Hydrangea macrophylla Bela

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bela' is a remarkably vigorous and hardy new hydrangea, which forms a large upright bush and offers a long summer flowering in the form of big flattened balls of intense blue in acidic soil, pink in neutral soil, which then take on beautiful dark red shades in autumn. This superb descendant of the 'Blaumeise' flat-flowered hydrangea is perfect in the background of a shady flower bed or against an east-facing wall, in non-calcareous soil enriched with alumina to enjoy its incredible blue colour!

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bela' (sometimes spelled Bella) is a recent creation, but already a star. It is an immense, blue mutation of the Blaumeise hydrangea. All these hardy plants belong to the Hydrangeaceae family, native to China and Japan. 'Bela' has a rather upright and spreading habit, regular, dense, and as tall as it is wide. It reaches a height and width of about 1.5 to 1.7m (5 to 6ft) at maturity. From July to September, its small flowers form dense spherical inflorescences, slightly flattened, measuring 15 to 18cm (6 to 7in) in diameter. They consist of almost turquoise-blue sterile florets, with a small white-green centre. In neutral soil, the flowers will have a fairly common pink hue, even banal, among hydrangeas. At the end of flowering, the dominant shade is a blue-grey mauve. The magnificent autumn shades are a complex blend of green, muted red, and purple. In neutral soil, both fertile and sterile flowers are pink. The flowering spreads over abundant and glossy, light green, toothed, deciduous foliage. The leaves are opposite, reaching a minimum length of about 20cm (8in). They are simple, ovate to elliptical, ending in a tapered point, and coarsely toothed like a saw. Hydrangeas can live for at least 50 years.

'Bela' is a harmonious plant, with unparalleled generosity, and is much more beautiful in blue than in pink. Hydrangeas are well-known for brightening the north side of houses. This one will thrive in a non-burning east or west exposure, in flower beds as well as hedges. This variety is particularly suitable for an informal hedge, or as a standalone plant near an entrance. Although these plants dislike limestone, hydrangeas are not strictly speaking ericaceous plants. Pair them with magellanica fuchsias or annual impatiens, or plant spring-flowering bulbs in front of their round silhouette. Enjoy their sumptuous flowering in the garden or in the house for a very long time.

Note: The colour of the flowers of macrophylla hydrangeas varies according to the soil pH. Traditionally blue varieties turn pink in neutral or alkaline soil. To maintain a beautiful blue colour, mix ericaceous soil with your garden soil and apply aluminium sulphate (slate contains it) or alum stone every spring.