Hydrangeas get a lot of attention for their bright and beautiful colors. Some of them even change colors! Between the huge blooms and big, lush green leaves, it’s no wonder that they’re so popular. But, don’t be fooled; the sophisticated white Hydrangea is an equally desirable shrub to add to your lawn.
To keep your white Hydrangeas White, focus on keeping them healthy with the proper amount of water, light, and fertilizer. White Hydrangeas don’t change color with soil pH like blue and pink blooms, so if your white Hydrangea is turning to these colors, you probably don’t actually have a white variety.
In this article, I’ll explain which kinds of Hydrangeas have white flowers, how you can maintain them properly to keep them white and answer other questions you may have about these snowball beauties.
Which Hydrangeas Have White Blooms?
White Hydrangeas are a great addition to your lawn or garden because of their versatility. They can blend into any color scheme, or they can add some neutrality in the midst of colorful flowers. Let’s begin by looking at the different varieties of white Hydrangeas.
White Panicle – Hydrangea paniculata
These blooms have a conical shape and can grow in a variety of conditions, which makes them great for your lawn. They can tolerate more sun than some other varieties, making them great for any area around your home. Some of these flowers have small details of green or pink, but the bulk of the bloom is white.
Common white varieties include: Bobo, Limelight, Great Star, and Quickfire.
Macrophylla Hydrangeas – Hydrangea macrophylla
These are also known as “mophead” Hydrangeas because of the appearance of their big, lush blooms. You will usually find these varieties in standard shades of blue and pink, but some are pure white.
Common white varieties include: Blushing Bride, Fireworks and Lanarth White.
Oakleaf Hydrangeas – Hydrangea quercifolia
Oakleaf is perfect for southern lawns because it can tolerate warmer temperatures and drier soil conditions than others in the Hydrangea family. Oakleaf’s blooms are long and pyramid-shaped breathtaking beauties.
Common white varieties include: Alice, Gatsby Gal, Gatsby Moon and Snow King.
Smooth Hydrangeas – Hydrangea arborescens
Most pure white Hydrangeas you see will be in this family. They’re some of the most popular varieties out there. Smooth Hydrangeas prefer conditions that are not quite as hot and have a little more shade than some of the others.
Common white varieties include: Annabelle, Incrediball, and Invincible Wee White.
Can You Keep Hydrangea Blooms White?
So once you’ve planted a white Hydrangea, or you’ve identified one in your lawn, you may be wondering if you keep the blooms white all season and year after year.
Many growers are disappointed to find that the stark white blooms they purchased have changed to a slightly different hue over time. However, this is part of the normal growing and aging process of the flower. To keep white blooms white, the best thing to do is focus on the care and optimizing the conditions for your Hydrangea.
How to Keep Hydrangeas White
To keep your white Hydrangeas white, you need to focus on keeping them as healthy as possible. This will extend the time that your blooms stay fresh and healthy before they begin their normal aging process. Some environmental elements can also impact the coloration of your Hydrangeas.
Check the Sunlight Amount
Hydrangeas can tolerate sun and shade, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing, particularly if you live in the south where the sun is more intense. If your Hydrangea is getting too much afternoon sun, it can speed up the aging process of the blooms and cause damage that affects the color.
Too much sun can burn the blooms and leaf tips, causing them to turn brown and curl up or die off. If this happens, you will need to deadhead any blooms that have been badly damaged by the sun to encourage new growth.
Watering Your Hydrangea
As is true with most plants, you should water your Hydrangea regularly, but don’t overdo it. During the summer months, your shrub may need more water than usual, especially if it gets a lot of sunlight or you live somewhere that it’s extra hot.
Ensure that you don’t soak the ground to the point where there is standing water on top of the soil. Too much moisture can cause your Hydrangea to wilt or the roots to become damaged. Use mulch around the base of your plant to help retain moisture and offer some protection from the heat of the sun.
To read more about how to water Hydrangeas, check out this article.
Fertilizing Your White Hydrangea
For pink and blue Hydrangeas, we spend a lot of time discussing soil pH and additives to modify the soil. But white Hydrangeas don’t react the same way that the pinks and blues do. However, you still want to make sure that your shrub is getting the nutrients it needs. Remember, a healthy Hydrangea will stay white longer than an unhealthy plant.
Using a well-balanced fertilizer will maintain healthy soil conditions for your Hydrangea. This Southern Ag 10-10-10 fertilizer is perfect for keeping the soil acidity balanced for optimal growth. Be sure that you follow the directions on the package and make sure that you don’t over-fertilize too much, too quickly, or it can harm the plant.
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
02/17/2024 11:40 am GMT
Can Pink or Blue Hydrangeas Turn White?
The shades of pink and blue in Hydrangeas are on a spectrum of color that is a result of the pH level in the soil below. Adjusting the soil’s pH is how you can change the color in these blooms between pink and blue.
These flowers can look white as the color fades, but you cannot turn a true pink or blue Hydrangea into a true white Hydrangea. The opposite is also true; a true white Hydrangea cannot be changed to pink or blue.
The intensity of color in a pink or blue Hydrangea is determined by the natural conditions in the soil and the heredity of the plant. That means that it would be very difficult to manipulate the soil to make the flower turn to such a soft pink or blue that it appears white.
Do White Hydrangeas Turn Green?
Some white Hydrangeas do go through color changes as part of their normal cycle. Annabelle Hydrangeas are an example of this process. When they first begin to bloom, the small flowers are a lush green color. At maturity, Annabelle blooms are a soft, creamy white, and then they start to shift back to green again.
Toward the end of their growing season, your white Hydrangea will probably change in color; many times, it will be a shade of green. The only thing you can do in this case is to remove the flowers that you don’t like the color of and put them in a vase inside your home or wait for next season when the beautiful pure white blooms return.
Why Does My White Hydrangea Look Dirty?
Many times, white Hydrangeas will develop different shades of white throughout their growing and aging cycle. Sometimes this results in your white Hydrangeas having shades of pink, yellow, or green. Sometimes they will start to look a bit tan and “dirty.” If this is the case, you should focus on keeping them healthy and watered to maintain their pristine appearance as long as possible.
Some white Hydrangeas, especially Annabelles, have blooms that can become too heavy for the amount of support that the shrub provides, causing them to flop over onto the ground. This may cause your beautiful blooms to get dirty or muddy, especially while watering or during rain.
Check out this article on preventing leggy Hydrangeas to help remedy this issue and keep your white Hydrangeas clean and beautiful all summer long.
Closing Thoughts
Having a lush Hydrangea shrub is something everyone should have in their lawn or garden if possible. The beautiful white blooms bring something special to the table that the pinks and blues don’t quite capture. With a bit of love to keep yours healthy, they should continue to exceed your expectations year after year. But, don’t get discouraged by the natural process of color changes during aging.
