Hydrangea macrophylla is a deciduous shrub that grows 3-6’ tall and wide. It features dark green leaves and large clusters of flowers which are either lace cap or mophead in structure. ‘Gilded Lace’, which grows 5’ tall, is a lace cap with light blue flowers and striking gold mottling on the leaves. Flower color is dependent on the soil in which the hydrangea is planted – blue in acidic soils and rose-pink in alkaline soils – and color will change as the flowers age.

This plant is hardy to zones 6-9 and will not survive Chicago’s harsh winters unless given a sheltered site, winter mulch and a burlap wrap. Plant in moist soil in part shade; attractive when massed in a shrub border or used as a specimen plant.