Magical® Amazone, a bigleaf hydrangea, is a flowering deciduous shrub. Although smaller in size, it still offers a captivating season-long floral display, blooming on both old and new wood throughout the summer, with dependable flowering farther north and possible reblooming in warmer regions. The huge mopheads showcase tight clusters of dainty, cup-shaped florets, predominantly pink with green tips. As they mature, the blooms gracefully transition into a delightful blend of dusty violet-purple and green hues, creating a charming, antiqued appearance. In acidic soils, the florets adopt varying shades of blue. Borne on sturdy stems amidst fleshy, medium green foliage, these long-lasting flowers impart a delicate, lacy charm, softening garden spaces and making excellent cuts for fresh and dried arrangements.
As winter approaches, the mopheads turn a warm tan to caramel color, adding a pleasing textural element to the winter garden. The newly exposed hollow stems not only lend additional interest with their shredding and peeling papery brown bark, which reveals glimpses of an underlying cinnamon hue, but also provides bees with a nesting habitat.
Bigleaf hydrangeas are multistemmed shrubs with a mounding, suckering habit and rapid, cain-like growth. They make excellent specimen plants but show off best when grouped or massed in beds and borders. However, the compact size of Magical Amazone makes it a perfect option for a pretty patio pot.
Bigleaf hydrangeas are easy to grow and require little maintenance. These shade-friendly shrubs thrive in locations that are partly sunny and have rich, moist, well-draining soil. Morning sun and afternoon shade typically works best.
Hydrangea macrophylla change colors with the pH of the soil, turning pink in alkaline soil and blue in acid soils.
