Hydrangea

flowering plants · color-changing · shrubs

Color-changing flowers. Hydrangeas can shift from pink to blue depending on how acidic or alkaline the soil is. This happens because the acidity affects which nutrients the plant can absorb, which changes the pigment in the petals.

Native to two continents. These plants originally come from Asia (especially China, Japan, and Korea) and the Americas, with the greatest variety found in eastern Asia.

Many sizes and shapes. Some hydrangeas are small shrubs only 1 to 3 meters tall, while others are tiny trees or climbing vines that can stretch up to 30 meters by wrapping around other trees.

Leaves that stay or fall. Most hydrangeas are deciduous, meaning they lose their leaves in winter, but some species keep their leaves year-round as evergreens.

Also called hortensia. The name hydrangea comes from Greek words meaning water and vessel, because the flower's seed pods look like tiny cups.