25 Common Hydrangea Problems and How to Fix Them

Hydrangeas are beautiful, but they can also leave gardeners scratching their heads. Some of the most common hydrangea problems include no blooms, wilting leaves, brown spots, flopping flowers, yellow foliage, and damage from pruning or cold weather.

The good news is that many common hydrangea problems can be traced back to a few simple causes, such as too much sun, poor watering habits, winter damage, pruning at the wrong time, or planting in the wrong location.

Below, we’ll walk through 25 of the most common hydrangea problems and explain what may be causing them and what you can do to help.

We’ve answered many of these questions over the years at Bobby & Lynn’s Plant Farm. This page brings some of the most common hydrangea questions together in one place so you can quickly find the help you need.

For more detailed growing information, visit our Hydrangea Care – The Complete Guide to Better Blooms.

Why Isn’t My Hydrangea Blooming?

This is probably the most common hydrangea question we hear.

A hydrangea may fail to bloom because of:

• Pruning at the wrong time
• Winter or late-spring freeze damage
• Too much shade
• Too much nitrogen fertilizer
• Deer browsing
• A plant that is still getting established
• Heat or drought stress
• Growing a variety poorly suited to the climate

The type of hydrangea matters too. Bigleaf hydrangeas may bloom on old wood, while panicle hydrangeas bloom on new growth.

Read more: Why Is My Hydrangea Not Blooming? 7 Surprising Reasons

Should I Cut Brown Hydrangea Flowers Off?

You can usually remove faded hydrangea blooms without hurting the plant.

This is called deadheading.

Cut just below the old flower head, being careful not to remove more stem than necessary, especially on bigleaf hydrangeas that may already be developing next year’s flower buds.

Deadheading is mostly cosmetic. Leaving old flowers on the plant usually does not hurt anything either.

See our Hydrangea Deadheading Guide for an easy visual reference.

When Should I Prune My Hydrangea?

That depends entirely on what type of hydrangea you have.

Panicle Hydrangeas

Panicle hydrangeas such as Limelight, Little Lime, Bobo and Quick Fire bloom on new wood.

They can normally be pruned in late winter or early spring before strong new growth begins.

Smooth Hydrangeas

Smooth hydrangeas such as Annabelle and Incrediball also bloom on new wood and can usually be pruned in late winter or early spring.

Bigleaf Hydrangeas

Many bigleaf hydrangeas bloom primarily on old wood.

Heavy pruning in fall, winter or spring can remove flower buds and leave you with a healthy green shrub but few or no flowers.

If you aren’t sure what hydrangea you have, identify it before pruning.

See our How to Prune Bigleaf Hydrangeas and Pruning Panicle Hydrangeas guides.

Proper pruning depends on the type of hydrangea you’re growing. The University of Georgia Extension’s hydrangea guidance also explains how different hydrangea types have different pruning requirements.

Why Are My Hydrangea Leaves Turning Yellow?

Yellow leaves can have several causes.

Common possibilities include:

• Too much water
• Poor drainage
• Drought stress
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Root problems
• Natural aging of older leaves
• Recently transplanted plants adjusting to their new location

Check the soil before automatically adding fertilizer.

If the ground stays constantly wet, drainage may be more important than feeding the plant.

Why Are My Hydrangea Leaves Getting Brown Spots?

Brown, purple or black spots are often associated with fungal leaf spot diseases, especially during warm, humid or rainy weather.

Remove badly affected fallen leaves and avoid regularly spraying water over the foliage.

Water near the base of the plant instead.

Leaf spots may look terrible without seriously threatening an otherwise healthy hydrangea.

Use our Hydrangea Leaf Spot Identification Chart to help narrow down the problem.

Why Are the Edges of My Hydrangea Leaves Turning Brown?

Brown or crispy leaf edges are frequently caused by environmental stress rather than disease.

Possible causes include:

• Hot afternoon sun
• Dry soil
• Recently transplanted roots
• Wind
• Excess fertilizer
• Salt buildup
• Heat reflected from pavement, brick or walls

Check soil moisture several inches below the surface before watering again.

How Often Should I Water a Hydrangea?

There isn’t one watering schedule that works for every hydrangea.

Weather, soil, plant size, sun exposure and how recently the plant was planted all matter.

Newly planted hydrangeas need closer attention while their roots become established.

Deep watering is generally better than lightly sprinkling the soil every day.

The goal is evenly moist soil — not permanently soggy soil.

See our Hydrangea Watering Guide for more help.

Why Does My Hydrangea Wilt in the Afternoon?

Hydrangeas can wilt during the hottest part of the day even when the soil contains moisture.

Large leaves lose water quickly during hot weather.

If the plant perks back up later in the evening or early the next morning, temporary heat wilt may be the cause.

Check the soil before automatically watering.

A hydrangea that remains wilted overnight deserves closer attention.

Why Are My Hydrangea Flowers Flopping Over?

Large hydrangea flowers can collect surprising amounts of rainwater.

Young branches and varieties with especially large flower heads may bend or flop following heavy rain.

Avoid automatically cutting the entire plant back.

Once the blooms dry, some stems may rise again.

You can also gently support heavily loaded branches if needed.

Read more: 7 Surprising Reasons Panicle Hydrangea Blooms Flop Over

Should I Cut Off Hydrangea Flowers After Heavy Rain?

Usually you don’t need to.

Give the flowers time to dry first.

If a branch is broken, remove the damaged portion cleanly.

If the branch is simply bent under the weight of wet flowers, it may recover as the flowers dry.

Can I Move an Established Hydrangea?

Yes.

The best time is generally when temperatures are cooler and the plant isn’t under severe heat stress.

Fall after temperatures moderate or early spring before strong growth begins are often easier than moving a large hydrangea during midsummer.

Dig as large a root ball as reasonably possible and water the plant carefully while it reestablishes.

Expect some temporary transplant stress.

My Newly Planted Hydrangea Is Wilting. Is It Dying?

Not necessarily.

Transplant shock is extremely common.

The root system may not yet be large enough to supply the leaves with water as quickly as they lose it.

Keep the soil consistently moist without keeping it waterlogged.

Temporary afternoon wilting can happen during the establishment period.

Can Hydrangeas Take Full Sun?

Some can handle much more sun than others.

Panicle hydrangeas generally tolerate sun better than bigleaf hydrangeas.

Even sun-tolerant hydrangeas may struggle with intense afternoon heat in hotter parts of the country.

Morning sun with some protection during the hottest afternoon hours can be an excellent location for many varieties.

See our Hydrangea Sun Requirements Chart.

Can Hydrangeas Grow in Shade?

Yes, but there is a difference between shade and deep shade.

Many hydrangeas perform beautifully with morning sun and afternoon shade.

Very heavy shade can lead to fewer flowers and weaker growth.

Panicle hydrangeas usually flower best when they receive a reasonable amount of sunlight.

Should I Fertilize a Hydrangea That Isn’t Blooming?

Not automatically.

More fertilizer does not always produce more flowers.

Too much nitrogen can actually encourage large amounts of leafy growth while reducing flowering.

First determine whether pruning, freeze damage, shade or another issue is responsible.

Is Holly-tone Good for Hydrangeas?

It can be useful when applied appropriately, but fertilizer should not be treated as a cure for every hydrangea problem.

Healthy soil, correct moisture, sufficient sunlight and proper pruning matter just as much.

Read our guide: Is Holly-tone Good for Hydrangeas? Avoid These Mistakes

Why Did My White Hydrangea Turn Green?

This can be completely normal.

Many white hydrangea flowers gradually develop green coloration as they mature.

Temperature, variety and flower age can all influence the change.

In many cases, the plant is perfectly healthy.

Read more: White Hydrangea Turning Green? 7 Surprising Reasons

Why Didn’t My Panicle Hydrangea Turn Pink?

Panicle hydrangea flowers often change from white to pink or reddish tones as they mature, but weather plays a major role.

Hot nights and prolonged heat can reduce or delay pink coloration.

Your hydrangea may be healthy even if the fall flower color doesn’t look exactly like the plant tag.

Can I Change a Hydrangea From Pink to Blue?

Only certain bigleaf and mountain hydrangeas can change flower color according to soil chemistry.

White panicle hydrangeas cannot be turned blue by changing soil pH.

Blue color generally develops when aluminum is available to the plant in sufficiently acidic soil.

See our Hydrangea Color Change Guide before trying to alter your soil.

Can I Root Hydrangea Cuttings?

Yes.

Hydrangeas are relatively easy to propagate from softwood cuttings during the growing season.

Choose healthy nonflowering growth when possible and keep the rooting medium consistently moist while roots develop.

Should I Remove Hydrangea Blooms Before Planting?

Usually you can leave them alone.

However, removing some flowers from a stressed or heavily blooming plant can reduce the demand on a small root system.

This can occasionally help a newly planted hydrangea focus more energy on establishment.

It isn’t required for every plant.

What Should I Do With a Clearance Hydrangea With Dead Flowers?

Don’t judge the entire plant by the flowers.

Inspect the stems, leaves and root system.

You can remove completely dried flower heads, plant the hydrangea correctly and concentrate on establishing healthy roots.

A rough-looking clearance hydrangea can sometimes become a beautiful plant with a little patience.

Why Did My Hydrangea Die Back During Winter?

Cold temperatures can kill stems while leaving the root system alive.

This is especially important with bigleaf hydrangeas because winter damage can destroy flower buds even when the shrub grows back vigorously in spring.

Don’t assume bare stems are dead too early.

Wait for spring growth and check stems carefully before removing them.

See our Hydrangea Frost Damage Guide.

Should I Cut My Hydrangea Down If It Has Leaf Spot?

Usually not.

Cutting the entire plant to the ground is rarely necessary for ordinary hydrangea leaf spot.

Remove fallen infected foliage, improve air circulation where possible and water at the soil level.

Most established plants can recover and produce healthy new growth.

Why Is One Hydrangea Growing Faster Than Another?

Even plants purchased at the same time can grow differently.

Differences can come from:

• Sunlight
• Soil drainage
• Root competition
• Moisture
• Plant genetics
• Planting depth
• Previous root damage

Compare the growing conditions before assuming the smaller plant needs fertilizer.

How Far Apart Should Hydrangeas Be Planted?

Spacing depends on the mature size of the variety.

A hydrangea listed as growing 3 feet wide shouldn’t automatically be spaced the same as one expected to reach 6 or 8 feet.

Give plants enough room to reach close to their mature width without constant pruning.

See our Hydrangea Spacing Guide.

How Do I Know What Kind of Hydrangea I Have?

Look at several clues:

• Flower shape
• Leaf shape
• Stem structure
• Mature size
• Blooming time
• Whether flowers are round, lacecap or cone-shaped

Panicle hydrangeas are especially easy to recognize because their blooms are typically cone-shaped.

Use our Hydrangea Identification Guide to help identify yours.

Still Trying to Figure Out What’s Wrong?

Start with the symptoms you can see.

Ask yourself:

Is the problem mainly with the leaves?

Is the plant wilting?

Are there no flowers?

Did the problem begin after transplanting?

Was there a freeze?

Has the weather been unusually wet or hot?

Was the plant recently pruned?

Those clues can usually narrow the possibilities quickly.

Our What’s Wrong With My Hydrangea? Symptom Chart is another good place to start.

Explore More Hydrangea Help

We’ve put together an entire collection of practical hydrangea resources, including watering, pruning, fertilizing, bloom timing, identification and troubleshooting guides.

Visit our Hydrangea Charts & Guides Library for quick-reference charts and infographics.

You can also follow our 12 Months of Hydrangea Care for Better Blooms guide to see what your hydrangeas may need throughout the year.

And if your question isn’t answered here, keep checking back. We’re continually adding new hydrangea questions based on the real problems gardeners run into. You may also submit your question via our contact page.