Description
Botanical Name: Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Taube’
Common Name: ‘Blue Dove’ Lacecap Hydrangea, Bigleaf Hydrangea, ‘Tellers Blue’ Hydrangea, ‘Taube’ Lacecap Hydrangea
Description: ‘Taube’ (translates from German as dove or pigeon) is a compact lacecap cultivar. It is a member of the Teller Series of hydrangeas (Swiss series featuring names of native European birds), and is also sometimes commonly sold as ‘Tellers Blue.’ It grows to 3-5’ tall and wide, and typically blooms on old wood (flower buds are produced the previous fall and overwintered). The showy sterile florets are very large, generally forming an outer ring around the tiny fertile florets in the center of the flower head. When grown in acidic soils, the flowers are more blue; when grown in alkaline soil, the flowers are more pink. Regardless of the soil pH, flowers tend to gradually change color as they age. To me, the lacecaps are the most beautiful of the hydrangeas. Deciduous.
Best grown in rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils in part sun to part shade. Morning sun, afternoon shade is perfect. Plants generally need little pruning. If needed, prune immediately after flowering by cutting back flowering stems to a pair of healthy buds. Prune out weak or winter-damaged stems in late winter/early spring.
This plant in 3-gallon containers is 2-3′ tall and wide.
Fun Fact: The genus name Hydrangea comes from hydor meaning “water” and aggeion meaning “vessel”, in reference to the cup-like capsular fruit.
Specific epithet comes from the Greek words makros meaning large and phyllon meaning leaf in reference to plant leaves.
Hardiness Zones 6 – 9
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