Blue HydrangeaHydrangea macrophylla ‘Nikko’

Noted for its giant, long-lasting, summer-blooming blue flowers ranging from 4–8 inches across.

Hardiness Zones

The blue hydrangea can be expected to grow in Hardiness Zones 6–9. View Map

The blue hydrangea grows to a height of 3–6' and a spread of 3–6' at maturity.

This shrub grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24" per year.

Full sun and partial shade are best for this shrub, meaning it prefers a minimum of 4 hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.

The blue hydrangea grows in acidic, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, silty loam and well-drained soils.

This shrub:

Produces giant, long-lasting blue mophead blooms measuring 4–8" in diameter. It will typically flower July through August.
Features large, medium to dark green leaves--4–8" long--with coarsely serrated margins.
Grows in a rounded shape.
May bloom more than once a season.
Should be pruned after flowering because buds form on the previous season's growth.
May produce blooms with a pink hue in more alkaline soils.

There is an overabundance of Hydrangea macrophylla cultivars, and many of them have been renamed because the original names were lost over time.