Variegated hydrangeas offer a captivating display with foliage boasting multiple hues rather than a single shade of green. These plants introduce a unique visual texture and brightness. Their striking leaves, often adorned with patterns of cream, white, or pink, provide continuous interest throughout the growing season, complementing their floral displays.
What Makes a Hydrangea Variegated
Variegation in plants occurs when different colored zones appear in the foliage, and sometimes even in the flowers or stems. This distinctive appearance stems from genetic mutations that influence pigment production, particularly chlorophyll, the green pigment vital for photosynthesis. In variegated areas, cells may lack chlorophyll entirely, leading to white or yellow patches, or contain other pigments like anthocyanins, which can create pink or red coloration. Some variegation can also be structural, caused by air layers beneath the leaf surface that reflect light, giving a silvery appearance.
Variegation patterns manifest in various forms, including distinct speckles, stripes, patches, or margins along the leaf edges. Common patterns include marginal variegation, where the leaf edges are a different color, or central variegation, with a stripe down the middle.
Top Variegated Hydrangea Varieties
Several variegated hydrangea varieties stand out for their exceptional foliage and floral beauty. These cultivars bring a unique aesthetic to garden spaces, offering interest even when not in bloom.
One notable variety is Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Tricolor’, also known as ‘Variegata’. This bigleaf hydrangea features vibrant green leaves boldly edged with creamy white, often developing a soft pink blush in cooler temperatures or with more sun exposure. It produces blue or pink lacecap flowers, depending on soil pH, blooming throughout the summer. This mound-forming shrub reaches 3 to 6 feet tall and wide, thriving in USDA hardiness zones 6 through 9.
Another choice is Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Light-O-Day’ (‘BAILDAY’ Light-O-Day®). This cultivar displays rich green leaves with distinct pure white margins. ‘Light-O-Day’ produces elegant lacecap flowers from late spring through summer, featuring bright white sterile outer florets that encircle smaller, fertile inner blooms. These inner flowers can be blue or pink, determined by soil acidity. This hydrangea forms an upright, multi-stemmed shrub, growing to 3 to 5 feet in height and width, and is suitable for hardiness zones 5 through 9.
Caring for Your Variegated Hydrangea
Caring for variegated hydrangeas involves specific considerations to maintain their distinctive foliage and promote healthy growth. Light exposure is important; variegated varieties often benefit from more shade than their non-variegated counterparts. Providing morning sun with afternoon shade helps prevent the lighter, more sensitive leaf areas from scorching, especially in hotter climates. While they appreciate bright, indirect light, intense midday sun can easily damage delicate variegated portions.
Consistent moisture and well-draining soil are fundamental. They prefer rich, loamy soil that retains moisture but does not become waterlogged. Amending heavy clay soils with organic matter improves drainage, while adding compost to sandy soils helps with water retention. Regular deep watering, especially during dry periods, is crucial to keep the soil consistently moist, as hydrangeas are known to be thirsty plants.
When it comes to fertilization, a balanced approach is recommended. Excessive nitrogen can encourage more solid green growth at the expense of variegation, diminishing the plant’s unique coloration. Using a slow-release fertilizer or one with a higher phosphorus content in early to mid-growing season supports overall plant health without over-promoting green foliage. General pruning for shape and health typically involves removing dead or weak branches, performed in late winter or early spring before new growth emerges.
Maintaining Variegation and Addressing Issues
Variegated hydrangeas, while beautiful, can present particular challenges, with reversion being a common concern. Reversion occurs when parts of the plant lose their variegation and grow as solid green foliage. This happens because all-green sections contain more chlorophyll, giving them a photosynthetic advantage and allowing them to grow more vigorously than variegated parts. Environmental stressors, such as insufficient light, can also trigger a plant to produce more green tissue as a survival mechanism.
To manage reversion, it is important to regularly inspect your variegated hydrangeas and promptly prune out any shoots that display solid green leaves. These reverted stems, if left unchecked, can quickly outcompete and overtake the variegated portions of the plant. Making cuts back into the variegated wood helps maintain the desired foliage pattern.
Another issue unique to variegated foliage is leaf scorch or burn. The lighter, non-green sections of the leaves are more sensitive to intense sunlight and can easily turn brown or crisp. Ensuring the plant receives adequate shade, particularly during the hottest parts of the day, helps prevent this damage. Finally, a characteristic of many variegated plants is a naturally slower growth rate compared to their all-green counterparts. This results from their reduced photosynthetic efficiency due to less chlorophyll, and is a normal aspect of their development.