CITYLINE® Rio

Hydrangea - Bigleaf

Hydrangea macrophylla

'Ragra'

Swipe to View More
Four blue blooms on Cityline Rio hydrangea "} Closeup of one large blue mophead bloom on Cityline Rio hydrangea Close up of purple and blue Cityline Rio hydrangea bloom Group of blue and pink Cityline Rio hydrangea blooms
  • Compact habit
  • Blue flowers
  • Disease resistant
Description

Tired of floppy, weak stemmed hydrangeas? So were we - that's why we introduced the Cityline® series. Developed in Germany where growth regulators are prohibited, this series of strong, compact hydrangeas also boast pure, rich colors. Cityline® Rio hydrangea is the best blue of the series, with true cobalt blooms; it is also one of the larger plants in this best-selling series.

USDA Zone
5 - 9 (-20°F/-28.9°C)
Exposure
Full sun, Part sun
Height
2 - 3'
Width
2 - 3'
Finish Time
.5 season
Type
Deciduous
Bloom Time
Summer
Flower Color
Blue, Pink
Foliage Color
Green
Liner Sizes
4", Quick Turn

Soil

Moist but well drained soils are best. Bigleaf hydrangeas may wilt in dry soils but also cannot take soggy conditions for any period of time. Tolerant of a range of soil pH levels, however, soil pH will influence flower color.

Pruning

Avoid pruning bigleaf hydrangeas, except to remove any dead wood. These hydrangeas cannot be cut back or trimmed at any time of the year without impacting the bloom for either the current season or the next.

Uses

Bigleaf hydrangeas are classic choices for flower gardens, cottage gardens, and seaside plantings. They also make a showy addition to foundation plantings and can be used for low hedges or edging.

Growing Tips

Bigleaf hydrangeas benefit from a good layer of shredded bark mulch and afternoon shade, particularly in hotter climates. Apply a granular fertilizer formulated for flowering shrubs (like a rose fertilizer) if leaves start to yellow.