Hydrangea macrophylla Black Steel Purple

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Black Steel Purple', also known as Hortensia, is part of a series of remarkable hybrids with shiny stems, fully coloured in an almost black purple. As its name suggests, 'Black Steel Purple' produces purple to violet flowers in acidic soil. It is a compact bush, with ebony-black stems and lush dark green foliage, which blooms generously in summer. Its beautiful dark branches will stand out in winter. It fits well in small gardens as well as on a terrace with a contemporary decor, to illuminate a shaded area, in moist, non-calcareous soil.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Black Steel Purple' is an amazing hydrangea with black and shiny wood. It is the result of cross-breeding between species such as H. macrophylla and H. aspera. All these hardy plants belong to the Hydrangeaceae family and are native to China and Japan.

'Black Steel Purple' has a compact and rounded, regular, elegant habit. At maturity, it reaches about 1m (3ft) in all directions, with fairly rapid growth. This variety blooms from June to September-October. Its sterile florets gather in medium-sized (10 to 12cm (4 to 5in)), rounded and dense inflorescences. The florets are born greenish yellow and gradually turn violet. In calcareous soil, the flowers will have a more pink to red colouration. The flowering extends over abundant, thick, glossy, very dark green foliage. The leaves are opposite, reaching a minimum length of about 10cm (4in). They are simple, ovate to elliptical, with a pointed tip, and are roughly toothed like a saw. The deciduous foliage turns burgundy red in autumn before falling. Hydrangeas can live for at least 50 years.

'Black Steel Purple' is a sculptural plant, with an elegant and assertive personality. It is a first-class ornamental shrub. Hydrangeas are well known for brightening the north side of houses. This one will thrive in a non-burning east or west exposure, in full sun or partial shade, in flower beds as well as in isolation. This variety is particularly suitable for container cultivation, which can be placed on a terrace in a beautiful pot, or near an entrance. Even though hydrangeas fear limestone, they are not strictly speaking acid-loving plants, and will thrive in all good non-calcareous garden soils. Pair them with magellanica fuchsias or annual impatiens, or plant spring-flowering bulbs and lilies in front of their round silhouette. Enjoy their sumptuous flowering in the garden or in the house for a long time.