Hydrangea
A petal-filled puff of summer
Hydrangea is the flower to instantly lifts spirits and brings joy to the home. With its large balls of petals, some measuring 25 cm across, these flowers capture the fun and frivolity of summer. Place a few stems in a vase for an instant holiday feeling.
COLOURS AND SHAPES
Red, pink, purple, white, green, and blue hydrangeas all appear in the first half of the year, as well as hydrangeas which combine several colors. In the second half of the year, flowers appear in green, red, and brown tones. These are good flowers to dry, as their seasonal hues are excellent for decorating the home in autumn and winter.
There are also plenty of choices when it comes to flower shapes. Choose between single and double petal varieties, globe-shaped hydrangeas, edge bloomers (small flowers in the middle and large petals on the edge), or hydrangeas shaped like a feather plume.
SYMBOLISM
The hydrangea represents gratitude, grace, and beauty. It also radiates abundance because of the lavish number of flowers and the generous round shape. Its colors symbolize love, harmony, and peace. The flower lends itself naturally to a floral arrangement for weddings and birthdays but is also equally suitable for memorial bouquets.
ORIGIN
The modern hydrangea is native to Asia and South America. The flower was brought back to Europe on the first Dutch East India Company ships. Interestingly, its name comes from ‘hydro’ (water) and ‘angeion’ (pitcher), because the hydrangea’s shape is said to resemble that of a traditional water pitcher.
BOUQUET RECIPE: A WONDER-FILLED BOUQUET WITH HYDRANGEA
A splash of mystery and a pinch of enchantment
Estimated reading time: 1 minute
The hydrangea is one of those flowers you can gaze at endlessly. Its globe shape, the little flowers that all bloom in their own time, the sometimes almost unnatural colors that change with the seasons. The hydrangea keeps us under its spell. Combined with the right colors and supporting cast you can create a wonder-filled spectacle straight out of a fairy story.
Hydrangeas were initially discovered in Japan. Translated into English, the meaning of the Hydrangea roughly translates to “water barrel” as a nod to the flower’s large, cup-like shape and its need for plenty of water. Its undeniable beauty makes hydrangea a lovely addition to any bouquet or garden
Hydrangea Meaning
Hydrangeas’ meaning can be traced back to Japanese culture. According to legend, the hydrangea symbolizes heartfelt emotion and understanding. It is said that a Japanese emperor gifted hydrangea to the family of a woman he loved as an apology for choosing his business over her.
Hydrangeas were viewed as boastful, vain, and pompous flowers in the Victorian era. This negative connotation might have been assigned to the flower because hydrangea’s blooms look like pom-poms, and the flowers don’t produce many seeds. They were considered ungenerous during a period in history that was focused on growth and change.
Additionally, the care and maintenance of the flower might have contributed to a third meaning for Hydrangeas. Due to needing a lot of care and water, Hydrangeas have been associated with vanity. Be careful who you are gifting hydrangeas to!
Hydrangea Meaning by Color
If you’re going to give a hydrangea as a gift, you’ll want to be sure you’re not offending the recipient, and you can do so by checking the different hydrangea color meanings below:
Blue hydrangeas
Blue hydrangeas are what the Japanese emperor gave to the family of the woman he loved. Because of this, blue hydrangeas mean apology, gratitude, and understanding.
Blue hydrangea’s meaning and symbolism are not well known to most people. Despite the fact that blue Hydrangeas are just as common as pink hydrangeas, many people don’t know when to gift them to someone. Before you send blue hydrangeas to anyone, check the meanings associated with them below to avoid some awkward situations.
Blue Hydrangea Meanings
The blue hydrangea meaning and symbolism can vary from region to region as well as from one culture to another.
It is also good to note that the meaning associated with different flowers is mostly put into consideration when they are given or received as gifts and not when they are growing in gardens or pots
Meaning & Symbolism By Color
BY ANDREW GAUMOND APRIL 7, 2022
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Ultimate Guide to Hydrangea Flower Meaning & Symbolism By Color
Hydrangea Flower Meaning, Symbolism, History, Origins, and Cultural Significance
It’s no wonder why various cultures, religions, and flower language dictionaries have imparted a rich history of the symbolic meaning of the beloved hydrangea flower. This beautiful flower is a favorite among florists and home gardeners everywhere. In this article, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about Hydrangea Flower Meaning and Symbolism, including their origins and history, uses and benefits, and cultural meaning and significance around the world.
Hydrangea Flower Meaning – The Essentials:
Hydrangeas symbolize sincere emotions, gratitude, and deep understanding.
White Hydrangeas in particular convey both grace and purity in addition to more negative sentiments including pride, vanity, and boastfulness.
Pink Hydrangeas carry connotations of heartfelt emotions, romance, and true feelings.
Blue Hydrangeas have strong associations with feelings of regret.
Purple Hydrangea flowers symbolize deep understanding and green Hydrangea flowers symbolize renewal and rebirth
Most hydrangeas grow in the form of shrubs (about three to six feet tall). Other hydrangeas are classified as small trees, and some grow in the form of woody vines called lianas that climb trees to astonishing heights (up to about 100 feet!).
Whatever form hydrangeas take, they’re most notable for their striking flower clusters. These bloom during the warm, rainy season from May through July, depending on the climate. Hydrangea flower heads feature both small clusters of flowers at the center and large, showy flowers around the outer edges. Depending on whether you have acidic soil or alkaline soil, hydrangea flowers range in color from green and white to pink, purple, and blue. They’ll also benefit from fertilizing a couple of times each growing season and cutting back at the season’s end.
Each species can have a slightly different flower type. There are also specially bred cultivars, such as Endless Summer, that have plenty to offer gardeners.
The most common varieties of hydrangea growing around the United States produce sterile flowers. As a result, they don’t carry much pollen or offer much food to pollinators. A few varieties of hydrangea are much more bee-friendly. These hydrangeas include:
Hydrangea anomala petiolaris
Hydrangea arborescens
Hydrangea Aspera
Hydrangea macrophylla (Bigleaf Hydrangea)
Hydrangea paniculata (Panicle Hydrangea)
Hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf Hydrangea)
If you hope to enjoy abundant blossoms and feed the bees at the time, get ahold of one of these hydrangea varieties to grow in your home garden. Find a spot with plenty of bright, indirect light and they’ll thrive. Most hydrangeas are also relatively easy to propagate if you’re looking to expand your collection.
