Bigleaf Hydrangea

What does Bigleaf Hydrangea look like?

Bigleaf Hydrangea is a leafy shrub that can reach up to 3 meters tall and 2.5 meters wide. Its leaves are large, oval, and have serrated edges. The plant produces rounded or flat clusters of flowers, with colours ranging from blue and purple to pink and red. In wild plants, the flower heads are flat (lacecap), with small fertile flowers in the centre and a ring of larger, showy sterile flowers. Cultivated forms often have globe-shaped (mophead) clusters made up of mostly large, sterile flowers.

Where does Bigleaf Hydrangea come from?

This hydrangea is native and unique to coastal regions of Japan, from Honshu southward. It grows wild in these areas and was later introduced to gardens worldwide. The name 'macrophylla' refers to its large leaves. Over time, it has become naturalised in places like China, Korea, New Zealand, and parts of the Americas. Some forms in the wild were once considered varieties, but today Hydrangea macrophylla is treated as a single species.

When and how Bigleaf Hydrangea blooms

Flowering starts in early summer and can last into early winter. The plant prefers moist, well-drained soil and partial shade. Its flower colour depends on the soil's acidity: acidic soils produce blue flowers, while alkaline soils result in pink or red blooms. Gardeners often select from hundreds of cultivars, mainly in two groups: mophead, with globe-shaped flower heads, and lacecap, with flat flower heads surrounded by showy sterile flowers.

How Bigleaf Hydrangea is used

Bigleaf Hydrangea is mainly grown as an ornamental shrub in gardens and as a cut flower. In Japan, a traditional sweet tea called amacha is made from the fermented leaves of a variety of this plant. The leaves are also processed for use in herbal medicine. However, parts of the plant are toxic if ingested. The shrub is valued for its long season of colourful blooms and is sometimes chosen for fire-safe landscaping.

Kinds of Bigleaf Hydrangea

There are over 500 cultivars of Bigleaf Hydrangea, mainly divided into mophead and lacecap types. Mophead hydrangeas have large, rounded flower heads of mostly sterile flowers, while lacecap types keep the wild form with a flat cluster of small fertile flowers surrounded by larger sterile ones. Some cultivars are hybrids with Hydrangea serrata, bred for cold tolerance or more intense colours.

What Bigleaf Hydrangea means

Bigleaf Hydrangea is a popular garden plant in many countries and is especially associated with Japanese gardens. Its ability to change flower colour with soil pH has made it a subject of gardening interest. The plant is used in Japanese tea ceremonies (amacha) and has been awarded by horticultural societies for its ornamental value. Some regions consider it invasive, so it is managed carefully outside its native range.

Where Bigleaf Hydrangea is used and seen

Da LatVietnam’s highland city famous for flowers, cool climate, and French villasPowell GardensA 970-acre botanical garden near Kansas City, MissouriKanzashiTraditional Japanese hair ornaments, often crafted as folded silk flowersCut flowersFresh flowers and buds trimmed for decoration and displayFlower gardenA garden space planted and arranged for flowering plants and seasonal bloomsWojsławice ArboretumA vast botanical garden in southwest Poland with major rhododendron and daylily collectionsBuddha's BirthdayA festival marking the birth of Gautama Buddha, celebrated across Asia in springExbury GardensA woodland garden in Hampshire with famous collections of flowering shrubs

Traditions that use it

Where to see Bigleaf Hydrangea

🇯🇵 Kyoto · Mar to AprPhilosopher's Path in cherry seasonA canal-side walk of about two kilometres in eastern Kyoto, lined with cherry trees. 🇯🇵 Kamakura · JuneHydrangea temples of KamakuraIn the rainy season, temple paths in Kamakura are lined with blue and violet hydrangeas. 🇹🇼 Taipei · Feb to MayYangmingshan flower season and the calla lilies of ZhuzihuCherry and azalea on the mountain above Taipei, then white calla lilies in a farmed valley. 🇻🇳 Da Lat · Jan to DecDa Lat, city of flowersA cool highland town that grows much of Vietnam's cut flowers and holds a flower festival. 🇮🇩 Ubud · All yearMake canang sari in BaliLearn to weave the small palm-leaf and flower offerings that Balinese Hindus lay out every day. 🇵🇹 Ponta Delgada · Jun to AugHydrangea hedges of the AzoresCountry roads on São Miguel and Faial lined for miles with blue hydrangea hedges in the Atlantic summer.

Questions people ask about Bigleaf Hydrangea

Good reading and sources

• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
• Plants of the World OnlineRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Plant database
• Where it has been recordedGBIF, Plant database
• Sightings and photos by naturalistsiNaturalist, Plant database

• Hydrangea macrophylla on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data