Rhode Island is abloom with vibrant hydrangeas. Here’s why
by: Sarah Doiron, Catie McNeil
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — It’s no secret that this has been a banner year for hydrangeas along the Eastern Seaboard — and Rhode Island is no exception.
“We haven’t had a good hydrangea year in many years,” Brian Maynard noted.
Maynard, a professor of plant sciences at the University of Rhode Island, told 12 News that this year’s hydrangea blooms are benefitting from a bouquet of favorable conditions.
Hydrangeas are extremely weather dependent, according to Maynard. He believes there are three reasons why this year’s hydrangeas are nothing short of spectacular.
First, Maynard explained that last year was “a really good growing year for hydrangeas.”
“They put down a lot of buds,” he noted.
Those buds, Maynard said, survived the mild winter and then exploded following an unusually wet spring. (Hydrangea buds typically struggle in the freezing cold and also require healthy amount of water for a successful bloom.)
“Those together just make for beautiful blooms,” he said.
Hydrangea blooms have a variety of different color variants, including shades of blue, purple, pink and white. The color of the hydrangea bloom depends on the pH level of the soil that the hydrangea shrub is growing in, according to the National Garden Bureau.
The most common species of hydrangea along the East Coast is the bigleaf, which produces two types of flower buds: mopheads and lacecaps.
Maynard said the mopheads usually bloom earlier in the season, while the lacecaps take their time and emerge later on.
Regardless of the color or flower type, Maynard said a hydrangea’s peak bloom lasts roughly two weeks. The length of their peak bloom, however, also depends on the weather.
That’s why he’s encouraging everyone to enjoy the blooms sooner rather than later.
“Who knows when we’ll have another good hydrangea year, so get out and enjoy them now,” he said.
The best way to ensure a hydrangea shrub stays healthy is to trim the dying blooms, according to Maynard. By trimming those blooms, which is also called “deadheading,” Maynard said the plant will stop producing seeds and instead put its energy toward future growth.