (tepals). These showy blossoms are expanded in a ring often, or to the surface of the small flowers. Vegetation in crazy populations have few to none of the showy blossoms typically, while cultivated hydrangeas have been bred and selected to have significantly more of the larger type blooms.There are two flower arrangements in hydrangeas with Corymb style inflorescens, which include the commonly grown "bigleaf hydrangea"--Hydrangea macrophylla. Mophead plants are large circular flowerheads resembling pom-poms or, as the name means, the mind of an mop. In contrast, lacecap flowers bear round, flat flowerheads with a center core of subdued, small flowers surrounded by outer rings of larger flowers having showy sepals or tepals.

The bouquets of some rhododendrons and viburnums can seem, initially, very much like those of some hydrangeas.Garden soil and colors acidityIn most species the blossoms are white, however in some varieties (notably H. macrophylla), can be blue, red, red, light crimson, or dark purple. In these kinds the color is damaged by the occurrence of lightweight aluminum ions which can be found or tangled up depending upon the dirt pH. For H. macrophylla and H. serrata cultivars, the flower color can be dependant on the relative acidity of the soil: an acidic soil (pH below 7), will supply aluminum ions and typically produce flowers that are blue to purple, whereas an alkaline soil (pH above 7) will tie up aluminum ions and bring about pink or red flowers.

This is caused by a color change of the flower pigments in the occurrence of aluminium ions that can be taken up into hyperaccumulating vegetation.[6] Reducing the pH of potting soils or mixes usually does not change the bloom color to blue, because these soils haven't any aluminum ions. The capability to blue or pink a hydrangea is influenced by the cultivar also. Some plants are selected for their ability to be blued, while others are bred and selected to be red, white or pink. The flower color of all other Hydrangea species is not afflicted by aluminum and can't be changed or shifted. Hydrangeas likewise have a nickname called 'Change Rose'.