Buy Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nikko Blue'

'Nikko Blue' is a classic Hydrangea with flowers ranging in colour from rich, sky blue through lavender to lavender pink, depending on the pH of the soil. Plants are 4-6 feet tall and wide and bloom on old wood. In acidic soils this is one of the most beautiful blues you can grow. In less acidic soils plants can produce a multi-colour display of blue, lavender and pink all on the same plant all at the same time.

Nikko Blue Hydrangea is one of the most widely known hydrangeas, it offers bouquets of blue clustered flowers from summer through fall. Flowers make beautiful dried arrangements. Nikko Blue Hydrangea blooms on old wood, therefore prune only when necessary. May not bloom if you are prone to late frosts. The color is impacted by soil pH.

Nikko Blue' Hydrangea produces bright blue flowers when grown in acidic soil in early to mid summer that almost completely cover the plant. Like other mophead Hydrangeas, the flower color can be easily changed by amending the soil it is grown in to be more or less acidic. Plants establish quickly and typically start flowering heavily in their second year with a few blooms in their first year. Plants are compact and grow to about five feet tall under normal conditions, although they can be kept shorter with mid summer pruning. Many people use this variety as a single specimen plant, but these also look great when planted as a long hedge.

The first Hydrangea macrophylla I learned as a plant science major, back in 1992, was Nikko Blue hydrangea. That's not the only reason it's a classic - you'll see old big ones thriving in gardens throughout the Deep South and on Cape Cod and the Islands. We mean what we say about seeing Big Ones. Nikko Blue isn't a small hydrangea for pots or squeezing in nooks and crannies. It's typically medium-sized at about 4-5' tall, probably because of occasional pruning. Keep in mind that it has the potential to grow to 6' tall when sited in a Happy Place (sheltered, well watered, some sun). I've seen a picture of a Nikko Blue slightly taller than a 6' tall person. It was impressive. So, when siting Nikko, think about the possibility of impressive size for a bigleaf hydrangea and either give it enough space or keep in mind that you may have to prune it a bit if it gets too big. Pruning is not as scary as it seems - we've written articles to help you understand pruning in the "Gardening Articles" section. Nikko Blue hydrangea is a tried-and-true blue/pink mophead (depending on soil pH), recommended for garden nostalgia and reliability in zones 7 through 9. When blue, it's the classic (there's that word again) Cape Cod blue color.

Blue mop head. Grows to 3-4' in ten years.

The finest steel blue color in your garden. A multitude of blue blooms on this strong growing hydrangea make Nikko Blue one of the best. It will be a fantastic show of color in your garden and your home. This early bloomer starts with flowers that are cream with blue margins then turning a gorgeous solid blue mass as the plant matures. The deep green foliage only adds to the picture. This is one of our best sellers for its all around dependability.

Blue-globe flowers in acid soil, pink in alkaline soil. Deciduous, Regular water. Zones 6-9

MOPHEAD. This variety leafs out in early spring to cover itself with large mophead clusters of blue flowers.

Large BLUE mophead flowers, vigorous plant.