Do Hydrangeas Grow in Florida? Shocking Truth Revealed

Take a look at this stunning hydrangea:

I have successfully grown hydrangeas in Central Florida for the past few years.

While it is true that most people fail to grow hydrangeas in Florida, it is still possible.

So, do hydrangeas grow in Florida?

Here’s everything you need to know.

Do Hydrangeas Grow in Florida?

YES! Select a heat-tolerant variety such as limelight or oakleaf hydrangeas to grow hydrangeas in North and Central Florida successfully. Then, plant them at a suitable spot (mine is under an old oak tree). The key to success is deep watering and applying mulch to conserve moisture. Growing hydrangeas in South Florida is more challenging. The best thing you can do is to go with Dombeya Seminole (tropical or Florida hydrangea). It resembles the hydrangeas of the North, requires less maintenance, and attracts bees and butterflies.

Let me explain this in detail.

As you already know, Florida is divided into three major parts:

• North Florida
• Central Florida
• South Florida

Well, why is that important?

Growing hydrangeas in the North is far easier than in the South. This is because hydrangeas love the comparatively cooler temperature of North and Central Florida.

Therefore, the relatively hotter weather of South Florida makes growing hydrangeas pretty challenging.

So, here’s how you can successfully grow hydrangeas in Florida.

Growing Hydrangeas in North & Central Florida:

Here in Florida, the hydrangeas dry out because of the hot sun. Here’s how to deal with this challenge.

Step 1: Select a suitable variety:

Before growing hydrangeas in the hot climate of Florida, you must find the right variety.

Luckily we have two options.

• Oakleaf Hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia)

• Limelight Hydrangeas

Let’s take a look at each of them in detail.

Option 1: Oakleaf Hydrangeas:

I love the attractive foliage and the beautiful blooms of the oakleaf hydrangea.

They grow well in dry conditions and can tolerate hot weather conditions (with proper care).

That’s why this particular type is popular in Florida.

Tips For Success:

• Plant them at a suitable spot.

Remember my beautiful hydrangea?

It does so well because it is planted under an old oak tree (primarily shady).

You have to find a place that receives morning sun and shade in the afternoon.

Can you guess why the filtered sun is essential for hydrangeas?

This is essential to protect them from the scorching afternoon sun. Remember that direct afternoon sun is why people fail to grow hydrangeas in Florida.

Found it?

Perfect! Plant your oakleaf hydrangea there.

This takes us to the next step.

• Water, water, and water.

Watering keeps the hydrangeas cool, as a shower cools you in hot weather.

Interesting.

Watering your hydrangeas is the most crucial step to keep the soil moist. Note that they hate dry or soggy soil.

The next step is to mulch in early spring.

• Mulch in early spring.

Mulch (any material spread over the soil’s surface) retains moisture.

I have already mentioned that hydrangeas love moisture. The moisture will help your hydrangea during hot weather.

Apply 6-8 inches of mulch around the base of your oak leaf hydrangea.

For mulch, you have two options.

• Organic mulch (made from bark, straw, grass clippings, and shredded leaves)
• Inorganic mulch (made from gravel or plastic)

Now let me introduce limelight hydrangeas to you.

Option 2: Limelight Hydrangeas:

Their excellent heat tolerance makes limelight hydrangeas popular in North and Central Florida.

This beautiful bold conical lime green shrub is one of the most heat-tolerant varieties, producing stunning blooms in hot temperatures.

This takes us to the next step.

Step 2: Finding a suitable location

As I mentioned, my hydrangeas do well in the Florida heat as they are planted under an old oak tree.

So, they receive mostly shade.

So, here’s the takeaway.

Find a place that receives morning sun and shade (or filtered sun) in the afternoon.

This is essential to protect them from the scorching afternoon sun (which can dry out the hydrangeas).

If you are in North Florida, plant your hydrangea at a proper location. In case of Zone 9 or above, plant your hydrangeas in a pot for extra safety.

This is important as you can quickly move your hydrangea away from the scorching sun.

Good!

Step 3: Watering (IMP)

The most crucial step. That’s why I am talking about it in detail once again.

Watering your hydrangeas frequently (especially in Zone 9) is the key to success.

Over the past few years, I have learned that deep watering is much better than frequent shallow watering.

This is because hydrangeas have shallow roots.

Therefore, regularly water your hydrangeas throughout the season to moisten the soil.

This moisture will help the hydrangea beat the heat of Florida.

Now you might be wondering, what’s the best time to water?

The best time is when the temperatures are cool (early morning) so the water does not evaporate quickly.

Let’s dive right into our next point.

Step 4: Mulching

Growing hydrangeas in Florida is a challenging task.

But mulching makes it much more straightforward. Here’s why.

By applying mulch, you do not have to worry about the extreme heat of Florida. This layer of mulch will fight the hot temperatures.

Interesting.

The best part?

Mulching also creates more favorable conditions by conserving moisture (recall how hydrangeas love moisture).

You have to apply 6-8 inches of mulch around the base of your hydrangea. The mulch should NOT be extremely thick.

Great!

Growing Hydrangeas in South Florida:

South Florida consists of Zone 10 and 11. The extremely high temperature makes growing hydrangeas extremely difficult.

That’s why a lot of people fail.

But I have a solution for that.

Step 1: Planting in a pot

The best way to grow hydrangeas in the South is to plant them in a pot that will be kept indoors most of the time.

Placing the pot outside in the morning will allow your hydrangea to get the morning sun.

But to protect them from the hot afternoon sun, we must keep them indoors.

This process will be continued all summer, but you can keep them outside from fall to early spring. That’s when the temperatures are low.

Step 2: Watering & Mulch

As discussed earlier, watering and mulching are the key to growing hydrangeas successfully.

The moisture provided by the water and retained by the mulch is essential to survive the heat of Zone 10.

This takes us straight to the next point.

Pro Tip: Go With Dombeya (Tropical Hydrangea)

The Dombeya Seminole (tropical or Florida hydrangea) is a flowering shrub that thrives in tropical regions.

That’s great news for you if you live in Southern Florida.

The best part is that it resembles the hydrangeas of the North, requires less maintenance, and attracts bees and butterflies.

Isn’t that all good news combined in one place?

There are other varieties as well: Dombeya wallichii and Dombeya burgessiae.

I prefer Dombeya Seminole as they grow effortlessly over here and become drought-tolerant once established.

The best part?

They are beautiful.

Fertilizing and pruning hydrangeas in Florida:

Fertilizing and pruning are essential steps to keep your hydrangeas healthy.

Fertilizing:

Overfertilizing hydrangeas can damage their stem; hence we only fertilize them once.

Remember this “Hydrangeas eat less and drink more.”

So when do we fertilize them?

Both oak leaf and limelight hydrangeas must be fertilized annually in early spring.

This fertilization will take place with a balanced fertilizer.

At this stage, a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer works best for me.

Pruning:

Hydrangeas only need to be pruned if they have dead or weak branches; otherwise, pruning is unnecessary.

You should prune your hydrangeas in late winter so that new growth can occur in the spring.

Pruning dead branches will cause new branches to grow, generating more flowers.

You May Like:

When To Fertilize Hydrangeas (The Right Way)

What is Pruning

FAQs About Growing Hydrangeas in Florida:

These are some commonly asked questions from the people of Florida about growing hydrangeas. Let me answer them for you.

Final Verdict:

Hydrangea is a plant that needs patience and experience to grow in warmer climates.

So, do hydrangeas grow in Florida?

Absolutely!

Heat-tolerant varieties (oakleaf and limelight) grow well in florida.

You must plant them in a shady spot and water them thoroughly to keep the soil moist. Plus, apply mulch to retain moisture.

The retained moisture will help hydrangeas fight the heat of Florida.

If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch. Just remember:

“Hydrangeas, eat less and drink MORE.” This is the key to success.

Best of luck!

You May Like:

3 Secrets To Successfully Grow Hydrangeas in Texas Heat