Nikko Blue Hydrangea

Nikko Blue is an accepted cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla, a deciduous, bushy shrub with serrated green leaves. Its neat, dome-shaped flower clusters appear from midsummer into early autumn; they are bright blue in acidic soil and may shift toward lilac or pink as soil pH rises. ## Flowers and placement The [RHS profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/68352/hydrangea-macrophylla-nikko-blue-h/details) gives a mature height and spread of 1–1.5 m (about 3–5 ft). Site the shrub in partial shade, or in sun where soil remains reliably moist, and provide moist but well-drained clay or loam. Its rounded heads work well along a flower border and as cut flowers. Bigleaf hydrangeas also suit hedges and specimen planting, though flower color and performance vary with cultivar and site; see [Illinois Extension’s profile](https://web.extension.illinois.edu/shrubselector/detail_plant.cfm?PlantID=401) for general species culture and its note on ‘Nikko Blue’. ## Maintenance Maintain even moisture, especially during hot periods, and mulch to limit drying. These shrubs flower on previous-season growth, so keep healthy stems and reserve pruning for just after flowering; late frosts can damage buds formed for the next season.