Insufficient water is the most common cause for the leaves, flowers, and stems of hydrangeas to wilt. The name Hydrangea, stems from the Greek word “hydros” which means water. When its fibrous roots don't find enough water to take up, the hydrangea loses its turgidity.
But hydrangeas are among the few plants that can draw moisture in through their florets, so it's possible to perk up wilted blooms by completely submerging them in water and letting them sit for a few hours to rehydrate.
It is suggested that Hydrangea wilt so soon after being cut because their stems contain a sticky substance that clogs the stems preventing moisture reaching the top of the stem to the head.
Hydrangeas are amazingly resilient, she says. If they wilt in the heat of a summer afternoon, they will likely perk up by the next morning. But don't let them suffer too often or the cell structure will collapse and the leaves may not come back until fall rain or even next spring.
In addition to changing color, an overwatered hydrangea's leaves may wilt. In extreme cases, the leaves will begin to drop off the plant.
Symptoms of overwatered hydrangeas may include brown and wilted leaves, yellow leaves that will drop from the plant, and stunted growth. Signs of root rot may present themselves as well. This could appear that half of your plant is dead, and you may see white fungus near the crown of the hydrangea.
A wilted plant can recover in a few weeks with the right care and attention to address the root cause of wilting. It is worth noting, however, that not every wilted plant has the stored energy to make a full recovery, and some plants can take months to look as they did originally.
Wilting or mushy leaves: overwatered hydrangea leaves are heavy and drooping. They may be mushy or pulpy to the touch because their cells are flooded. Underwatered plants, on the other hand, will have dry and crispy leaves.
Too much sun exposure can cause your hydrangea shrubs to burn on its leaves and blooms. Also, be sure to put your fingers in the soil to see if it needs watering. We do recommend a soak versus light watering each day, but you should be sure that the soil is always moist – not wet – by sticking your fingers in the dirt.
If your hydrangea foliage is also damaged, it may be sunburned (crispy or brown around edges). Depending on the amount of total damage, your plant will eventually recover from severe sunburn, but may not rebound from extreme drought.
They often wilt as soon as they are cut and brought into the house. And there is nothing pretty about droopy hydrangeas! Here's a few ways to guarantee full, long lasting cut hydrangeas!
Remove the wilted hydrangeas from your arrangement and re-cut the stems on a 45-degree angle. Make a vertical slit in the incision and hold the stem upright in the boiling water for about 60 seconds. Place the hydrangeas back in your floral arrangement and they should revive themselves in an hour or so.
Hydrangeas can get root rot if they get too much water and the soil does not drain well. Clay soil in our area is therefore a problem but adding some organic compost helps. If a plant gets root rot, its leaves will appear wilted 24/7, including after you water it.
If you have a wilting plant the first thing you want to do is give it a thorough watering. You can accomplish this by putting your plant in the sink, or adding watering for anywhere from 3 to 8 minutes (depending on pot size and specific plant/soil requirements), letting the water completely drain out of the bottom.
When a plant is first becoming overwatered, leaves turn yellow. If soil doesn't have a chance to dry out before you water again, leaves start to wilt. When overwatering is the problem, wilted leaves are soft and limp. (If too little water is the issue, wilted leaves are dry and crispy.)
Wilting is an adaption that many plants use to reduce water loss during the hottest part of the day. A wilted leaf has less surface area exposed to sunlight and therefore will not lose water as quickly. Plants that are wilted in the afternoon will often perk back up at night and look perfectly happy by morning.
Small, round, brown or purplish spots on hydrangea leaves are common. Often, affected leaves turn yellowish green and fall off, although the plant usually survives. The problem is caused by a fungus that spreads via spores in wet or humid conditions.
If your hydrangea has brown spots or rings on its leaves, there is a good chance that it is infected with hydrangea ringspot virus. Then the leaves of the plant will start to be distorted and rolled, and the growth of the plant will be stunted. Aphids do not spread this disease.
You can tell dead hydrangea branches from live ones by the color and denseness of the wood. Dead wood will look more gray and be lighter and less dense than live wood. There's no need to worry about getting rid of any dead wood now. It won't hurt letting all growth alone.
Water at a rate of 1 inch per week throughout the growing season. Deeply water 3 times a week to encourage root growth. Bigleaf and smooth hydrangeas require more water, but all varieties benefit from consistent moisture.
Most common hydrangeas prefer a partial sun location - ideally receiving sun in the morning hours and shade in the afternoon. The reblooming Endless Summer® Hydrangea series prefers part shade.
Just like Hydrangeas getting too much sun, a Hydrangea getting too much sun may develop wilting and yellowing leaves, even some brown spots.