How to Grow and Care for Lacecap Hydrangea

Lacecap hydrangeas are hydrangeas whose flower heads look like flat caps with frilly edges, which gave the shrubs their unusual yet appropriate moniker. Like mophead hydrangeas, lacecap hydrangeas belong to the bigleaf hydrangea species (Hydrangea macrophylla), which is native to Japan.

While all lacecap hydrangeas flowerheads share a central set of small florets surrounded by showier flowers, the shrubs vary in size, bloom color, and bloom time. Wide, dark green serrated leaves provide a lush background for the large. flattened flower heads. Like most hydrangeas, these are fast-growing shrubs, averaging two feet or more per year. Planting time is in the fall or early spring.

Lacecap hydrangea is toxic to humans and is toxic to pets.

Lacecap Hydrangea Care

Here are the main care requirements for growing a lacecap hydrangea:

• Carefully consider location when planting hydrangeas. Strike the right balance between enough sunlight, which is essential for prolific bloom, but not too much, especially hot afternoon sun, in which the plant suffers.
• Ensure that the plant receives sufficient moisture.
• Space a group of plants depending on the variety because lacecap hydrangea cultivars vary in their mature size.
• Add aluminum sulfate to the soil to make the flowers blue or add lime to the soil to make the flowers pink

Light

Lacecap hydrangeas grow best when planted in a location that receives partial sun. A site with morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal. The foliage can become droopy, turn yellow, or scorch in full sun. However, if the hydrangea is planted in too much shade, stems can become weak and produce fewer blooms.

Water

It's absolutely imperative that lacecap hydrangeas receive enough water, but they do not tolerate overwatering. If you are unsure whether the plant needs water, stick your finger down about four inches into the ground. If it feels dry to the touch, the hydrangea needs water.

In the absence of a good long rainfall about once every week, water deeply to the point of saturating the soil without it becoming waterlogged. Watering often with a light sprinkle does not benefit the plant because the water needs to reach the roots. A best practice is water deeply at soil level and not as often.

Soil

Lacecap hydrangeas require a rich, well-draining, evenly moist soil that has been amended with organic matter such as manure or compost. For some cultivars (except those with white blooms), bloom color changes with the level of acidity in the soil. An acidic soil (a soil pH 5.5 or lower) will result in blue flowers, while an alkaline soil (a soil pH 7.0 or higher) will cause the flowers to be pink.

To help the soil retain the level of moisture these shrubs require, consider layering a few inches of organic mulch around the shrub. Avoid piling the mulch around the stems.

Temperature and Humidity

The hardiness of the lacecap hydrangea depends on the variety but generally, it does better in moderately warm weather and humidity than in a hot, humid summer climate.

Check the variety's hardiness zone, too, to ensure that the plant you select can withstand winter temperatures in your area. Some cultivars won't survive the cold below Zone 6.

Fertilizer

Fertilizer will definitely help boost growth. It is recommended to apply a balanced fertilizer in the early spring according to product label directions. You can also blend organic compost into the soil each year.

Fertilization should be limited to the spring and should never be done in the late summer because feeding encourages new growth. Late-season growth is especially susceptible to winter damage.

Types of Lacecap Hydrangeas

Here are a few popular lacecap hydrangea cultivars:

• 'Twist-n-Shout': a reblooming pink or blue lacecap hydrangea that belongs to the Endless Summer series of hydrangeas
• 'Bluebird': sea-blue florets surrounding a large cluster of rich blue flowers and reddish fall foliage
• 'Zorro': deep blue flowers on strong and upright purple-black stems and reddish fall foliage
• 'Lanarth White': white florets in a marginal ring around a cluster of light pink or blue flowers
  
• 'Lady in Red': a compact (two feet tall by three feet wide) variety with red stems and red-veined leaves

Pruning

When pruning hydrangeas, it is important to know if the variety blooms on this year's growth (new wood) or last year's growth (old wood). Like all big-leaf hydrangeas, lacecap hydrangea blooms on old growth. Prune it right after it has bloomed in the summer.

Dead or diseased stems can be removed at any time of the year. Deadheading spent flowers is optional. Many gardeners leave the spent blooms intact for winter interest.

Propagating

Propagating lacecap hydrangeas is feasible but it is limited by two factors. Most varieties are cultivars so starting them from seed won't produce a plant that is true to type and therefore is not recommended. The other restriction is that propagation of trademarked cultivars is prohibited.

For non-trademarked varieties, you can use softwood stem cuttings taken from the current season's growth to produce a new shrub. A good time do to this is in the early summer that way the cutting has enough time to root and you can plant it in the fall. Here's how it's done:

1. Using clean, sharp pruners or a knife, cut off a strong, healthy stem tip without any flowers that has at least one growth node (a knobby line across the stem).
2. Remove the leaves from the lower half of the cutting.
3. Dip the end of the cutting into rooting hormone.
4. Fill a four-inch pot with moist, sterile potting mix. Poke a hole in the soil with a pencil or a stick and insert the cutting in the soil deep enough so that the growth node is buried in the soil. Firm the soil around the stem.
5. Place the pot in a bright, warm location but out of direct sunlight. Make sure the soil remains evenly moist at all times but not soggy.
6. Within a few weeks, you should see new growth on the cutting and you can transplant the plant in garden soil or into a bigger a container. Before transplanting into the garden, make sure to harden off the plant.

Potting and Repotting

Lacecap hydrangea can be grown in a container. Plant it in a pot with large drainage holes slightly wider and deeper than the one you bought it in to allow for some growth before it needs repotting. A container made of terra-cotta is ideal because it allows excess moisture to evaporate and the material is heavy so the plant does not topple over easily. Fill the container with well-draining potting mix.

Hydrangeas grown in pots will need frequent watering to ensure they do not dry out. A shortage of water is the main reason that a potted hydrangea dies.

When the roots start growing out of the drain holes or the plant becomes root-bound, it's time to repot the hydrangea to a larger container. Select a pot that's one size larger and fill with fresh potting mix before moving the shrub into its new home.

Overwintering

If grown within their hardiness range and in garden soil, lacecap hydrangeas do not need winter protection. However, the roots of potted plants should be insulated with a thick layer of mulch and the container should be wrapped in burlap plus a layer of bubble wrap or placed in an insulating silo, to protect the roots from the winter freeze.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Lacecap hydrangeas are susceptible to fungal diseases such as bacterial wilt, blight, leaf spot, and powdery mildew. Adequate spacing between plants and avoiding overhead watering can minimize the risk of a fungus spreading.

Lacecap hydrangeas attract aphids. A heavy infestation might require the application of neem oil or insecticidal soap.

How to Get Lacecap Hydrangea to Bloom

Bloom Months

Lacecap hydrangeas generally bloom from mid through late summer but the exact schedule will differ depending on the variety. Some will even bloom into fall.

How Long Do Lacecap Hydrangea Blooms Last?

The lovely thing about hydrangeas is that the flowers will remain attractive well after they're fresh and can even be left to dry on the shrub.

What Do Lacecap Hydrangea Flowers Look and Smell Like?

Lacecap hydrangeas flower heads come in white, pink, or blue and are composed of a flat ring of (usually) four-petaled florets that surround a lacy cluster of smaller florets. You can affect the color of blue or pink flowers by changing the acidity or alkalinity of the soil. Hydrangeas do not have a fragrance.

How to Encourage More Blooms

Common reasons why hydrangeas are not blooming are too much shade, pruning at the wrong time of year (which removed flower buds), or a late spring frost after a warm spell that killed the flower buds.

If the shrub is large and cannot be transplanted, prune surrounding trees or shrubs to let in more sunlight. As for pruning, once you have adjusted your pruning schedule, it will bounce back and flower the following year.

Deadheading Lacecap Hydrangea Flowers

 Hydrangeas make lovely cut flowers and it won't hurt the shrub, so don't be afraid to snip a few for vases indoors.

Deadheading lacecap hydrangeas will make room for the next bloom. Remove the spent flowers just below the flower head and above the next set of leaves.

Common Problems With Lacecap Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are not fussy plants but they do need the right location, sun exposure, and soil. Keep an eye out for these potential issues.

Yellow Leaves

Yellowing leaves can indicate overwatering, underwatering, or too much fertilizer. Check water levels first. If the soil is waterlogged, let it dry out. If it’s clearly thirsty, give it a deep drink at the soil level. If you suspect over-fertilization, use a soaker hose to flood the plant's root zone but don't allow water to puddle. Repeat every few days to allow the fertilizer to penetrate deeper into the soil away from roots.

Drooping Leaves

If leaves are dropping in midday, avoid the temptation to turn on the hose. The hydrangea probably doesn’t need water; the plant is protecting itself from hot temperatures and will bounce back when temperatures cool in the evening.

Browning Leaves

Brown spots on leaves may be caused by a fungal or bacterial disease. If the leaf tips or edges are brown, it could also be caused by excess amounts of fertilizer or aluminum sulfate added to the soil. Again, flush with water to remove an overload of fertilizer or aluminum sulfate salts.