Eclipse Hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Bailmacseven’ PP 30,359

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 5a-9b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Deciduous Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 4-5′

Width at Maturity: 4-5′

Spacing: 3-3.5′ for solid hedges or borders; 8’+ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Rounded, Mound

Flower Color: Raspberry Red in alkaline soil; Purple in acid soil

Flower Size: 1″ in 5-6″ diameter clusters

Flowering Period: Late Spring, reblooming in Summer to Fall

Flower Type: Single in 5-6″ rounded clusters

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Deep Purple-Black throughout the season

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: NA

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Part Shade, Morning Sun with Afternoon Shade, Evening Sun is fine

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (amend heavy clay to ensure good drainage), Loam, Sandy, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well Drained

Soil pH: 6.0 – 8.0 (Moderately Acid to Moderately Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Cold Temperatures (-20F), Heat, Humidity

Description

Just when we thought the breeders couldn’t come up with a really new and unique Hydrangea along comes Eclipse. We can’t say anything without talking about the foliage first. Eclipse is a true dark leaf mophead Hydrangea with deep purple to almost black foliage that retains its color throughout the season, even in warm climates. What’s more, from late spring through summer and well into fall abundant large clusters of flowers in shades of cherry to cranberry red or fuchsia to purple are a striking contrast to the foliage. The flowers are actually bicolor with each flower having a cream colored center. Eclipse has high disease resistance so is sure to be a standout and conversation piece throughout the seasons. At 4 to 5 feet tall and equally as wide, this dark beauty is a fine candidate for the landscape or in pots, planters and other containers that can be situated on patios, porches decks and around other outdoor sitting and living spaces.

Note: As with many other mophead Hydrangeas, you choose the color. An alkaline to neutral soil produces red flowers while and acidic soil produces fuschia to purple!

Learn more about soil pH and how to adjust it

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing to 4 to 5 feet tall and equally as wide, the Eclipse Hydrangea is ideal for use as an accent, in small groupings, or as a colorful hedge in home foundation plantings and landscape borders. It is also highly suitable for container culture. It is a fine addition to Hydrangea gardens, cottage and cut flower gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 3 to 3.5 feet apart for solid hedges or borders; 8 feet or more apart for space between plants

Growing Preferences

The Eclipse Hydrangea is very easy to grow in most any moist but well-drained soil of average fertility and part shade. We suggest at least 5 hours of direct sunlight per day or all day lightly filtered sun for best flowering. Morning and evening sun are fine with shade or filtered sun in the afternoon. You choose the flower color. An alkaline soil produces red flowers while an acid soil produces purple flowers. Learn more about soil pH and how to adjust it.

Note: Eclipse is an everblooming Hydrangea macrophylla species that produces its flowers from buds formed on both new and old wood.

For proper pruning time and techniques on various types of Hydrangea see: How To Prune Various Types of Hydrangea

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Hydrangeas.

How To Plant Hydrangeas In The Ground & Pots

How To Prune Various Types Of Hydrangea

How To Fertilize And Water Hydrangeas

Plant Long & Prosper!

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