Species bigleaf hydrangea
Bigleaf Hydrangea macrophylla 'SMNHMP' LET'S DANCE BIG BAND - Pink mophead flower clusters against lush green foliage

bigleaf hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Amethyst'

Bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Amethyst') is a gorgeous shrub, with lush mophead-shaped flowers in shades of purplish-pink. Growing up to five feet tall, this hardy plant will brighten your yard with its striking display of flowers from mid-summer all the way through autumn. It enjoys part shade and grows best in rich, well-drained soil with good air circulation. Not only is this plant beautiful, but it is also both deer and drought resistant, making it low maintenance and long-lasting. An excellent addition to any garden, bigleaf hydrangea’s stunning blossoms will be sure to turn some heads!

Cycle:

Perennial

Watering:

Average

Propagation:

Seed Propagation,Greenwood Cuttings,Hardwood Cuttings,Stem Propagation,Cutting

Hardiness Zone:

6 - 9

Flowers:

Pink to blue Flowers In Summer

Sun:

Deep shade, Filtered shade, Part sun/part shade

Soil:

Acidic, Alkaline, Well-drained

Fruits:

purple Fruits Ready In

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green

Growth Rate:

High

Maintenance:

Moderate

watering

The bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Amethyst') should be watered every 2 to 3 days during its growing season. Make sure to provide deep, thorough waterings that saturate the soil to a depth of 8 inches. Watering slowly at the base of the plant is best. Avoid overhead watering, as this can cause disease and create a moisture-rich environment for fungus to thrive. During the winter, the plant should be watered less frequently—once every 2 to 4 weeks—or whenever the soil has had a chance to dry out.

sunlight

Bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Amethyst') requires 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day to perform best. It can tolerate some morning or late afternoon sun in more shaded locations, but needs some direct sunlight to bloom properly and produce vibrant flowers. Too little sunlight will result in faded blooms. It should be planted in an area that receives some shade in the summer months when temperatures are warm, to help prevent the leaves and blooms from drying out.

pruning

Bigleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Amethyst') should be pruned annually in late winter or early spring for the best results. Prune by removing or shortening old stems that have flowered in the current and previous seasons. This will encourage new shoots and flower buds to form. Prune off any dead or diseased wood. If overgrown, prune back 1-third to 1-half of the stems to reduce the size. Also, re-build older, misshapen plants. Finally, do not prune newly planted hydrangeas for the first few years.

Season

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Starts Flowering

Bigleaf hydrangeas typically start flowering in late spring, usually in May or June.

Starts Flowering

Bigleaf hydrangeas typically start flowering in late spring, usually in May or June.

Harvest Fruit

The best time to start harvesting the fruits from Hydrangea macrophylla 'Amethyst' is in July and August.

Hardiness Map