Hydrangea macrophylla Tiffany

The hydrangea or Hydrangea macrophylla'Tiffany' is a recent variety, which captivates with its rather unusual flowering, with multiple colours, the shades of which vary depending on the soil. Its large flattened flower heads show a crown of large florets in the shape of helices of pink to bluish-mauve colour, but invariably enhanced by an elegant border of a darker tone, around a heart where small equally changing and richly coloured buttons are crowded. This flowering is particularly long-lasting and continues until the end of summer, tight on a bright green foliage becoming purple in the autumn. This compact habit hydrangea is well suited for cultivation in large containers or shaded beds, in non-limestone soil.

The Hydrangea macrophylla 'Tiffany' is a hybrid plant obtained by cross-breeding H. macrophylla and H. serrata, among others. All these hardy plants belong to the Hydrangeaceae family, native to Japan. 'Tiffany' is a bush notable for its compact habit, as it is as wide as it is high, ranging from 1 m (3 ft 4 in) to 1.20m (3 ft 11 in) in all directions. From June to September, its small, fertile and sterile flowers, with striking dimorphism, form very graphic umbels. These delightful flower heads are large bicolour sterile peripheral flowers, with recurved petals overlapping in a spiral and a heart of tiny fertile florets. In neutral soil, the flowering will display pink tones, while it will be more mauve or blue in acidic soil. Another particularity of this hydrangea is its deciduous foliage, which turns purple in autumn from dark green in summer. The leaves are opposite, reaching a minimum length of ten centimetres. They are single, ovate to elliptical, ending in a pointed tip, and sawtoothed.

The Tiffany Hydrangea has excellent hardiness. Hydrangeas are well known for brightening up the north side of houses. This one will be happy in an east or west exposure that is not scorching, in beds as well as in hedges. This variety is particularly suited to container cultivation, and can be placed on the terrace or near the entrance, to fully enjoy all its charms. 

If you want to grow hydrangeas in your garden, knowing how to do it properly is essential. Hydrangeas don't thrive in limestone soil but are not limited to heathland either. You can mix them with magellanica fuchsias, annual impatiens, ferns, or plant spring-flowering bulbs in front of their round shape.

It's worth noting that the colour of macrophylla hydrangeas' flowers changes depending on the pH of the soil. Blue varieties usually turn pink in neutral or alkaline soil. Mix ericaceous soil with your garden soil to maintain a beautiful blue colour. You can also add aluminium sulphate (found in slate) or alum stone every year in the spring.