Although most people purchase them as disposable houseplants for special occasions, you can successfully grow hydrangeas indoors for years with the proper care and patience.
The beautiful Hydrangea, known for its striking clusters of blue, purple, pink and white blossoms, is a lovely flowering plant that adds a touch of romance to the garden. Sadly, the entire plant, including the flower buds, is quite toxic to pets and children. All parts of Hydrangea contain traces of cyanide.
Specifically, hydrangeas prefer bright, indirect sunlight for several hours daily. The soil should be consistently moist but not sopping, since too much water will make the roots rot. They prefer cooler room temperatures but not cold, drafty indoor spaces.
Research shows that there is no other houseplant that makes such a positive contribution to the humidity in the house as the hydrangea. With a healthy indoor climate, you have fewer complaints such as headaches and dry eyes.
This is because hydrangeas love the warm morning sun, but they dislike the heat of the afternoon. The best place to plant hydrangeas is in a sheltered location with sunny mornings and shady afternoons. You often find this on the north or south side of your home.
Hydrangeas don't make great houseplants long-term. But if you live in areas where the winter temperatures go below 5 degrees on a regular basis, you can plant these in pots and over-winter them in a garage or other area where they can be dormant but not go much below 30 degrees.
You really want to make sure you are buying the freshest Hydrangeas available (1-3 days old) as they only tend to last 5-9 days depending on how you care for them.
Hydrangeas attract relatively few bugs and wildlife. Most of the problematic bugs, like aphids, scale, and mites, that try to live on Hydrangeas can be easily controlled. Some common wildlife like deer, rabbits, and groundhogs may bother Hydrangeas, but Hydrangeas are not these creatures' favorite meals.
Hydrangeas Are Toxic To Dogs
"The toxic component of the hydrangea plant is a cyanogenic glycoside." Chewing plants with this compound causes cyanide to be released. The leaves, buds, flowers, and bark all contain the toxin, so if your dog munches any part of your hydrangeas, he could get sick.
Side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and chest tightness. It's LIKELY UNSAFE to use more than 2 grams of dried hydrangea rhizome/root at a time. It is also LIKELY UNSAFE to use hydrangea for long period of time.
It's a good question, since the potted hydrangeas given as gifts rarely last more than a few weeks. The good news is that they can, as long as you treat them right. Since they can get quite big and produce stunning blossoms all summer long, growing hydrangeas in pots is well worth it.
However, dwarf and low-growing hydrangea varieties can thrive in pots. If you intend to leave your hydrangea outdoors year-round, though, you'll need to pick a very hardy cultivar, provide it with a frost-proof container and keep the shrub well-watered.
Hydrangeas contain something called amygdalin, which gets metabolized into a cyanogenic glycoside when consumed by humans, cats, and dogs. Cyanide poisoning is fairly severe, and common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Seek medical attention immediately if you suspect cyanide poisoning.
So while you can handle hydrangeas without gloves and be unaffected, make sure to wash your hands (or just be safe and wear gloves while working with hydrangeas and wash your hands after anyways). Cyanide is a dangerous chemical that in large quantities can cause seizures, comas, and cardiac arrest.
According to Feng Shui, hydrangeas portray loneliness; hence it is advised not to grow this plant indoors. Although undoubtedly beautiful, it denotes coldness to heartfelt emotion and bad luck when grown inside the home.
Viruses can be transmitted on hydrangea mechanically by leaf contact, knives, and aphids such as the green peach aphid. Sometimes viruses can be transmitted by nematodes or by the western flower thrips as well.
Signs of Hydrangeas Poisoning in Dogs
"If true cyanide poisoning were to occur, signs include: hypotension, brick-red gum coloring, heart rhythm abnormalities, almond-flavored breath, hyperventilation, difficulty breathing, low oxygen levels, cyanosis, ataxia, and tremors/seizures."
Answer: There are some species and cultivated varieties of Hydrangea that are reported to be fragrant. Bear in mind that everyone's sense of smell is different. I recommend seeking out examples when they are in flower and doing a sniff test in nurseries, gardens, or large parks and arboreta with a good selection.
The hydrangea flower produces an odor that tends to attract small flies, which over time eat away at the flower's leaves and damage the overall health of the flower. While flies are manageable with the use of insecticides, the potency of the insecticides often damages the hydrangeas in the process.
Hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.) are one of more than 200 plant species that can become infested with spider mites, which are tiny arachnids that suck moisture out of the plants' leaves.
There are three viruses reported to infect hydrangea - Hydrangea Ring Spot V., Tomato Spotted Wilt V., and Hydrangea Latent V.
5. Bring potted hydrangeas inside. Potted hydrangeas overwinter best in a garage or basement where the temperature stays cool but doesn't freeze. The plants will go dormant, but you'll still need to water the pots occasionally, about once a month, to keep the roots moist, until spring.
Water your plants as soon as you get them home, saturating the soil in the pot. Plot out the placement before planting. Most French hydrangeas can be spaced 3 to 4 feet apart, but check the tag to see how wide your selection will grow. Dig a hole that is two to three times as wide as the pot but the same depth.
Put Hydrangeas In Water Immediately After Cutting
As soon as hydrangeas are cut, the stems should immediately be put into tepid water. And adding a little bit of flower food to it would be a great idea too.