Taylor,

I am not sure what climate conditions exist in the part of Panama you were in, but I do know that most hydrangeas are barely do-able in my zone 9 and are not recommended for zone 10 (Miami). That is not to say that it can't be done, it's just not likely to turn out well. .....yg

Panama is similar to the temperature of Miami in the summer. Panama has a constant temperature of mid or upper 80's. During their winter (our summer) it rains alot...its the tropics.

I saw these flourishing hydrangeas (full of light blue mopheads)all around in a volcano valley about 90 minutes from Panama City. It was still very hot and very humid and especially rainy.

You know, I was thinking of stopping and asking what type of hydrangea it was. I know you can't bring back clippings (at least legally) or next time I might think of doing so.

Taylor

There are about 50 species of Hydrangea(some say 75) and many of them are tropical species. The Flora of Nicaragua lists only one, H. steyermarkii and states that it is also found in Guatemala and probably in Mexico. It also states that H. macrophylla is a cultivated species there. The Flora of Ecuador has H. asterolasia, H. jelskii, H. peruviana, H. preslii, H. tarapotensis & H. macrophylla(an escapee from cultivation?). None of the species are listed as endemic to these countries, which means that they are also found elsewhere. I have never seen a source for any of them, except macrophylla. Could it be that what you saw in Panama was a macrophylla?
Rb

Razorback, thank you for all your information.

All I could see, without going into these yards, was a good sized light blue mophead flower and plenty of them. These plants were doing well in many yards. I also walked by some in the zoo, but they were not flowering...maybe too much shade.

Bottom line, it seems that there is some kind of tropical species...now whether it is offered in the US is another question that I'll have to look into.

Thank you.

Taylor

Hi Folks!

A bit of horticultural information. Any reblooming hydrangea that blooms on new growth sprouting during the current season will bloom any where regardless of latitude. Blooming on new summer growth makes no difference whether it is in tropical Panama or Michigan...Beautiful blooming hydrangeas are a common sight in many tropical islands. The more prone to summer reblooming that a hydrangea variety is, the better that it performs in the tropics. So search for providers that offer certified varieties "(re)blooming" on new summer growth. These hydrangeas will give you several bloomings a year in the tropics, especially with some pruning to encourage new growth.

I hope this helps.

yes hydrangeas do grow in the tropics.. similar to the ones sold in supermarkets (which are considered annuals here in zone 5 ).

It is also a horticultural fact that plants native to temperate climates need a period of dormancy, usually associated with winter cold temperatures. If one of these temperate species is grown in a tropical environment that does not allow the plant to go fully dormant (no appreciable change in seasons), then the plants tend not to be very long lived. They will bloom like mad for a few seasons, then start to peter out.

And supermarket hydrangeas are no different from hydrangeas grown for landscape purposes. They just have been manipulated to bloom very precociously and out of season but with proper acclimation can be grown outdoors anywhere else hydrangeas can be grown.

the hydrangeas grown in my grandmother's tropical garden survived for years and years. We continued to propagate it from cuttings.

Here is a helpful thread on the subject: http://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36992

Was it a Mexican or tropical Hydrangea? They sell those on eBay but not really a hydrangea. They are either Dombeya or Clerodendrum bungei.

Saw some true mophead hydrangeas in Hawaii last year in bloom (September) but at higher elevations around Volcano Village. Never saw one down at seaside.

could it be dombeya?

Folks, pay attention to the previous information: summer reblooming hydrangeas DO NOT need a winter vernalization to produce flowers. There are several varieties in the market such as "Endless Summer", "Forever", etc., etc., etc. You just need to do your homework finding those merchants. The summer reblooming happens on branches that are newly produced during the cold-free summer period, which is equal to the never ending summer-like weather of the tropics.

A photo is worth a 1000 words...

A hydrangea in full bloom in the tropics does not look any different than the one in the temperate zones. After teaching both horticulture and botany for over 40 years, I think that I know a thing or two about plant behavior in general and about hydrangeas in particular.

If you need to see to believe just google "hydrangeas in the tropics", then go to "images" and then scroll down till you find Costa Rica.

Yes, in the numerous seminars I've monitored in PR, I did see them mostly in the mountain areas. However, the reason it is not because the temperature is cooler. The reason is because the soil throughout those mountains is highly acidic, which hydrangeas love. I equally visited home gardens in the coastal lowlands and they were thriving there too, both in the ground as well as in pots. I have to admit the vegetation on that island is quite impressive, I loved it.

By the way "hortensia" is the appropriate name for this plant ( "hortense" in French, "hortensia " in most other languages) not just for PR. English uses the Latin botanical name Hydrangea.

these are mopheads located in the Philippines. Obviously they do not go into dormancy there. these ones are in a higher elevation. the ones that grow in lower areas have smaller blooms. Still pretty though.

Reminds me of some oakleaf hydrangeas that I have and that do not go dormant either (during mild winters only). They eventually get new leaves more or less in March... and drop the old ones at the same time.

the one I recall growing in my grandmother's place which is in the lower areas is similar to this. It was pink and small blooms like this one.

Endless Summer is a series of hydrangeas and not a single variety.

http://www.endlesssummerblooms.com/the-collection

Yes indeed, different colors and flower shapes to choose from. But because they all bloom on new stems from the current season, they can bloom without vernalization in winterless climates.

By the way I used the word "variety" here as a synonym for "kind, type" and not as "cultivar" which is more specific.

if one reads up on the origins of hydrangeas, they will find that these came from Asia from Indonesia to China, Korea and Japan.. so really it has a wide range from tropical to temperate zones.

Yes Inane, that is correct. Hence it is not surprising that they can thrive in winterless climate areas like Indonesia...

There used to be a huge hydrangea bush always covered in blue blooms in my grandparents home in India where the weather is always very warm and humid with lots of rain. It was planted when my mom was little and it was a showstopper. Unfortunately they cut it off after 35 years during the family home renovation.

I hear reports like this from many tropical places. I am sorry you lost such a magnificent specimen. Did any body take cuttings from the branches to propagate?

My mom is not a big fan of hydrangeas. She has tons of orchids anthuriums and a lot of tropical plants. The few other people who tried to propogate it were not successful I believe. I've seen other hydrangeas there but none as spectacular as the old one.

I live in Singapore so basically I live at the Equator :). Got me 4 pots of hydrangea in May which i have no idea what are the names. They all are growing well. When i bought they were 5" tall and i've since repotted to bigger clay pots. Prepared my own potting mix of perlite + potting soil + volcanic soil. Did fertilization a few weeks back with liquid fish meal. Leaves are green with a few scorched leaves i guest. In terms of growth they are doing well but i dont expect to get blooms this year though.

Hi Petrofac,

It is very important to know the variety name or at least if your hydrangeas come from a tropical nursery. Only the re-blooming "macrophylla" types will bloom correctly in Singapore, being that it is a "winterless" tropical zone. As for the way your are cultivating them, you seem to be doing the right thing with soil mix and fertilizer. Stick to the instructions on the fertilizer label. Just 2 tips: 1) make sure they have plenty of water, hydrangeas are heavy drinkers, never feed a thirsty plant and 2) potted flowering plants bloom easier when the root system is relatively "tight" within the pot, disproportionately large pots will delay or suppress blooming. I hope this helps.

I bought the 4 hydrangea plants in a local nursery yes. Still don't know their names (got 2 varieties).

Earlier everytime they wilt I would give them a drink, then I got to know that they wilt because the rate of transpiration via the leaves is higher than the rate of the plant absorbs moisture via roots. No signs of overwatering though. After that I cut on watering and just let them wilt. By 8 pm everyday they covered. They would start wilting at noon.

So there u have it, hydrangeas growing in the equator :)

Judging by the shape of the leaves those seem to be the macrophyla types. Produced in a local tropical nursery is a good indicator. However, the leaves should not be wilting at any time. In the heat of the equator they would need a shaded or semi-shaded spot so that the heat of the direct tropical sun does not deflate the leaves. Watering profusely either early morning or in the evening, no standing water under the pots, should resolve the wilting issue. Foliage wilting needs to be avoided at all cost, it is very stressful for the plant and will prevent you from having good results. The idea is not for them to "just" grow in the equator, but for them to thrive and bloom well. Unlike in the northern temperate climates, those hydrangeas in the tropics should bloom 2 to 3 times a year, if managed correctly.

Petrofac, clay pots will dry out a lot faster than plastic. They will grow a lot faster in larger plastic pots while small and you won't have to monitor them as close as the clay pots.

Let the rootball 'get tight' when they are large enough to bloom.

Mike

Hi Mike,

Just a reminder, in the nursery industry plastic pots are classified as "hot" and clay pots as "cool". Foliage and plants in general coming from hot and humid climates seem to do very well in plastic. But in an already hot and humid climate, plants that originate in cool and/or Mediterranean climates prefer by far clay, since it allows for a much better breathing of the root system, prevents root rot and promotes blooming. If your hydrangeas have been doing relatively well in plastic, try clay and you'll see the difference. This is common practice among commercial growers who need to minimize health problems while promoting quick blooming for quick crop turnover. The longer they take to bloom, the least revenue they generate...Even in cool countries like France and Belgium clay pots is most often the choice for blooming potted plants(Hydrangeas, Azalea Indica, Bougainvilleas, etc...).

i was going to say that in tropical countries, clay pots are preferred because they cool down roots , breathes and keep damp. We even grew roses in clay pots.

The ones I see growing in the Caribbean are away from the coast line in cooler regions. Strictly morning sun until 10-11am (maybe even earlier); or dappled sun; or in bright shade. Congrats on your blooming success. The plant will probably go dormant late or hardly, as it happens in places in Florida. Feel free to fertilize it as usual in Spring, every 3 months but I would recommend another fert that has less nitrogen in the Fall. Someone in the islands told me that they fertilized with composted manure in March-April and then twice more 3 months apart. You may need to amend the soil if it is not acidic.

I've seen them growing in the mountains of Hawaii, introduced, of course. Some of them quite large, maybe the size of a garage. Large fuchsias too.

Edgarmieles, I see your point, growing where it is humid as well as hot, clay makes more sense than plastic on the commercial side of growing. I was getting a little provincial and just thinking about the average homeowner here, where the summers are dry and water expensive. I grow cacti and succulents in clay pots that can handle growing on the dry side at times, like when I'm away on holiday or an emergency. Hydrangeas have a hard time with that, especially planted in a clay pot. Commercial growers don't take vacations during the growing season.

I was in Panama this past summer in the area next to El Valle. Hydrangea macrophylla is cultivated in the area, but the nurserymen I talked to said that it needs cooler temperatures to be successful. I visited a nursery at around 600m elevation which was very successfully growing blue H. macrophylla. The local common name used is Hortensia.

I saw hydrangeas all over the place in the Azores - temperate but tropical. They were beautiful, purple and thriving. Two types: a mophead variety and a lacecap/serrata they call "wild ones."