Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bodensee'

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bodensee': Round with Fluffy Blue Blooms

Hydrangea macrophylla is a spherical plant with white, pink, or blue flower clusters—the classic hydrangea! You'll find it in almost every flower garden. The most well-known of its genus is the garden or bigleaf hydrangea. Our plant of the month is the 'Bodensee' variety. It's a summer-green shrub with a dense, uniformly growing ball of flowers that appears magnificently from June to September—and in blue! A thirsty diva just for looking at.

Our Plant of the Month is easy to care for. Even if it gets cold, it can withstand lower sub-zero temperatures without harm. This also aligns with its preference for shade. Its only desire: lots of low-lime water, preferably rainwater.

The botanical name hints at the hydrangea's thirst. Hydrangea combines the words "water" and "vessel." The comparatively large leaves (macrophylla) further explain its high water requirement.

At its location, the hydrangea behaves like a diva. It tolerates discreet companion plants, but it prefers to be among its own kind and also enjoys being a solo star.

Normally, hydrangeas have fertile inner flowers. These are surrounded by infertile, so-called show flowers, which attract pollinating insects. However, in many species, the flowerheads have been completely bred into pure show flowers. This makes hydrangeas look even more pompous, but they become completely infertile. As a visual consolation: Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bodensee' often reblooms in autumn.

"Sour Makes Blue" or How Pink Blooms Turn Blue Again
So, you're enjoying a blue to violet-blooming garden hydrangea, and the following season it shows up in shades of pink? It's all okay, no one secretly swapped your plant.

The coloring of hydrangeas depends on the soil composition. You could say: the more acidic, the bluer. The pH value and aluminum content are decisive, as aluminum makes the soil acidic.

If you want blue blooms, you can help them along by buying special fertilizers or adding aluminum salt (alum) to the watering can. But we'll tell you right now: not every variety can be turned blue, basically only pink ones. And it can sometimes take two years.

In summary, hydrangeas only glow violet, mauve, or blue if: the pigment delphinidin is present, the pH value is low (below 5.0), and the soil is acidic—and maybe only if they want to.