Magical Pearl Hydrangea

Magical Pearl Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Magical Pearl') opens pure white mopheads that age to lime green and then blush pink, so one flush carries three colours. It settles at about 1.2m tall and wide, compact enough for a large pot but big enough to read as a real shrub. The colour is not driven by soil pH, so you get the same result in a Melbourne courtyard as in a Sunshine Coast bed.

Why you'll love it

• Three colours from one flush. White as the heads open, lime green through midseason, then pink. Spent heads dry on the bush and hold their shape into winter.
• Colour you can count on. Blue and pink hydrangeas swing with soil pH. This one does not, so there is nothing to dose or correct.
• A genuine container plant. At 1.2m by 1.2m it holds a 400mm to 500mm pot for years without constant repotting.
• Frost hardy and humidity tolerant. It takes cold southern winters and copes with muggy summer air, which is unusual in one shrub.
• Low maintenance. One prune, one feed and steady water. No spray program and no shaping to learn.

Where it works best

Pots, balconies and courtyards. Use a pot at least 400mm across and a premium potting mix, sited where a wall blocks the late afternoon sun.

Borders and mass planting. Plant 80cm apart for a continuous run along a path or a south facing wall. At that spacing the plants touch without shading each other out.

Feature planting. A matched pair either side of a door reads as deliberate, and the heads sit at eye level from a seated position.

Growing Magical Pearl Hydrangea in Australia

Position and climate. Morning sun with afternoon shade, in cool temperate, warm temperate and subtropical gardens. Southern gardens take more direct sun. In Brisbane, Perth and inland districts afternoon shade is not optional, because hot western sun scorches the leaf margins.

Soil and water. Rich, free draining and full of organic matter, with mulch 50mm deep kept off the stems. Keep it consistently moist through spring and summer, which in a pot during a heatwave means two or three deep waterings a week. Wilting at 4pm is normal; wilting in the morning means it is genuinely dry.

Feeding and pruning. Controlled release fertiliser in early spring and again after the first flush. Prune in late winter, cutting spent heads to the first fat pair of buds and taking dead wood out at the base.

Pets. Hydrangeas are toxic to cats and dogs if leaves or flowers are chewed, so site it out of reach of an animal that grazes.

What to expect when it arrives

It is supplied in 200mm pots in packs of six and 250mm pots in packs of three, which suits a border run or a set of matched containers. Depending on the season plants arrive in leaf, in bud, or cut back and dormant. A bare dormant winter plant is perfectly healthy.

Stock travels upright and is delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect strong growth within four to six weeks in the warmer months, and a full display by the second season. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Hydrangea care, colour and pruning explained
• Compare the full hydrangea range
• Other plants that perform in containers
• Preparing a garden bed before planting

Common questions

Will the flowers turn blue in acidic soil?

No. That shift only applies to coloured mophead varieties. This one opens white and moves through lime green to pink as the head ages, whatever your soil.

When do I prune it?

Late winter, before the buds swell. Cut each spent head to the first plump pair of buds below it. Pruning too hard or too late removes this season's flowers.

Can I keep it in a pot long term?

Yes. A 400mm to 500mm pot of premium mix holds it for several years. Water more often than you would in the ground and refresh the top 50mm each spring.