Bring Elegance to Your Garden with the Variegated Hydrangea Macrophylla The Variegated Hydrangea Macrophylla, also known as a Hydrangea Variegated Lacecap, has soft hues that add an elegant and sophisticated touch to your garden. The flowers are pinkish-white and bloom in early summer. The lacecap flowers are characterized by larger white flower blooms that surround a smaller, tight nit cluster of pink flowers. The foliage is a light or medium green with white edges. Sometimes the variegated leaves will take on unique patterns, resulting in more than the edges of the leaves being white. This is a fun plant to keep around because you won’t know what you’ll end up with! Another playful aspect of this plant is that Hydrangea Macrophylla flowers can change color based on your soil’s acidity or alkalinity—the pH balance—. Alkaline soils make Hydrangeas pink and acidic soils will make them blue. Since the Variegated Lacecap Hydrangea is predominantly white, the pink or blue tones will most likely be understated. Variegated Hydrangea Macrophylla works well as an accent plant or for borders. You can also use it as a focal point since it can grow pretty large. It also grows well in containers or around house foundations. Variegated Hydrangea Macrophylla Care The Variegated Hydrangea is ideal in hardiness zones 6-9. In colder zones, you may be able to grow this as an annual or bring it inside during the winter. It will need protection from extreme heat in the summer, so it’s ideal for shaded areas in hot climates. This Hydrangea grows quickly and can reach up to 6 feet tall and wide. You can prune it well to keep it small if you have it growing in a container or don’t want it to take up much room in your garden. The Hydrangea Macrophylla Variegated like the partial sun. The more sun it has, the more water it will require since it likes cool temperatures and soil. The full shade will result in leggy growth and less vibrant color, so try to give it morning sun and afternoon shade for the best results. If the soil stays moist, you’ll have happy Macrophylla Hydrangeas. It doesn’t like soggy soil or standing water, so be sure water can drain away quickly. In hot climates or sunny areas, expect to water more often since the plant will soak up water quicker or the sun will evaporate water from the soil. Hydrangeas are tolerant of most soil types as long as it drains well and doesn’t hold too much water. Nutrient-rich soil is best, so providing a layer of compost or all-purpose fertilizer each spring may be required for the best results. Alkaline soil is recommended for pinkish-white blooms. Acidic soil will give the flowers blue hues, and neutral soil will look more purple. This kind of Hydrangea is predominantly white, so you may not see vivid color changes as you would with other varieties of Hydrangeas. You can apply generous layers of mulch in summer and winter to protect the plant from harsh weather. Hydrangea Macrophylla Pruning Requirements Pruning isn’t required, but you can remove spent flowers after they bloom to encourage new growth. You can also prune the plant in early spring before new growth appears if you want it to maintain a certain size. Flowers appear on old wood, so be sure you don’t remove all of last year’s branches, or you might not see any blooms this year. Buy Variegated Hydrangea Macrophylla for sale today! Be sure to check out our Hydrangea Grow Guide and Why is my Hydrangea Wilting.
