How do I change the color of my hydrangea flowers?

Question

So, I've heard that people sometimes mix a bit of lemon juice in when they water blue hydrangeas, they say it keeps them blue if the soil is lacking in acid. I was wondering, I have a pink indoor hydrangea plant; would it be possible to alter the color by putting the lemon juice in? Would it possibly make it blue in time, or purple?

Answer 1

It really depends on the specific species of hydrangea that you have. It's mostly Hydrangea macrophylla, also called "big leaf" hydrangea (that's the Latin name literally!) that changes colour depending on the pH level of the soil.

In acidic soils (pH less than 7), the flowers are blue in colour (see pic 1), in neutral soils (pH = 7), it is very pale pinkish to nearly whitish (or light cream) and in alkaline soils (pH greater than 7), it is a bright pink or sometimes purple in colour (although, I've never managed to get it to turn purple). Wikipedia gives the following as the reason for the change in colour:

[The change in color with acidity] is caused by a color change of the flower pigments in the presence of aluminium ions which can be taken up into hyperaccumulating plants.

Usually, people throw their coffee grounds in the soil next to a hydrangea plant to increase the acidity and get it to turn blue. However, I've never heard of anyone using lemon juice to achieve this effect. Note that lemon juice has a higher acidity than coffee grounds (and I guess stronger than what hydrangeas would prefer) and I'm afraid you might actually damage the roots. If you must use lemon juice, then you might have to dilute it before feeding it to the plant.

If you'd like to play it safe, most gardening centers sell mixes to turn hydrangeas either blue or pink and you could get one of those and feed your plant. It really is worth trying it and a garden with multiple hydrangea plants, each a different shade is very beautiful.

1. Blue flowers (acidic soil)

2. Bright pink flowers (alkaline soil)

_{Images courtesy Wikimedia commons}

Answer 2

I would definitely not use lemon juice for the reasons already mentioned, but provided you don't have one of the varieties that have been bred to be a specific color, you could use aluminum sulfate to acidify your soil after testing its pH. I have used it myself and it is very effective, but it has to be applied carefully, as an overdose can be toxic.

Here is the advice given by the University of Minnesota Extension:

After planting:

1) Periodically retest your soil pH. Do not add any acidifying amendments if your soil pH is 5.0 or less.

2) To maintain good vegetative growth and acid soil conditions, use ammonium sulfate as the nitrogen source at the rate of 1 lb (or 2 cups) per 100 square feet (or a little less than a ¼ cup per 10 square feet). Ammonium sulfate is the best nitrogen source to help maintain soil acidity.

3) If your soil pH is greater than 5.5, use aluminum sulfate to help lower your pH and supply available aluminum at the same time. Note that aluminum sulfate is generally not recommended for lowering soil pH because high rates can injure most plants. Hydrangeas are the exception. Mix about 1 lb (2 cups) of aluminum sulfate per 5 gallons of water and then apply the solution around the drip line of the plant. Apply enough of the solution per plant to just saturate the soil. Repeat the application on a monthly basis as long as your soil pH is greater than 5.0. Caution - over application of aluminum sulfate can be toxic even to hydrangea. Monitor your soil pH periodically and only apply aluminum sulfate if your pH is greater than 5.0.

Answer 3

Changing the colour of hydrangea flowers involves altering the pH level of the soil, but using lemon juice to achieve this is not the best approach. Lemon juice is highly acidic and can disrupt the soil's natural balance or harm your plant if overused.

To turn pink hydrangea flowers blue or purple, you need to lower the soil's pH to make it more acidic (around 5.5 or lower for blue). Instead of lemon juice, consider using soil amendments like aluminium sulphate, which is specifically designed for this purpose. Follow the package instructions carefully to avoid over-application, and apply it gradually over several weeks.

For more tips on changing hydrangea colours naturally, take a look at this website, where I’m an author: hydrangea colour adjustment tips.

Keep in mind that indoor potted hydrangeas are grown in controlled conditions, and their response to pH changes might be slower or less predictable than outdoor plants. For purples, aim for a pH range between 5.5 and 6.0, as this creates a blend of pink and blue tones. Be patient, as colour changes can take a season or more to become noticeable.