Blue Hydrangea
One of the BEST selling and most popular flowers for wedding arrangements, the hydrangea has many fine characteristics. They are grown in hot houses and are thus available year-round. Hydrangea come in three or more sizes from mini to jumbo. They are available in a wide array of single and multi-color varieties. Wholesale Hydrangea are also very reasonably priced when you consider how few stems are needed for even a large an arrangement.
So why The Persnickety Hydrangea? It stems (pun intended) from the flower’s insatiable need to be hydrated at all times. Most flowers sold and transported through the wholesale market survive just fine without water while being keep cool. The hydrangea cannot tolerate being dry and must be shipped with water. Once removed from cooling, the hydrangea must be re-hydrated with a fresh stem cut and in some cases additional steps must be taken to get the flower taking water again. Hydrangea only have two states, they are either full fluffy balls of soft petals or completely limp, collapsed and useless for display. Some professionals perform flower CPR on wilted hydrangea by cutting the stem up the center, or smashing the end of the stem, and some even bath the entire stem and flower in warm water to revive them.
So remember the next time you see a beautiful arrangement of white, blue, green, or pink hydrangea, just how they got their nick name!
LF
BloomsByTheBox.com co-founder Larry Fox grew up surrounded by flowers and plants working alongside his father in the family landscaping and nursery business. Since then, he has built over thirty years experience working in the wholesale flower industry. He puts expertise to work every day sourcing the finest fresh cut flowers from all over the world for Blooms By The Box customers.
You touched on it briefly but, if they’re not too far gone, wilting hydrangeas can be revived by the “hot water method”.
Pour boiling water into a container. Cut the stem with floral scissors or a very sharp knife and hold the bottom few inches of the stem in the hot water. After about 30 seconds, return the stem to room temp water. This will help the hydrangea begin drinking again. It may take a few hours but, hopefully, you’ll see the bloom perk back up.
Nice!
My hydrangeas bloomed very early this year. I live in Southeast Pennsylvania. I’m thinking that we had a mild early spring. That being said, my beautiful purple flowers are wilting on the bush. We are experiencing a very hot spell and I was away for two and half weeks without watering. I fertilized the plants several days ago with the premixed acid solution (to keep the blooms blue) while copiously watering. In the evening, should I continue to water (without the premixed solution) until the blooms perk up? The leaves, however, are not limp. Another thought, did I spray too much solution on the plants and their blooms?
Please help, I don’t want to lose the plants.
Thank You
M
I think you have lost the blooms for this year… 2.5 weeks without water in heat will do it everytime! I would prune the flowers and concentrate on the plant for next year. also I would only fertilize very early spring or fall… not during the bloom.