Hydrangeas are the perfect plant to have all-around your house. Each color is beautiful and unique. However, there may be a way you can change the color of your hydrangeas!
Facts About Hydrangeas
Certain hydrangeas actually will naturally change color on their own. These species are called H. Macrophylla or H. Serrata.
Most people actually think that the color of the hydrangeas depends on the pH of the soil. However, that is not actually true.
Michael Dirr, the author of Hydrangeas for American Gardens, shares that it is more associated with the aluminum that is available in the soil rather than the pH of the soil.
To find the aluminum for the soil, you will need to look at the pH of the soil as well as the phosphorus in the soil.
If the pH of the soil is lower, then the aluminum can be absorbed easily into the plant. With more aluminum, you typically see blue flowers.
If the pH is higher, your flower does not get as much aluminum in them, thus, you will see pink flowers.
Other colors including cream and green happen when the flower is first blooming and will change over time as well.
How to Change the Color
So, now that we know this, it is pretty easy to change the color of your hydrangeas. You simply need to adjust your soil!
– Soil pH 5.0 to 5.5 = Blue
– Soil pH 6.0 to 6.5 = Pink/purple
– Soil pH 5.5 to 6.5 = Purple, or both blue & pink
To change your soil, you need to plan in advance to change the color. It works best when you alter the soil late fall or early spring.
There are other ways to change the color of your hydrangeas. Some have found success when using coffee grounds to change their flowers to blue. If you want to change your flowers to be pink, you can also try using eggshells.
Whether you want blue flowers or pink, you can change the color of your hydrangeas for your flower garden without too much work. What color do you prefer?
Leave a Review!
We LOVE hearing from you! Submit your question or comment here.
Your email address will not be published.
6 comments on “How to Change the Color of Your Hydrangeas”
the ones that don’t bloom probably need to be Fed. Try milorganite. completely natural and won’t burn your plants.
My bushes are large and BEAUTIFUL green foliage and not one bloom 3 plants
I have 3 beautiful large plants and they don’t bloom. What do I need to do to get them to bloom?
I have the same problem with one of mine. It was given to me as a blue one and I planted it. The following couple of years I had blue blooms. The third year and thereafter I have had absolutely no blooms. Lots of healthy looking leaves but no blooms. What did I do wrong?
Trimmed too low. One year mine didn’t bloom. I learned the gardeners trimmed off the following year flowers. At least that might be one possibility.
Hydrangeas given as gifts are typically a variety that does not rebloom.  Throw it out and go to a garden store and buy a paniculata.  It’s pricey but a beautiful variety that will rebloom for years.