Learn the best Purple Hydrangea Growing Tips and how to make hydrangea purple with this comprehensive guide for vibrant blooms.
If you love the vibrant purple hue and want to add it to your plant collection, then read Purple Hydrangea Growing Tips along with the Secrets to Make Hydrangea Purple in this guide.
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What is Purple Hydrangea?
Purple hydrangea plants are a popular type of hydrangea that have beautiful shades of purple in their flowers. The color of these flowers is determined by special pigments called anthocyanins, which create colors ranging from blue to purple.
The color of hydrangea flowers, including purple ones, depends on the soil’s pH level. When the soil is acidic (pH below 7), hydrangeas take in aluminum from the soil. This aluminum reacts with the anthocyanin pigments, leading to the creation of blue or purple colors in the blooms.
On the other hand, when the soil is alkaline (pH above 7), there is less available aluminum. This results in lower amounts of anthocyanins, which may cause the flowers to appear pink or red instead of purple.
If you want to make hydrangea purple, you can change the soil’s pH using special agents that make it more acidic. But it’s important to know that not all types of hydrangeas can be easily changed to produce purple flowers. This is because each hydrangea variety has its own genes and sensitivity to the soil’s pH.
Tip: For doing this, it’s best to check with local gardening experts or resources for specific guidance on how to adjust the soil pH to get purple hydrangeas. They can give you the right advice and tips to help your hydrangeas turn the color you desire.
Best Purple Hydrangea Varieties
Purple hydrangeas are a type of hydrangea plant that naturally has flowers in shades of purple. These hydrangeas have been specially grown or created to show this particular color. Some of the most popular varieties known for their beautiful purple flowers include: [list the specific varieties here].
- Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Forever and Ever – Peppermint’: This kind of hydrangea has special flowers that are two colors. The flowers change from purple at the edges to white in the center. This creates a stunning and eye-catching look, with purple edges surrounding the white centers.
- Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Amethyst’: The ‘Amethyst’ hydrangeas have bunches of very deep purple flowers. They are famous for their intense color and grow in a compact way, which is perfect for smaller gardens or pots.
- Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Pia’: ‘Pia’ is a small type of hydrangea that has beautiful, bright purple flowers. It stays compact and only grows to about 2 feet tall, which makes it great for small areas or pots in gardens.
- Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer – The Original’: This kind of hydrangea produces big, rounded flowers that look like mop heads. The flowers can come in different colors, from deep purple to light lavender, depending on the type of soil and other things in the environment. This hydrangea can bloom multiple times during the growing season, producing flowers again and again.
- Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Nikko Blue’: This type of hydrangea is a classic one with big, round clusters of flowers. These flowers usually begin as pink or purple and change to a deep blue or purple color as they grow. The flowers are famous for their strong and bright color.
How to Grow Purple Hydrangea
Selecting the Right Variety
First, pick a type of hydrangea that is famous for having purple flowers. There are a few popular ones to choose from, such as ‘Nikko Blue,’ ‘Endless Summer,’ ‘Twist-n-Shout,’ and ‘Let’s Dance Rhythmic Blue.’ Before you decide, do some research on the specific variety you like to make sure it can grow well in your climate and suits your growing conditions.
Location
Bigleaf hydrangeas prefer to be in a place with partial shade to avoid getting damaged by direct sunlight, especially in hot climates where it can get very hot. It’s a good idea to give them about 4-6 hours of sunlight that is not direct each day. If you can, plant them close to trees that provide some shade for most of the day but still let some sunlight reach the plants. This way, they will be happy and healthy.
Soil
Purple hydrangeas grow best in soil that is rich and drains well. To make the soil better, add organic things like compost or well-rotted manure. This will help with drainage and make the soil more fertile. For the hydrangeas to grow well, the soil should be a bit acidic, with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. If needed, you can add more organic matter or special things that make the soil more acidic.
Propagation
Make a hole for your purple hydrangea plant that is twice as wide and deep as the root ball. Take the plant from its container carefully and put it in the hole. Make sure the top of the root ball is even with or a little bit above the surface of the soil.
Watering
Purple Hydrangeas need to be watered regularly, especially when it’s hot and dry outside. Keep the soil moist all the time, but don’t let it become too waterlogged. To help the soil stay moist and keep the temperature steady, you can put mulch around the bottom of the plants. This will keep them happy and healthy.
Fertilization
To help hydrangeas grow strong and have beautiful purple flowers, you should fertilize them once a month while they are growing. Use an all-purpose fertilizer that contains some phosphorus (the middle number on the label). But be careful not to use too much fertilizer, as it can cause problems like weak stems, unbalanced minerals, and fewer flowers.
Pruning
Prune in late winter or early spring based on the specific pruning requirements of your hydrangea variety. Avoid improper pruning that could result in the loss of flower buds.
Protection From Climatic Changes
Protect plants from extreme weather conditions such as heat, wind, or frost.
Pests and Diseases
Purple hydrangeas usually don’t have many problems with pests or diseases. But sometimes, you might see issues like aphids, powdery mildew, or leaf spot. If you notice these problems, it’s essential to take care of them. You can use organic or chemical treatments recommended by a gardening expert in your area to fix the issues and keep your hydrangeas healthy.
pH Management
If you want to keep or make your hydrangeas more purple, you must take care of the soil pH. When the soil is acidic (pH below 7), it helps the flowers turn blue or purple. But if the soil is alkaline (pH above 7), the flowers may become pink. To change the soil pH, you can use things like aluminum sulfate to make it more acidic or lime to make it more alkaline. This way, you can control the color of your hydrangea flowers.
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How to Make Your Hydrangea Purple
It’s not as hard as you might think to make hydrangeas turn purple. You can do it by changing the soil pH, using the correct fertilizer, and taking good care of your plants. By doing these things, you can easily change the color of your hydrangea flowers from pink to a beautiful purple shade.
What types of hydrangea will turn purple?
The most common hydrangea type that can turn purple is called the bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla). It includes kinds with big, round flower clusters (mophead) and those with flat clusters of flowers (lacecap). Some mountain hydrangeas (Hydrangea serrata) can also turn purple in slightly acidic soils.
Effect of Soil pH on Hydrangea Flower Color
- Soil pH: The color of your hydrangea flowers can change based on the soil’s pH. Soil pH shows how acidic or alkaline (basic) the soil is. The scale goes from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Lower numbers mean more acidity, while higher numbers mean more alkalinity. Plants prefer different pH levels for their best growth and blooming. For purple hydrangeas, a pH level of about 5.0 to 6.0 is good for encouraging purple flowers.
- Aluminum in the Soil: The color of hydrangea flowers is determined by the amount of aluminum in the soil. The availability of aluminum depends on whether there are aluminum ions in the soil and if the soil’s chemical conditions allow the plant to absorb the aluminum.
Note: If your soil has a high pH (alkaline), there will be less available aluminum for hydrangeas to absorb. As a result, the flowers are more likely to turn pink-purple instead of blue. Even if there is enough aluminum in the soil, the plant will struggle to absorb it when the pH is high.
Turn Blue Hydrangea Purple with this Trick
If you have blue hydrangeas and want them to become purple, you can add garden lime (limestone) to make the soil less acidic. If you have pink hydrangeas and want them to turn purple, you can add aluminum sulfate to make the soil slightly more acidic.
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Points to Consider
- Remember that making big changes to the soil’s pH can stress plants, so it’s better to do it slowly. Before you start, check the soil’s pH and keep testing it during the process. You can use a soil pH testing kit, which you can find at garden centers or online. This way, you can ensure you are doing it right and not harming your plants.
- Keep in mind that the color of hydrangeas won’t change quickly. It might take weeks or even months before you see the color change. Also, not all hydrangeas can change color like this. For instance, white hydrangeas cannot change their color using this method.
- In acidic soil (with a low pH), aluminum ions are released, and plant roots can easily absorb them. This makes hydrangeas produce bluer flowers instead of pink ones. However, achieving a blue-purple color can be hard even in acidic soil if there is too much available phosphorus, as it reacts and somewhat stops aluminum from being absorbed.
- On the other hand, if your soil is alkaline (with a high pH), there will be less aluminum available for absorption. So, your hydrangeas are likely to turn out pink-purple instead. Even if there is enough aluminum in the soil, the plant will have difficulty absorbing it in alkaline soil.
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FAQs
Q.1. How can I adjust the soil pH to make my hydrangea flowers turn purple?
To make hydrangeas turn purple, you can add garden lime (limestone) to make the soil less acidic for blue hydrangeas or add aluminum sulfate to make the soil slightly more acidic for pink hydrangeas.
Q. 2. Will coffee grounds turn hydrangeas purple?
Using coffee grounds cannot make hydrangeas turn purple. Even though coffee grounds can be helpful for some plants when composted, they are not acidic enough to change the color of hydrangeas.
Q.3. How do you dye hydrangeas purple?
To make hydrangeas purple, you can use a special solution. Mix 1 teaspoon of white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of sugar in 1 quart of warm water. Then, add a few drops of blue or violet food coloring to the mixture. Cut your hydrangeas and put them in a vase, then pour the solution over them. Leave them in the solution for at least 24 hours before displaying them. The longer they stay in the solution, the brighter their color will become.