Overview
Uses: Foundation plantings, mixed borders, outdoor containers, and cut flower gardens.
Benefits: A compact reblooming bigleaf hydrangea with rich blue mophead flowers in acidic soil and pink in alkaline soil. Blooms on old and new wood for a long season.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Mounding, Rounded — compact and full.
Bloom Color: Blue or Pink, depending on soil pH
Mature Height: 2–3 feet
Mature Width: 2–3 feet
Bloom Season: Early summer to fall
Growth Rate: Moderate
Summary
Deep blue mopheads on a plant small enough for a front-step pot.
Let’s Dance® Rhythmic Blue® packs full-size bigleaf hydrangea flowers onto a shrub that stays about two to three feet tall and wide. In acidic soil the rounded mophead blooms come in a rich, true blue; in neutral to alkaline soil they turn pink. Either way, they stand out against the dark green leaves.
It is a reblooming hydrangea, meaning it sets flower buds both on last year’s stems and on new growth. The first flush opens in early summer, and more blooms follow through the season into fall. If a cold winter damages the older stems, the plant still flowers on its new growth.
The compact, rounded habit suits foundation beds, the front of a mixed border, and containers on a porch or patio, and the stems cut well for summer bouquets.
Care
Let’s Dance® Rhythmic Blue® Bigleaf Hydrangea Care
Morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal. In northern gardens it can take more sun if kept well watered; in hot climates, shelter it from strong afternoon sun.
Bigleaf hydrangeas like rich, moist, well-drained soil. Soil pH sets the flower color: acidic soil gives blue flowers, and neutral to alkaline soil gives pink. To deepen the blue, work a soil acidifier into the soil around the plant; to shift toward pink, add garden lime. Changes take a season or more to show.
Keep the soil evenly moist, especially in the first year and during summer heat, since bigleaf hydrangeas wilt quickly when dry. A layer of mulch helps hold moisture.
Feed lightly with a slow release fertilizer in spring. Heavy feeding pushes leaves at the expense of flowers.
Pruning needs are minimal. In spring, wait until the leaves begin to emerge, then remove only dead stems and any that did not leaf out. Avoid cutting healthy stems back hard, since they carry the first flush of flower buds. Snip off spent blooms through summer to keep the plant tidy.
Growing in Containers
Its small size makes it a natural fit for a patio or porch container. Use a pot with drainage holes and a quality potting mix, and an acidic mix if you want the deepest blue. Container plants dry out faster than plants in the ground, so check moisture daily in hot weather, and feed lightly in spring, since frequent watering washes nutrients from the mix. Roots in containers experience greater cold exposure than roots in the ground. Plants hardy in the ground may require winter protection when grown in containers in colder zones.
Size
What Size is the Let’s Dance® Rhythmic Blue® Bigleaf Hydrangea for Sale Online?
Our Let’s Dance® Rhythmic Blue® Bigleaf Hydrangea ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants ship dormant or near dormant in the off-season, so they may arrive with few or no leaves. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Let’s Dance® Rhythmic Blue® Bigleaf Hydrangea Grow?
Expect about 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide at maturity, in a compact, rounded mound. Space plants about 2 to 3 feet apart for a low border or mass planting.
Additional Information
What is the botanical name of Let’s Dance® Rhythmic Blue® Bigleaf Hydrangea?
The botanical name is Hydrangea macrophylla Let’s Dance® Rhythmic Blue®. It is a Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrub from the Let’s Dance® series of reblooming hydrangeas.
What are some common names for this plant?
- Bigleaf hydrangea
- Mophead hydrangea
- French hydrangea
How do I keep the flowers blue?
Blue flowers need acidic soil. If your blooms are coming in pink or purple, apply a soil acidifier around the plant in spring and again later in the season, following the product directions. Plants growing next to a concrete foundation or walk often lean pink, because lime from the concrete raises the soil pH nearby. In containers, an acidic potting mix makes blue easy to keep.
Will it bloom after a hard winter?
Yes. In colder zones, winter can kill back the older stems that carry the early-summer buds. Because Rhythmic Blue® also flowers on new growth, it still blooms later that summer, even if the first flush is lost. For more reblooming and compact shrubs, see our Shrubs & Bushes.
