Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Shrubs

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Europa' (H)

hydrangea 'Europa'

A small deciduous shrub to 2m, with broadly ovate leaves. Hortensia-type flowers with large, deep pink flowers which blue well in suitable soils

Save to My plants

Buy this plant

Plant nurseries
5 suppliers

Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

West–facing or East–facing or South–facing or North–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Hydrangeaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Potentially harmful: Skin allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs, cats): Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Hydrangea can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs, or self-clinging climbers, with flowers in clusters usually comprising both small fertile and more showy sterile flowers; often good autumn colour
Name status: Accepted
Horticultural Group: Hortensia hydrangeas (also known as mopheads) are compact bushy deciduous shrubs with broadly ovate leaves and rounded flower clusters composed almost entirely of showy sterile flowers

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in any moist but well-drained soil in partial shade or grow in sun if soil remains reliably moist. Improve chalky soils with organic matter to support good growth. See shrubby hydrangea cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants
City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

See pruning group 4 for further advice and video guide

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, scale insects, vine weevils and capsid bug

Diseases

May be susceptible to a leaf spot, powdery mildews, grey moulds (Botrytis) and honey fungus (rarely)

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.