Hydrangeas are a beautiful flower that I see often, but have never paid much attention to. I decided to change that when I went for a visit to Green Valley Growers in Sebastopol, California. They grow more than 200 different hydrangea varieties throughout their 5 acre property. This includes over 16,000 bushes in the ground that range from dwarf plants (whose growth is limited to 12 inches in height) to plants that grow as tall as 15 feet. However, the tallest plants they sell are 6-7 feet tall fresh-cut flowers. Below are some tips I picked up and highlights from my visit.
Growing Hydrangeas
The four most important factors to consider when growing hydrangeas are:
- pH of the soil – The acidity of the soil can alter the color of the floral heads produced. This is also dependent on the variety.
- Variety Type – The variety determines the type of flower produced and the growing conditions required.
- Sunlight – Most hydrangea varieties are sensitive to light and need to be kept in the shade, especially under extreme heat conditions. If not, the floral heads can easily burn. While, there are other varieties that require direct sunlight to grow properly. (See Paniculata below.)
- Irrigation – Hydrangeas absorb water through the flower, the leaf and the root. Thus, overhead irrigation is preferable. However, issues do arise when varieties are being grown that have so many layered petals that the water is unable to drain and can lead to flower rot. (See Double Delights below.)
Hydrangea Varieties
I did not get to see all 200 hydrangea varieties while I was there, but I did put together a collection of some of my favorite types. In addition to the different colors, other differences to note are the flower petal shape, stem color, and the position of the flower petals.
- Ayesha Hydrangea – They have cupped petals, and can be found with both pink and blue flowers.
- Domatoi Hydrangea – These consist of tiny stacked petals that are characterized as double petaled flowers.
- Double Delights Hydrangea – This variety comes in both blue and pink, and has double petals. This is an example of a flower type that is difficult to irrigate because water lays on the petals and can rot the flowers if the water does not get drained. Regardless of the careful watering needed, they are absolutely stunning in person.
- Lacecap Hydrangea – These only have flowers around the periphery. There are stamens in the middle portion that gradually open up, as you can see in the pictures below. They also come in a variety of different colors.
- Nigra Hydrangea – They are characteristic for having black stems. In the picture below, you can see that the petals are beautiful in color, but the black stems are distinct.
- Oakleaf Hydrangea – Their leaves look similar to Oak leaves, with floral heads that are not too dense.
- Paniculata Hydrangea – These are pure white flowers, and grow in full sun.
Hydrangea Harvest & Transport
This operation harvests their flowers and then takes them to the San Francisco Flower Mart to sell every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning. After harvest, they are bunched, stored upright in buckets with water and transported in a cooled truck to the Flower Mart.
If you want access to these flowers yourself, Green Valley Growers does sell their flowers online. With their variety of plants, Green Valley Growers is able to provide fresh-cut flowers year-round. You can visit their website for more information.
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