Hydrangea macrophylla Early Blue

Hydrangea macrophylla Early Blue combines many qualities. This recent variety forms a regular and compact bush, and offers an early and abundant flowering, sometimes producing six ball-shaped inflorescences in a large pot, displaying a beautiful light blue to intense blue-violet colour in acidic soil, and pinker tones in neutral soil. Less demanding in terms of watering requirements, it develops a more extensive root system, and is therefore more tolerant to watering mistakes that are often made with potted flowers. After 4 to 6 weeks of exuberant flowering indoors, it can be transferred to the garden in late summer, in a shaded bed, in non-limestone soil.

Early Blue is a Dutch horticultural creation from 2006. This variety comes from H. macrophylla. All these very hardy plants belong to the Hydrangeaceae family, and are native to China and Japan. Early Blue has a compact and bushy habit, reaching about 1m (3ft) in all directions. Its branches are sturdy and the early flowering is abundant. From June to August it produces spherical inflorescences, 15cm (6in) in diameter. They are composed of single, sterile florets. In acidic soil, the flowers will have bluer shades; in neutral soil they will be slightly pinker. Their colour evolves towards a creamy-white or a pale-yellow tinted with green. The flowering spreads over plentiful, shiny, forest green, deciduous foliage. The leaves are opposite, reaching a minimum length of about 20cm (8in). They are simple, ovate to elliptical, ending with a tapered point, and coarsely toothed like a saw. Hydrangeas can live for at least 50 years.

Early Blue is a compact and remarkably floriferous plant, allowing for an earlier hydrangea season. You can enjoy them from late spring, both indoors and in the garden. Hydrangeas are well known for brightening the north side of houses. This variety will thrive in a non-scorching east or west exposure, in beds as well as in hedges. This modest-sized variety is particularly suitable for container cultivation, which can be placed on a terrace in a beautiful pot, or near an entrance. Although these plants dislike limestone, they are not strictly speaking ericaceous plants. Pair them with Magellan fuchsias or annual impatiens, or plant spring-flowering bulbs in front of their round silhouette. Enjoy their sumptuous flowering for a long time in the garden or indoors.

Note: The colour of the flowers of macrophylla hydrangeas varies depending on the soil pH. Traditionally blue varieties turn pink in neutral or alkaline soil. To maintain a beautiful blue colour, mix ericaceous soil with your garden soil and apply aluminium sulphate (slate contains it) or alum stone every spring.