Nikko Blue Hydrangea

The stunning Nikko Blue Hydrangea is a shrub that grows its clusters in semi-shaded areas. The vibrant blue flowers bloom with handsome green foliage, usually on old wood. Sometimes, you will see these deciduous flowers bloom with a pink, purple, or white hue instead of blue.

Nikko Blue Hydrangea Care

While many people might consider the shrub to be a "showy" plant, that does not make it any less beautiful. It is fairly fast-growing and easy to maintain with its best bloom time in late spring or early summer. Plan to water regularly as a way to keep the soil moist (i.e., a couple of times a week). Good companion plants include Holly, Rose of Sharon, Azaleas, and Sweetspires. If left to its own devices, this native Japanese plant can reach four to six feet tall and wide in no time. It typically grows at a rate of approximately 24 inches per year.

Its Soil and Water Conditions

This kind of shrub likes moist soil that drains well. The most important thing to consider though is the soil's acidity or lack thereof, which ultimately plays a big role in determining bloom color. More acidic soil produces that vibrant blue color, but pink appears with more alkaline mixtures. You can raise acidity by adding sphagnum peat moss to the soil or nitrogen fertilizer. When fully grown, some hydrangeas can still grow in temperatures as frigid as 32 degrees Fahrenheit. That said, newer, younger plants need to be grown in temperatures no lower than 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. In general, these plants like mid to high humidity at any age, growing particularly well in summer. Too much of a dry climate, however, like what you might find in a desert, can make the plant wither and droop.

Details on Pruning The Shrub

Nikki blue hydrangeas require very little pruning. If you need to prune or cut your plant back, plan to do so before early fall and late summer to avoid cutting set buds or blooms. Cutting set buds could mean you don't grow flowers the following year. Dead branches, on the other hand, can be trimmed at any time.

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