bigleaf hydrangea Hydrangeaceae Hydrangea
macrophylla (Thunb.) Ser.
symbol: HYMA7
Leaf: Opposite, deciduous, simple, ovate to elliptic, serrate, 4 to 8 inches long, green above, paler below with raised veins.
Flower: Very attractive, large (8 inch across) clusters, outer large flowers are sterile, pink or blue depending on soil pH (blue when acid), appearing in mid-summer.
Fruit: Small dry capsule.
Twig: Light brown, large leaf scar, buds large with loose outer scales, may have some winter dieback, hardly woody.
Bark: Light gray to light brown, some exfoliations.
Form: Small round shrub, up to 5 feet tall, numerous unbranched, vertical suckers.
Looks like: wild hydrangea
- panicle hydrangea
- oakleaf hydrangea