RE: factors effecting flower color & changing the color of Hydrangeas
- Subject: RE: factors effecting flower color & changing the color of Hydrangeas
- From: M* D*
- Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 08:39:23 -0700
- Importance: Normal
Claire and Marge,
Such an interesting topic! We have all been disappointed at one time of
another by the difference in what we actually have vs. the expectation of
what we THOUGHT we were getting! Another variable is the distinct
difference in the way we each see color. What looks "cerise" to me may look
"burgundy" to you. I am quite sure I see (and consequently describe) shades
of blue differently than many other people. Beauty (and color) is in the
eye of the beholder.
I attended an interesting summer program on flowering shrubs put on by the
Hardy Plant Society of Oregon last summer. One of the speakers, from a
large retail/mail order nursery, spoke on Hydrangeas. His contention was
that in our acidic soil, ALL Hydrangeas will turn either blue or purple
(except the whites which stay pure) over time no matter what one does to the
soil (tinkering with the pH, etc.). Since then, I have given up my attempts
to keep my H. 'Glowing Embers' (originally a nice bright hot pink) from
turning purple and instead decided that I LIKE purple Hydrangeas :).
It is easy to keep pink Hydrangeas pink in potting mix because the pH of the
mix is usually from 6.5 to 6.8. In fact, I have had blue Hydrangeas turn to
white the second year in pots and must put them back into our native soil to
get them back to blue. So, I have planted a dwarf pink Hydrangea in a large
terracotta pot and hope to keep it pink without a struggle.
My Dad was a machinist and brought iron filings home from work for Mom's
Hydrangea because they wanted it to be deep dark purple - and it was exactly
that. The color saturation was so strong that dried Hydrangea flowers cut
from their shrub 6 or 7 years ago are still deep purple. All the other
colors turned brown long ago.
Marilyn Dube'
Natural Designs Nursery
Portland, Oregon
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-perennials@mallorn.com [owner-perennials@mallorn.com] On
Behalf Of ECPep@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, May 05, 2001 1:05 PM
To: perennials@mallorn.com
Subject: Re: factors affecting flower color was: lilac color change
Plants varying in color due to soil pH or containing (or not containing)
various trace minerals is something I don't know much about. Given the same
conditions, a similar clone should be very like it's double. The soil
conditions, I should think, would be miniscule in effecting the plant. The
only plant that I have ever known to be color change susceptible is
hydrangea. Fiddling with soil to achieve a hydrangea color you desire is
more work than I would do when there are so many plants that need less help.
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