Hydrangea macrophylla Fireworks Blue

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Fireworks Blue' is the blue form of the 'Fireworks White' Hydrangea. It has the same characteristics, but the blue shades of its large inflorescences require an acidic soil rich in alumina to reveal themselves. It is an exceptional variety, equally at home in the ground or in a large pot, and also well suited to indoor cultivation. Its large flat inflorescences are composed of double stars surrounding a wide heart where tiny fertile florets crowd together. This variety blooms late in the season and can tolerate some sunlight.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Fireworks Blue' is a recent hybrid resulting from the cross-breeding of H. macrophylla and H. serrata, among others. All of these hardy plants belong to the Hydrangeaceae family, originating from China and Japan.

'Fireworks Blue', also marketed under the name 'Jogasaki', is part of a series of 'Lace-cap' cultivars selected for their flat cyme inflorescences. This bush has a rounded habit, as wide as it is tall, reaching 1 to 1.2m (3 to 4ft) in all directions. It blooms from July to October, producing a few more flowers in autumn if the weather remains mild. Its small fertile and sterile flowers, with striking dimorphism, form airy inflorescences measuring 25 to 30cm (10 to 12in) in diameter. They are finely arranged. The few sterile florets, in the form of double stars, are located on the periphery. They are carried by long pedicels that give them the appearance of shooting stars. Their colour will be bright blue or violet depending on the soil. In the centre, tiny fertile florets also gather, which are blue in acidic soil and pink in neutral soil. The flowering contrasts wonderfully with its dark green, shiny, deciduous foliage. The leaves reach a minimum length of about 15cm (6in). They are single, ovate to elliptical, ending in a pointed tip, and coarsely toothed like a saw. Hydrangeas can live for at least 50 years.

'Fireworks Blue' is an elegant plant with an airy flowering, superb in the garden but also suited to indoor cultivation, a rare quality among hydrangeas of this type. Perfect for brightening up the north side of the house, it will also thrive in a non-burning east or west exposure, in flower beds as well as hedges. This variety will also flourish in a container, which can be placed on a terrace or near an entrance, choosing a beautiful pot. Although these plants dislike limestone, hydrangeas are not strictly speaking acid-loving plants. Pair them with Magellan fuchsias or annual impatiens, or plant spring-flowering bulbs in front of their round silhouette. Enjoy their magnificent flowering in the garden or in the house for a long time.