Hydrangea: Diseases and Remedies (Explained for Beginners)

NOTE: The terms Hydrangea and Hydrangea spp. are identical in this text; in reality, Hydrangea spp. is Hydrangea’s biological word.

With dozens of species and even more varieties, hydrangeas have been popular ornamental garden plants for decades with blooms that come in a wide array of colors, including white, many shades of blue and pink, maroon, red, and even pale green.

Depending on the species, some hydrangeas have large, round flower heads while others have smaller, flatter, and more delicate flowers, along with varying foliage shapes. To give hydrangea shrubs time to establish a healthy root system, plant them in the fall or early spring. Two feet or more of growth per year is the average for hydrangeas.

The plant is toxic to both humans and animals.

Why does my Hydrangea spp. roots have rot?

If left untreated, root rot on your Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.) can be fatal. For this reason, if the symptoms appear, we highly advise that you adhere to our recommendations to keep your plant alive: Blackened and softened roots.
Hydrangea

Why does my Hydrangea have gray mold spots?

Gray mold spots are a specific fungus that regularly harms flowers and spreads swiftly. If you notice any brown (or gray) spots, this fungus is probably to cause. You risk your plant dying if you ignore these warning indications.

Our Solution

The solution is quite logical when you know the cause of the problem. Most of the time, it is due to overwater of the Hydrangea spp.. We advise you to remove the infected parts of the plant, cut off the infected roots and leaves, then repot your plant using sterile potting soil and a clean pot.

Why does my Hydrangea have leaf spots?

Leaf This type of disease is one of the most frustrating for Hydrangea owners, we give you all the leads to spot and save your plants that present symptoms such as leaves that suddenly change color, or wilt/droop.

Why are my Hydrangea leaves turning yellow?

Yellowing leaves are arguably the most prevalent issue in the gardening world. Overwatering or a lack of nutrients are the 2 main causes of this issue.

Whether you think your plants are getting too much water, cut back on how often you water them, and take the following measures to see if they might be nutritionally deficient:

Here are some signs of yellowing caused by the many deficiencies on the Hydrangea spp. in question:

  • The first symptom of a magnesium deficiency is yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves. The leaf’s core turns yellow while the veins stay green. The edges of the leaf yellow last.
  • Another indicator of iron deficiency is yellowing between leaf veins, but young leaves on plant tops and branch tips are first affected.
  • The newest leaves are first affected by sulfur deficiency, rendering them completely yellow.
  • Insufficient potassium causes the leaf edges to turn brilliant yellow while the interior of the leaf stays green. Older leaves show the symptoms initially, and the leaf edges quickly darken.
  • A lack of nitrogen is indicated by a widespread yellowing. Older, inner leaves are the first to yellow. As the yellowing progresses, it eventually touches young leaves as well.

Our Solution

You only need to act in accordance with the symptoms listed above. You can address a potassium or nitrogen deficiency by buying a particular soil, and a gardening store consultant will be able to advise you on how to do that. Furthermore, you can also limit how frequently you water your plants.

Is my Hydrangea sunburned?

You can easily tell if your Hydrangea (your Hydrangea spp.) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.

Sunburned

The leaves of your Hydrangea can also change color in case it gets too much water or not enough light, as we saw above.

To find out if the yellow leaves have been sunburned, look at the part of the bottom that is tinted closer to the base. The yellow leaf is probably burnt and not something else if this portion stays greener.

Why are my Hydrangea leaves turning brown?

A plant’s browning leaves are typically a symptom that it has been sunburned and has been exposed to excessive amounts of direct sunlight. Don’t worry; your plant probably won’t perish as a result, but its growth will be negatively impacted.

Should I leave my Hydrangea spp. in direct sunlight?

No! If your Hydrangea spp. (or Hydrangea) has the symptoms described above, don’t leave it in direct sunlight, that’s the reason why your Hydrangea is in such a state!

Our Solution

As explained in the paragraph above, the solution is simple, just place your Hydrangea in a place where the light does not reach it directly, in this way and with a correct watering, your plant should resume its life rather quickly.

Why are my Hydrangea spp. leaves drooping or wilting ?

This typically occurs when your Hydrangea spp. gets dehydrated. Large plants are more at risk since they naturally require more water than smaller plants.

Drooping

An easy way to know if your Hydrangea spp. is lacking water is to under-weigh its pot, if it looks light, it means that the soil and the roots are probably quite dry, and therefore need water!

Our Solution

If the soil in the container is completely dry, you must first moisten it to guarantee that your plant’s roots absorb the benefits of the water. One common mistake is to drown the Hydrangea right away after a dry time because you think it needs a lot of water.

This is the case, but giving too much water at once is the best way to finish it off, you should actually water the soil normally, resuming a quiet watering rhythm.

Caring Tips for Hydrangea spp.

Water Occasionally

Your plant needs water to survive, but it’s crucial to balance the amount and timing of watering. As we previously mentioned, overwatering could be catastrophic for your Hydrangea spp..

You can tell if your plant needs water by touching the soil; if it still feels damp, it’s usually preferable to wait a few more days.

Always keep temperatures stable

It is also a good idea to keep your Hydrangea spp. at a stable temperature (especially if it is kept indoors!). At GreenShack, we generally recommend staying in the 65 and 85 degrees F range. Of course, do not place your Hydrangea spp. near a source of hot (or cold) air such as A/C units, radiators or the like.

Keep your Hydrangea Dust-Free

This one concerns indoor plants, just like on your furniture, dust is also deposited on the leaves of your indoor plants, the problem is that it can prevent them from receiving the necessary light, this would slow down (or even stop) the photosynthesis process, and eventually, they would lose their colors.

This would also make the pests happy, a real descent into hell for your Hydrangea.

To remove the dust, gently rub the plant’s leaves with a microfiber cloth. Dust can be removed more easily with a damp cloth, but stay away from corrosive substances like rubbing alcohol!

Keep drainage in mind

If you have a tendency to overwater, you should be mindful of your drainage, and if they don’t already have them, we suggest selecting a saucer and a pot with drainage holes.

If your pots don’t already have holes in them, you can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the meantime. This will assist in creating a channel and keep the water from pooling there for an extended period of time, protecting the roots from decay.