繡球花 Hydrangea

繡球花花語：希望（Hope）

隨土壤酸鹼度變色的花

繡球花種植土壤以疏鬆、肥沃和排水良好的砂質壤土為好。但花色受土壤酸鹼度影響，酸性土花呈藍色，鹼性土花為紅色。

The colors of some hydrangeas—especially mophead and lacecap—can change color based on the soil pH, which affects relative availability of aluminum ions. Acidic soils with a pH of less than 5.5 produce blue flowers; soils with a pH greater than 5.5 product pink flowers. White flowers are not affected by pH.

繡球花為八仙花科八仙花屬植物，學名：Hydrangea macrophylla，英名：Hydrangea，別名：八仙花、洋繡球、紫陽花、雪球花，原生於中國、日本，於18世紀末傳入歐洲後才開始發展出許多新品種，後來再傳回日本，日本人為了與當地的繡球花有所區隔，因此稱它作「洋繡球」。

「紫陽花」這別名，則是日語發音 (Azisai，意即繡球花) 而來。據說日本原無它的漢文名字，但在唐朝詩人白居易詠一株招賢寺裡不知名花時，吟道：「何年植向仙壇上，早晚移栽到梵家，雖在人間人不識，與君名作紫陽花」，就因當時日本平安時代 (西元794 至1192 年間) 崇尚唐朝文物，於是「紫陽花」這漢字就被套在這花名上。

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Sonmarie’ features strong stems and lime-green buds that become rich pink or lavender flowers.

大繡球花是八仙花的變種之一，葉大，全為不孕花，初為白色，後變為淡藍色或粉紅色。

With immense flower heads, hydrangeas flaunt an old-fashioned charm that is hard to resist. Colors also beguile with clear blues, vibrant pinks, frosty whites, lavender, and rose—sometimes all blooming on the same plant!

繡球花為短日照植物，平時栽培要避開烈日照射

They prefer full sun in the morning, with some afternoon shade; however, many will grow and bloom in partial shade.

繡球花市比較喜歡溫潤的環境的，所以澆水是至關重要的一步。繡球花非常需要水，而且一旦失水後會導致無法彌補的傷害，葉片會掉落、芽體會死亡，影響花朵的形成。

一蒂八蕊，有如八仙相聚，故得「八仙花」之稱。

繡球花屬落葉性灌木，老枝粗壯，有明顯皮孔。葉具短柄，對生，葉片肥厚，光滑，橢圓形或寬卵形，先端銳尖，邊緣有粗鋸齒。聚繖花序頂生，小花密集成球團形，花白色、藍色或粉紅色，繡球花本來是野生種，花團很疏鬆，但有花蕊；每一朵花有瓣狀萼4-5片非花瓣；偶爾可見正常花，花瓣4-5片，小形，雄蕊在10枚以內，雌蕊極度退化，花柱2-3枚。

經過改良以後，那些有花蕊的小花都退化了，幾乎全為無性花，取而代之的是一些無蕊小花的集合體，這種改良使得它的觀賞價大大地提高，但相對地，它也失去了結果能力，只有靠扦插法才能繁殖。所以現在您所看到的那朵朵小花，是繡球花的花萼，而不是花瓣喔！

Hydrangea Starfield Bigleaf has a diminutive, well-kept form, fitting into small spaces nicely

This variety of reblooming bigleaf hydrangea is one of the heaviest flowering hydrangeas you’ll ever encounter. Its bountiful blooms are a lovely shade of pink. Even though this shrub is compact, it’s vigorous and fills a pot quickly.

Hydrangea is a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants native to southern and eastern Asia (from Japan to China, the Himalaya and Indonesia) and North and South America.

這些不孕花由四片有似花瓣的粉萼組合，即全花所見如花瓣者，實為萼片，用以「招蜂引蝶」來傳粉。

繡球花屬有許多品種含有兩種花型，即較小、長於花序中心的孕性花 (Fertile flowers)，及較大、環繞於花序週邊的不孕花、不育花、或裝飾花 (Sterile flowers)。

銀邊繡球花（Hydrangea macrophyllavar．maculata）：葉緣為白色。

具有八仙花屬相同特徵-瓣化之不孕花(白色)圍繞在可孕花(紫色)之外圍。

麥寶娘親幾年前冬天在花圃打折時買到這銀邊繡球花. 那時沒花.但看到葉緣白色很好看

就收集到大樹下的繡球區.晚春時開花了.才知道花是這麼特別!

Hydrangea aspera D. Don

The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.

The rough leaved Hydrangea is one of the less commonly grown examples of this important genus in our gardens, but makes an excellent addition to the garden. The large velvety leaves provide an attractive display all summer covering this medium sized bush. And come June and July this is topped with dark lilac “lacecap” flowers. As is typical of Hydrangeas Hydrangea aspera D.Don is easily grown and need a shady location, making it ideal in front of a north facing wall or fence, or in the shade from trees.

The variability of Hydrangea aspera D.Don, probably due in part to its wide geographical distribution, has lead to a degree of confusion regarding the different subspecies, cultivars, etc. An oriental species it is found growing wild in the Himalayas, West and central China,Taiwan and Myanmar (Burma). It was first described by the Scottish botanist David Don in his 1825 flora of Nepal, placing it in Linnaeus’s genus Hydrangea L. In gardens it is often represented by Hydrangea aspera D.Don ‘Macrophylla’ a sterile selection with large leaves and flowers.

Full bloom

繡球花開花期很長麥寶家的繡球花已經開了快兩個月了. 大多種在大樹旁..早上有日曬下午陰暗處. 麥寶下午時常在樹下乘涼.坐在繡球花旁.

Miloh sit and rest under the big tree beside Hydrangea.

The flower color faded after months bloom. Look so cool ~

花開了好幾個月，顔色後來變淡了。也很美耶~

Make nice flower arrangement!

update 6/21/2021:

Miloh family old hydrangea plants all bloom so well again this year.

麥寳家裏種了許多年的綉球花，今年也是盛開的一年。

Bumble bee visiting….

The flowers are so many and huge, we take Neith ， the black cat, to the yard and she is quite curious

今年的綉球花開的很多又很大，把喵小姐帶到院子大樹下一起賞花。

ok. Miloh too 🙂

Miloh’s mom collect new species this year .

This hydrangea is a mophead with it’s sterile florets all but covering the fertile flowers in the center.

Seafoam Hydrangea is drought tolerant!

這美麗的繡球花，葉子小花兒也不大，但是好美啊～
更值得一提的這品種是省水的！

麥寳娘親今年網購了一些新品種

want to plant white color ball like flower around olive orchard corner to light up the area. here is the Annabelle Hydrangea.

種了白色的大綉球 “安娜貝爾“，但是剛開始是綠色的，藍藍的？？

The Annabelle start with greenish/blue color flower buds.

later on it finally turn into White Ball !

Annabelle only grow on OLD wood so be careful not to prune down too many wood in winter for next year’s blooming.

這繡球花可以種在大太陽下。

秋冬修枝時不要修掉太多老枝幹，這繡球花開在老枝幹上！

後來這花慢慢變成了白色的大花球，真的把橄欖園的邊角落弄的熱鬧多了。

Annabelle Smooth Hydrangea has stunning white flowers, often producing heads over 10″ in diameter. you can grow it under sunny spot too!

Add some Hydrangea in your shady garden, you will enjoy them from late Spring to all summer long ~~

在院子裏的大樹下或陰暗處，種上幾株綉球花吧！

Bumble Bee love them too ~~

update 6/23/2023 below;

Miloh mom collected more hydrangea last year and they started to bloom now in the summer garden.

The LA Dreamin Hydrangea is gorgeous with its whimsical, multi-colored blooms. This hydrangea can have pink, blue, and purple all at the same time!

這是藍粉紫色可以同時開花的一種很有趣的繡球花