Hydrangea macrophylla 'SEMPERFLORENS' bigleaf (mop-head) hydrangea

The new millennium brought a hydrangea sensation called Endless Summer®. This developed into a hydrangea series composed of a few varieties, each of a different colour. The plants have been a big success as they flower reliably on both old and new twigs, and are very hardy. The only trouble is their higher price caused probably by the license and massive advertising. And as with many other novelties I was eager to find out the forerunner of this plant. Now it seems I did. Its name is Semperflorens, it is many years old, never patented or heavily marketed. Still, it is available at a good price and offers the same qualities.

Semperflorens means ever-blooming which this hydrangea truly is. It blooms from late June until late September, and in warmer regions even longer. It is a classic mop-head type with mid-sized blooms of rich pink colour that may turn slightly violet or even sky blue in strictly acid soil. More interestingly, it is not uncommon that one plant combines all colour shades, even one inflorescence may show both pink and blue colour, depending on the soil pH. The leaves are deciduous, light green, softer and smaller than on new hybrid hydrangeas. It flowers reliably every year on any wood. The pictures here show plants grown in the south of the Czech Republic (zone 5b-6) for a couple of decades. Never a problem, always full of flowers all summer long.

The flower colour is determined by the soil pH so if you are after blue flowers you must have very acid soil. Otherwise it will be this beautiful pink which is most common. Hydrangeas like fertile, always moist but well-drained soil. Never let the soil dry out especially in the first year before it gets established. It will love part shade and shade or filtered sunlight. Good mulch is advisable at all times. Semperflorens hydrangea is fully hardy to min. -27°C, possibly a few degrees more (USDA zone 5).

Last update 02-04-2013