Hydrangeas are like the spring’s pom pom, cheering on the season. Blooming from the spring to the fall, this flower is so beloved, it has a club of sorts in the United States! Did you know it even has its own holiday? Hydrangea Day is celebrated on January fifth, which, weirdly enough, is a time of year when the beautiful hydrangea is not even in bloom! That’s okay, though, because the hydrangea is super easy to dry and preserve, not to mention just as gorgeous!
If you’ve never given the hydrangea much thought, check out some of the countless hydrangea facts that show how much we love love LOVE this flower:
Fundamental Hydrangea Facts
- You can learn some hydrangea facts just by understanding their name. The prefix “hydro” means water, while the suffix “angeion” means vessel. So loosely, the name means water vessel, and that couldn’t be more accurate. These flowers love water! Hydrangea soil should be kept moist at all times.
- There are about one hundred species of hydrangea. The flowering shrub is native to Southern and Eastern Asia as well as North and South America. Hydrangeas are traditionally white, but also come in pink, blue, red, or purple.
Hydrangea Care
- The “Endless Summer” type of hydrangea don’t just bloom from the spring to the fall. One of the more interesting facts about hydrangeas is that this specific type has developed the ability to bloom after their normal season, as long as their blooms have been pruned off.
- Speaking of pruning: hydrangeas need to be pruned every year. If you fail to prune them, you may notice they will not bloom when the next hydrangea season comes around.
- A really important hydrangea fact to know if you plan on keeping these beauties around your house is that their leaves are fairly toxic. The leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides, which will release cyanide when ingested. Yikes! Keep little ones and pets away from them.
Anatomy of a Hydrangea
- You can change the hydrangea’s color with one simple thing: the soil the plant is growing in. The soil’s pH level will determine the color of the hydrangea bloom. A more acidic soil (pH zero to seven) will create a bluer bloom, while a more alkaline soil (pH seven to fourteen) will create pinker flowers.
- Hydrangeas come in three main shapes: the mop head, the lace cap, or panicle hydrangea. Mop head hydrangeas are the most popular pom pom shape we all know and love. Lace cap hydrangeas will grow in clusters of little blooms that are accented with larger blooms. Finally, the panicle hydrangea will grow in a cone shape.
Hydrangea Symbolism
- Hydrangeas are known to be symbolic of boastfulness because they produce many gorgeous flowers, but very few seeds to continue breeding with.
- There’s a whole wealth of fascinating facts about hydrangea color:
- Pink hydrangeas symbolize heartfelt emotion.
- Blue hydrangeas symbolize frigidity and apology.
- White hydrangeas symbolize boasting or bragging.
- Purple hydrangeas symbolize a desire to deeply understand someone.
- In Asia, giving a pink hydrangea is a symbolic way of telling that person that they are the beat of your heart. This is because pink hydrangeas’ color and shape make them look a bit like hearts.
- The hydrangea is usually gifted on the fourth wedding anniversary as a symbol of appreciation.
- In Victorian times, giving someone a hydrangea could mean one of two things: Thank you for understanding, or – because its blooms are considered showy – boastfulness and vanity. Talk about sending someone a mixed message!
- According to Japanese legend, a Japanese emperor once gifted a woman he loved with hydrangeas because he was neglecting her in favor of business affairs. Because of this story, hydrangeas are said to represent heartfelt emotions, gratitude, and understanding.
Are you looking to give a loved one a gift to tell them you are grateful for their understanding? Now that you’re armed with these cool hydrangea facts, look no further than a beautiful Bouq of hydrangeas!
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