Varieties

• Of the 23 or more varieties of hydrangea found world ,wide, United States gardeners cultivate five. The most popular variety in America, bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), offers big blue pom-poms of flowers if grown in acidic soil, pink in alkaline soil. Panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) grows fast and tall. It is cold hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 3 through 8. It produces white flowers, as do smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), an Ohio native, and climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala). All of these plants grow best in well-draining soil.
  
  

Needs

• Although hydrangeas need some sun to flower, the ideal planting location includes shade for the hottest part of the day. The more sun and the higher the temperatures, the more moisture these shrubs require. Young hydrangeas need water every two days during their first growing season, while mature plants demand supplemental water weekly during dry spells. If you plant your hydrangea correctly, an occasional over watering does not endanger the life of the plant.
  
  

Soil

• It is essential to plant hydrangeas in rich, well-draining soil. Sometimes this involves adding fiber (such as pine bark mulch) or organic waste to the soil. Amending the soil is worth the effort since these shrubs do not tolerate standing water. Clay soil holds water around the plant's roots. Some hydrangea varieties, like oakleaf (Hydrangea quercifolia), die almost overnight when planted with "wet feet," but all hydrangeas decline eventually in poorly draining soil.
  
  

Propagation

• If you fear your beloved hydrangea is on its last legs from over watering, you can reproduce the plant from a clipping. Cut off the tip of a branch that failed to flower. Ideally, the clipping should be about 1 foot long. After you remove the lower leaves, root the clipping in water or sterile potting mix. Hydrangeas root easily. Once you see abundant roots, move the new plant to a permanent location with well-draining soil.