Question about Changing the Colors of a Hydrangea

[CarolM]

Re: Pink vs. blue. If you buy a plant with a pic of a blue hydrangea and try to change to pink ( acid level), why do I get brown flowers?

[Kisal]

I have no direct experience with hydrangeas, other than what I learned from my grandmother. She was only interested in maintaining the blue color of hers, however.

[momo]

I've heard that it's more difficult to change them pink than it is to change them blue, but I've never tried so I don't know.

I think the most interesting thing about the Hydrangea color change is that it's opposite from almost everything else; most other pink to blue flowers (as well as Ph testing kits used in high school chemistry class) turn pink for acid and blue for base. I've always wondered why Hydrangeas are different.

[cynthia_h]

Here's an article written by The Helpful Gardener with some basics on hydrangea colors:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/hydrangea/2003/

Hope this helps.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9