Milflores/Mopheads

Description:

Milflores or Mopheads, is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to a height of 1.5 to two meters. It has large clusters of flowers with broadly oval sepals.

Habitat:

Hydrangea species are common and native to southern and eastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea, the Himalayas, and Indonesia). The plant is garden-cultivated but it can grow wild in high altitude areas and cooler places like Baguio. It is a popular hedge plant, and is also grown as a source of cut flowers. It also has medicinal value; its leaves, roots and flowers are considered anti-malarial and diuretic. The leaves also contain phyllodulcin, a sweet substance that can be used as a sugar substitute.

Notes:

What make this plant interesting are the flower colors, which include blue, red, pink, light purple, or dark purple. The colors tend to mirror the pH of the soil they are grown in. Acidic soils produce blue flowers, while neutral soils produce very pale cream petals. Use alkaline soil and you end up with or pink or purple flowers. The color change is the result of the presence of aluminum ions, which is taken up by the plant. The plant thrives under bright light but not under direct sunlight. It flourishes under cool temperatures. It can be planted on the soil or potted, using a potting mix rich in organic matter --usually a combination in equal parts of garden soil, compost, and sand. It requires regular watering as the potting media must remain moist but not too wet at all times. If the soil gets too dry, the plant will collapse or wilt. The Milflores will stay healthy if standard liquid fertilizers are applied every two weeks.