Hi, flower friends! Today, we're talking about the real stars of the flower world: Hydrangeas. These flowers are famous for their big, colorful blooms that look like lots of tiny butterflies. They’re perfect for adding something special to any bouquet or flower arrangement. Whether you're a pro florist or just starting out, it's hard not to love Hydrangeas. But did you know there's more to these flowers than just how pretty they are? Let's find out more! We visited one of our Hydrangea growers named ‘de Munck’, and worker Ferry told us some interesting things that we want to share with you, so we made the perfect ‘How to prep your Hydrangeas’ guide!
What does Hydrangea mean?
But first, what does ‘Hydrangea’ mean? Their name comes from two Greek words: hydor (which means water) and angos (which means vessel). Put those together, and you get something like water barrel. And that fits these flowers just right! Why? Well, two big reasons. First, the big round bunches of flowers on a hydrangea kinda look like barrels. And second, Hydrangeas love water just like barrels love to be filled! They enjoy a good drink of water often.
How to unpack your Hydrangeas?
When you take Hydrangeas out of their packaging, they get thirsty quickly and start to drink in the air around them. Want to slow down this thirst fest? Just pop some plastic wrap on top! By doing this, you're telling the hydrangeas, Hey, let's not drink up all the air at once! It's like a superpower for saving your beautiful Hydrangeas. How cool is that?
How to condition your Hydrangeas?
When your Hydrangeas had a good rest and drink, you must condition them. First, cut of the stems in a sharp angle, this way the stem can absorb more water. Take off all the leaves, when you ‘leave’ the leaves on, they will absorb water out of the air that does not reach the flowers, causing the flowers to wilt. When you cut them and took off the leaves, you need to put them in a clean vase with half full fresh water with flower food, for even better results; spray Glory spray from Chrysal on the petals.
What to do when your Hydrangeas are wilting?
Don’t panic when your Hydrangeas start to wilt, you must follow a few easy steps to save them. Cut them in a sharp angle again. You often see that mucus/slime occurs in the lower part of the stem, it’s a reaction of the flower to the outside air of bacteria. The moment you cut off that bottom piece, you cut open fresh wood vessels that are very well to absorb water.
Are Hydrangeas on old wood not good?
Once upon a time in the world of floristry, there was a myth that Hydrangeas grown on old wood weren't good. But guess what? This is far from the truth! In fact, Hydrangeas on old wood are some of the toughest flowers around. Let's dig deeper. Yes, the water-moving parts in old wood stems work a bit slower, but the flower works just fine. The real power of these Hydrangeas is how they grow alone. Unlike 'fresh' stems that grow close together, keeping each other warm and helping water evaporate, hydrangeas on old wood are like strong, single flowers. They don't have many neighbors in a square meter, so they work harder to grow, making them stronger.
Hydrangeas on old wood are from the previous year. Their leaves may have died, but they are still working, just a bit slower. They keep coming back, showing their strength. So, next time you see Hydrangeas on old wood starting to wilt, be patient. Give them a bit more time to open, a little more love and care, and you'll see them bloom!
As a florist, you deal with Hydrangeas a lot and I’m guessing you love them as much as we do. We hope this blog educated you a bit more about Hydrangeas so you can enjoy them even more!
Happy flowering, and until next time, stay blooming!