Are Hydrangeas Butterfly Friendly?

Are hydrangeas valuable to butterflies?

Most garden hydrangeas are useless to butterflies. Farmer's hydrangeas usually thrive with sterile flowers, which do not produce nectar or pollen. Sometimes the flower balls have one garden hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) via fertile (fertile) flowers, which are of course suitable for butterflies and bees hidden out of reach under the densely packed pseudo-flowers.

But there is hope for the butterfly- and bee-friendly garden with hydrangeas. Please read on.

Which hydrangeas are friendly to butterflies?

Hydrangea growers are responding to the increasing demand for insect-friendly varieties. These Hydrangea varieties are hardy, easy to care for, decorative and Benevolent to butterflies:

• Butterfly shortensia 'Butterfly' (Hydrangea paniculata), white panicles of flowers, flowering period from June to September, height of growth 150-200 cm.
• Climbing Hydrangea 'Crug Coral' (Hydrangea petiolaris), coral-pink flowers from June to August, climbs to 4 m high.
• Panicle hydrangea 'Kyushu' (Hydrangea paniculata), white panicles of flowers, flowering period from July to September, height of growth 225-300 cm.

When and where do I plant a butterfly hydrangea?

The butterfly hydrangea 'Butterfly' is originally a panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata). So that the hydrangea keeps what the name promises, these are important planting criteria to note:

• The best planting time is in spring from mid-May.
• The ideal location is semi-shady, optionally sunny.
• The optimal soil condition is fresh to moist, humic, nutrient-rich, low in lime and acidic with a pH between 4.0 and 6.0.
• The planting depth is to be dimensioned in such a way that the root disc is flush with the garden floor.
• Planting distance in row planting is 50 cm to 80 cm, or 1 specimen per m².

How do I care for a butterfly hydrangea?

Planted in a partially shaded location in acidic soil, the butterfly ortensia turns out to be one easy-care ornamental plant. Important to note are a high water and nutrient requirements and a conditional winter hardiness in the first few years:

• If the soil has dried out, water it thoroughly with rainwater.
• Add liquid hydrangea fertilizer to the irrigation water weekly from March/April to the beginning of August.
• Bedding hydrangea before the first frost with straw and needles mulch.
• Ideally, pot hydrangeas should be overwintered frost-free.
• Cut back to 25 cm in March.