Goodbye hydrangeas: gardeners call for an end to the planting of this grandmother’s flower as a losing battle

Gardeners in Spain and France are beginning to feel the effects of climate change, with rising and increasingly unpredictable temperatures making it challenging to keep their hydrangeas happy and thriving. These beautiful flowers are a mainstay of gardens across the Mediterranean region, but some are now being uprooted as they struggle to adapt to the shifting climate.

The threat posed by rapid changes in temperature to hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are cherished not only for their vibrant colors but also because they are perennials, meaning they go dormant in winter and bloom again in spring as temperatures rise. However, as climate change brings more frequent and unpredictable shifts in weather, some gardeners are finding that their flowers are struggling to keep up.

Part of the problem can be the rapid changes in temperatures that can easily damage the flower. Though the flower can survive temperatures as low as -5°F or -20°C, Stone Post Garden’s garden blog reports that “a period of unusually warm weather in late fall can negatively impact their cold hardiness.” Similarly, if cold temperatures come on very suddenly, the hydrangea buds can be damaged, and if “a hard frost of 25°F (-4°C) or below" occurs, it can outright “kill exposed blooms.”

What are the signs that your Hydrangeas are struggling?

In the summer months, these are some of the warning signs that your plant is suffering, reports the French outlet SFDS.

One, if you begin to see the flowers wilt or the leaves turn red. This is a sign that the heat is getting to your flower, but SFDS warns that providing it with shade may do more damage. “Dry air is the invisible enemy,” warn the garden experts, adding that “even protected from the sun,” the warm air will continue to damage the flowers.

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