# mophead hydrangea (*Hydrangea macrophylla*) Mophead hydrangeas are beautiful flowers with big, round clusters of blooms. They come in many colors like blue, pink, and white, making gardens look cheerful and bright! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Gardens ![mophead hydrangea](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%28Natural%29_Hydrangea_macrophylla%252C_Iwafune%252C_Isumi%252C_Chiba%252C_Japan_2.jpg&width=800) Photo: belvedere04, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%28Natural%29_Hydrangea_macrophylla%252C_Iwafune%252C_Isumi%252C_Chiba%252C_Japan_2.jpg) ## Appearance The mophead hydrangea has large, rounded flower clusters, resembling a globe or 'mop'. Its blooms can display vibrant shades of pink, blue, purple, or white, determined by soil pH. It stands out with its densely packed, showy flower heads and broad, deep green leaves. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Cornales - **Family:** Hydrangeaceae - **Genus:** Hydrangea ## Interesting facts - Its name, Hydrangea, means 'water vessel' due to its seed capsule shape! - Some newer varieties can bloom multiple times throughout the growing season! - The huge flower heads are actually made of many tiny flowers grouped together. - You can easily grow a new mophead hydrangea from a stem cutting! ## Special abilities - **Soil Color Magician:** Mophead hydrangea can change its flower color from pink to blue based on soil acidity, helping it thrive in varied environments. - **Water Sensor:** Mophead hydrangea visibly wilts when thirsty, giving a clear signal that it needs water to prevent damage. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 90-250 cm - **Spread:** 90-250 cm - **Flower Size:** 15-30 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar - **Pollinates:** [common eastern bumble bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Feeds on pollen and nectar - **Eats:** cotton aphid (*Aphis gossypii*) — Sucks sap from leaves ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before picking flowers, and remember to enjoy them by looking! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify mophead hydrangea? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is mophead hydrangea? 90-250 cm ### How wide does mophead hydrangea spread? 90-250 cm ### How big are the flowers on mophead hydrangea? 15-30 cm ### When does mophead hydrangea bloom? Summer to fall ### Is mophead hydrangea edible? No ### Is mophead hydrangea toxic? Mild ### What is mophead hydrangea's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Pawleys Island Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pawleys-island-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Schlosspark und Neue Gärten Dyck (Jüchen)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/schloss-dyck-park-gardens-juechen) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Park - [Schlosspark Moyland (Bedburg-Hau)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/schlosspark-moyland-bedburg-hau) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Park - [Rikugien Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rikugien-gardens) — Tokyo, JP · Park [View all places to see mophead hydrangea](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/mophead-hydrangea) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Mophead Hydrangea: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mophead-hydrangea)