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Hydrangea macrophylla 'Quadricolor' (L/v)

hydrangea 'Quadricolor'

A deciduous shrub to 1.5m high, with ovate, serrated dark green leaves variegated with pale green-grey, white, and yellow. In summer, produces lace-cap flower heads, with pale pink lacecap flowers. Flowers will be more blue if the shrub is planted in an acidic soil

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Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
5–10 years
Ultimate spread
1–1.5 metres
Growing conditions
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green Grey
Summer Pink Blue Green Grey
Autumn Blue Pink Green Grey
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

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

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H5
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
Lace cap hydrangeas are compact deciduous shrubs with broadly ovate leaves and flat or gently domed clusters of small fertile flowers, with showy sterile flowers around the margin

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
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Wall side borders
  • Cut flowers
Pruning

See pruning group 4 for further advice and video guide

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, capsid bug, red spider mite, stem and bulb eelworm, vine weevil and scale insects

Diseases

May be susceptible to a leaf spot

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