Hydrangea - Hortensia

Latin plant name Hydrangea Common plant name Hortensia Plant type Woody flowering shrub Size (meters) < 2 m Distinguishing features Hydrangea flowers are produced from early spring to late autumn; they grow in flowerheads at the ends of the stems. In many species, the flowerheads contain two types of flowers, small fertile flowers in the middle of the flowerhead, and large, sterile bract-like flowers in a ring around the edge of each flowerhead. The color is affected by the pH of the soil; going from white to black, through blue, pink, red and purple. White flowers in the most acid soils and black in the most alcalines. The coffee in the soil will turn the flowers into black. The concrete close to the plant, as it contains lime, will turn the soil into alcaline and  the flowers will be darker.