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Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Blaumeise’
Teller Blue lacecap hydrangea
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Image © Richie Steffen/Great Plant Picks |
Printer-friendly Fact Sheet
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| Outstanding Qualities |
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Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Blaumeise’ is one of the best hydrangeas from the Swiss bred Teller series and is often sold under the invalid name of ‘Teller Blue’. Mid summer will find this deciduous shrub glowing with large flat flowers composed of very wide deep blue to indigo sterile florets surrounding tiny fertile flowers even deeper in hue. The color holds well providing a flash of brilliant color through the summer. Accentuating the showy blooms is the bold shiny bright green leaves with a strongly toothed edge. The bold foliage is a great textural contrast to rhododendrons and azaleas. The bright blues look great with variegated foliage or silver and gray leaves. Shade loving perennials like hostas and epimedium make a great foil around this prized summer bloomer. |
| Culture |
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The best growth is in partial to bright shade. A location avoiding hot sun will keep the foliage and flowers from prematurely fading or scorching. A fertile organic soil with good drainage and plenty of organic matter produces the best growth and flowering. Hydrangeas are not drought tolerant and will grow and flower more prolifically with regular summer watering. The typically acidic soils of the Pacific Northwest will cause the variable flowers to bloom toward deep blues and indigo, for red purple flowers add lime to raise the pH and sweeten the soil. Changing the color can often take a few years to accomplish with more than one application of lime. For an accurate quantity of lime needed a soil test should be done. Hydrangeas will bloom heaviest on one year old branches. Prune only to remove a few old twiggy branches to the ground yearly or lightly tip back rangy growth to improve the overall shape. Heavy pruning can ruin the flowering for the following year. |
| Growing Habit |
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Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Blaumeise’ is a vigorous growing medium sized deciduous shrub about six to seven feet tall and four to five feet wide in ten years. Branches will often show a strong upright habit with mature shrubs having an oval appearance at maturity. |
| Hardiness |
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USDA zones 6 to 9 |
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© 2009 Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden
Funded by the Pendleton and Elisabeth Carey Miller Charitable Foundation
Administered by the Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden