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If the leaves of your hydrangea are burning, action must be taken. As soon as the foliage of the popular ornamental shrubs develops light or brown spots that start at the leaf tip, the hydrangea family is suffering from sunburn.
Hydrangea burned: change of location
The cause of a burnt hydrangea is always the location. Hydrangea prefer a semi-shady to shady spot in the garden, as they are originally forest plants that mainly grow at the foot of dense shrubs or tall trees. As soon as you realize that the hydrangea leaves are burning, your specimens are in too sunny a spot, which you should change as soon as possible.
Rule of thumb: To avoid heat damage, hydrangeas should be in the shade from 11 a.m. The wood naturally tolerates the evening sun better.
The location should therefore not only be dark enough:
- no southern exposure
- East or West facing recommended
- no direct sunlight
As the leaves recover over time, you need to pay more attention to the hydrangea's shoots. When the foliage burns, young shoots can dry up and need to be removed. It also becomes problematic when it comes to older, planted specimens. Hydrangeas are quite site-loyal and are difficult to plant elsewhere. For this reason, you must choose a suitable location before actually planting. If you want to plant a tub hydrangea that has been kept indoors until now, it must first be acclimated to the new conditions. Place the plant outdoors more often, preferably in the morning and evening. The midday sun is simply too intense for sensitive indoor plants.
Tip: Never water hydrangeas over midday or directly over the foliage. The water droplets act like a magnifying glass and increase the chances of burns, especially over the summer.
sun protection
If a change of location is not possible, you can equip your hydrangea with sun protection when the foliage has burned. A shade provider is a good idea if the plants are in a place that is exposed to direct midday sun or is constantly illuminated. Suitable for this purpose are:
- umbrellas
- shade nets
- Climbing plants on the trellis
If you have an idea other than sun protection, you can use that as well, as long as you give the hydrangea enough air and space. You can easily move tub specimens around midday if they get too much sun. Shade is especially important on hot summer days.
Leave foliage
One of the most important points after a hydrangea sunburn is the leaves. Ideally, you should not remove these, even if much of the plant is stained. The reason for this is the flowers. Hydrangea flowers are supported in growth by the foliage and are therefore dependent on them. Fortunately, since it is not a disease or a pest infestation, but only a care mistake, the green does not have to be removed. If the location is optimized, the hydrangea leaves will recover over time and new ones will be formed. The attractive buds will fare better as a result.
Notice: If you want to cut off the foliage, you can do that as long as you don't cut too deep or too much. To do this, place the cut under the next pair of leaves so that the plant can sprout and recover quickly.