Hydrangea macrophylla 'White Wave' (bigleaf hydrangea)
White Wave is a hefty white lacecap hydrangea that produces waves and waves of flowers - it's free flowering. Hefty and heavy and super stylish . . . like a chic friend who wears white garments all summer long. A natty dresser, is the term.
Oh, and look at the leaf in the picture. The dark green leaves are a cut above, literally, they have more serrations than most Hydrangea macrophylla (Madame Emile Mouillere is also a cut above this way).
The flowers are typically described as pearly white, which I'm interpreting literally too. Pearls are not pure white, they can have a faint pink tint to them in certain light. Similar to a pearl, White Wave tints pink or blue. The fertile florets of White Wave bigleaf hydrangea start white, then mature pinkish white in alkaline soils and bluish white in acidic soils. Likewise, the fertile flowers are either pink or blue - the fertile flowers being more vividly colored than the sepals.
The flowers start out light green, open in the pearly ways described, then again age to light green.
White Wave is not one of the compact or smaller hydrangeas. It's vigorous and stems are strong - the leaf picture shows how the current year's stems are slightly mottled. This will easily become a 5-6' tall bush.
- white lacecap
- large lacecaps
- single specimen and accent use
- large container use
- grouping and massing - large swaths
- flower and shrub borders
- tolerant of salt spray so great for maritime climates
- heat tolerant
- cut flowers
- Spring: dark green
- Summer: dark green
Yes, I've come to the conclusion that Hydrangeas don't like to have their flower color profiled and clinically categorized like we humans try to do to everyone and everything. Please keep in mind that flower color varies widly and wildly depending on soil pH and the amount of aluminum actually in your soil, the amount of time aluminum has been availalbe to the plant (did you add Al only last month?), the unique propensity of how each cultivar reacts to Al, and if the flower heads get a touch of sunshine as they age.
The flower color is not as you described, it seems darker to me.
Same issues as when it's paler; say after me, "a-lum-i-num-a-vail-a-bil-i-ty plus time plus cultivar plus a touch of sunshine."
This is science for sure, but also a whole lot of art. Enjoy the outcome Mother Nature deals!