Take hydrangeas inside and enjoy their beauty! These common landscape plants can be grown and enjoyed as houseplants with the right amount of light, water, and care.
Hydrangeas are beautiful plants that add a splash of color to the yard in the spring and summer. But can they grow indoors? Yes, you can! Potted hydrangea plants do well indoors and aren’t too hard to take care of as long as you meet their basic needs.
Hydrangeas are absolutely gorgeous plants that can brighten up any indoor space with their large, colorful blooms. While they are traditionally grown as outdoor plants, certain hydrangea varieties can also thrive indoors as houseplants. Caring for a hydrangea plant indoors does require some special considerations though.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about growing hydrangeas indoors, including choosing the right variety, providing the proper lighting, watering correctly, using the ideal soil, fertilizing, troubleshooting problems, and getting them to rebloom Follow these tips and you’ll be able to enjoy the beauty of hydrangeas in your home for years to come
Choosing the Right Hydrangea Variety for Indoors
Not all hydrangeas are well-suited for growing inside. The best variety for indoor hydrangea care is Hydrangea macrophylla, commonly known as bigleaf hydrangea or mophead hydrangea. This type features large, globe-shaped flower clusters and does well in containers, making it a perfect choice for houseplants.
Some popular Hydrangea macrophylla cultivars that thrive indoors include
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Endless Summer: Offers big blue or pink blooms on strong, re-blooming plants.
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Let’s Dance: Reblooming type with excellent cold hardiness and color stability.
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Blushing Bride: Stunning double white blooms that turn pale pink.
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Merritt’s Supreme: Vibrant purple-blue mophead flowers.
When choosing your hydrangea, look for plants with healthy green foliage and avoid those with browning, yellowing, or wilting leaves.
Providing the Right Lighting Conditions
Lighting is crucial for indoor hydrangea care. Although hydrangeas are partially shade-loving plants outdoors, they need much brighter light when grown indoors. Place your hydrangea houseplant in a south or east facing window where it will receive 4-6 hours of direct morning sunlight. Bright, indirect light throughout the rest of the day is ideal. Insufficient light will result in weaker, leggy growth and fewer blooms.
Rotate the plant weekly so all sides get evenly illuminated. Just be sure to avoid hot afternoon sun streaming through west or south windows as this can scorch the leaves and flowers. Sheer curtains can help diffuse intense sunlight. Growing lights can also supplement natural lighting if needed.
Watering Your Indoor Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas prefer evenly moist soil at all times when actively growing and blooming. Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out slightly between waterings then soak thoroughly until excess drains from the bottom of the pot. Always pour off any water in the saucer so the roots don’t sit in standing water.
Drooping leaves are a sign of under-watering. Water immediately when this happens. Overwatering can lead to root rot, indicated by yellow, weak foliage. Reduce watering frequency if this occurs.
Use room temperature filtered, distilled, or rain water for the best results. Tap water with high mineral content can damage sensitive hydrangea blooms over time. Adding hydrating foliar sprays can help keep blossoms looking their best.
Using the Right Potting Mix
Hydrangeas prefer a rich, fertile, and fast-draining potting mix amended with compost or leaf mold. Aim for a soil pH between 5.2 and 5.5, which encourages vibrant blue flower colors in most varieties. An acidic mix specially formulated for hydrangeas or azaleas is ideal.
When potting or repotting, choose a container with drainage holes about 2 inches wider than the root ball. This allows enough room for growth without leaving excess soil to get waterlogged. Terra cotta pots help wick away moisture.
Fertilizing for Healthy Growth
Feed indoor hydrangeas weekly during the active growing season with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength. Look for options formulated for acid-loving plants. Once blooms fade in fall, cut back to monthly fertilizing, then stop completely through winter dormancy.
If using slow release pellets or spikes, apply once in early spring as growth resumes. Supplementing with compost tea or seaweed extract provides micronutrients for strong roots and lush foliage.
Troubleshooting Common Hydrangea Problems
Growing hydrangeas indoors comes with some potential challenges. Here are solutions to a few common issues:
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Wilting leaves: Increase watering frequency and check for root rot. Move plant away from heating vents or drafty areas.
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Leaf edges turning brown: Indicates low humidity. Mist leaves daily or use a pebble tray. Avoid positioning near A/C vents.
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Leaf spots/mold: Can be caused by overwatering or high humidity. Improve airflow and cut back on watering. Remove affected leaves.
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Leggy growth: Not enough sun. Move plant to brighter location or supplement with grow lights. Prune back to shape.
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Failure to bloom: Could be due to insufficient light, over-fertilization, or improper pruning.
Getting Hydrangeas to Rebloom Indoors
With proper care, certain hydrangea varieties can rebloom indoors year after year. Here’s how to encourage subsequent flowerings:
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Provide bright, indirect light to initiate bud development. Supplemental lighting may be needed in winter.
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Allow the plant to go dormant once fall blooms fade. Place in a cool room (50-55°F) with reduced watering for 6-8 weeks.
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In late winter, move back to normal indoor temps and resume watering. Prune back spent blooms.
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As new growth appears in spring, begin fertilizing weekly to fuel the next round of flowers.
Displaying Indoor Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas make stunning indoor displays. Here are some tips for showing them off to their best advantage:
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Place in an entryway, on a front porch or patio, or anywhere their colors can be admired.
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Group together for a bold mass of blooms. Combine colors for impact.
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Allow mophead varieties to trail over the edges of shelves, mantels, or balcony railings.
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Use as a centerpiece on dining or coffee tables.
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Feature in large floor vases or planters to take advantage of mature size.
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Pair with cool hues like blues, greens, and whites for a tranquil look.
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Add interest by interplanting with trailing ivy, ferns, or flowering ornamental kale.
Enjoy the Beauty of Hydrangea Houseplants
When provided with the proper care, hydrangeas can add incredible elegance and spirit to indoor spaces. Their lush blossoms will energize any room with gorgeous color. Follow this guide for tips on lighting, watering, pruning, and troubleshooting to keep your hydrangeas thriving happily indoors. The efforts will be rewarded with their spectacular blooms for years of enjoyment.
How to Care for Hydrangea Indoors
If the hydrangea is a gift, remove any foil wrapping. Keep in mind that hydrangeas sold during the holidays may not be hardy enough to survive indoors. If you really want to grow hydrangea as a houseplant, you might do better with a plant from a greenhouse or nursery.
Move the hydrangea into a large container filled with high quality potting mix. Place the plant where it receives bright light. Outdoor grown hydrangeas tolerate light shade, but indoor plants need plenty of light (but not intense, direct sunlight).
Water your potted hydrangea houseplant frequently when the plant is blooming but be careful not to overwater. Decrease the amount of water after blooming but never allow the potting mix to become bone dry. If you can, use distilled water or rainwater to water your potted hydrangea houseplants instead of tap water, which usually has chlorine and other chemicals in it.
Use a humidifier if the indoor air is dry or place the plant on a humidity tray. Hydrangea is happiest in a cool room with temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees F. (10-16 C. ), especially during blooming. If the leaves turn brown and crispy on the edges, the room is probably too warm.
Protect the plant from drafts and heat sources. While the plant is blooming, feed it once a week with a water-soluble fertilizer that has been diluted to half strength. Thereafter, cut back to one feeding per month.
When growing hydrangea as a houseplant, a period of dormancy during fall and winter is recommended. Move the plant into an unheated room with temperatures around 45 degrees F. (7 C. ). The potting mix should stay dry, but you can give the plant a little water here and there to keep it from wilting.
Beginner’s Guide to Hydrangea Care | Lazy Gardener’s Guide to Hydrangeas
FAQ
How long do indoor hydrangeas last?
Can hydrangeas survive indoors?
How do you care for an indoor hydrangea?
How often should I water an indoor hydrangea?
How do you care for a hydrangea?
Hydrangea like bright, indirect light away from excessively dark situations. Although an hour of direct sunlight in the early morning is perfect for growth, be sure not to fall in the trap of sun-scorch and dehydration in the excess sun. Provide near-constant moist soil, allowing the soil’s top third to dry out in between waters.
Can hydrangeas grow outside?
You may need to place it outside, depending on the weather. As a perennial, hydrangeas do best if you give them a period of dormancy, and this is after they have bloomed, between fall and winter. Place the potted plant in an area that’s cool, say 50 degrees, and keep the soil moist. Growing hydrangeas indoors is possible.
Do hydrangeas need a humidifier?
If possible, water potted hydrangea houseplants with distilled water or rainwater, as tap water generally contains chlorine and other chemicals. Use a humidifier if the indoor air is dry or place the plant on a humidity tray. Hydrangea is happiest in a cool room with temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees F. (10-16 C.), especially during blooming.
How do you grow a hydrangea indoors?
Move the hydrangea into a large container filled with high quality potting mix. Place the plant where it receives bright light. Outdoor grown hydrangeas tolerate light shade, but indoor plants need plenty of light (but not intense, direct sunlight).