Hydrangea Macrophylla – Francy Blue®™

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Francy Blue’ (Mophead Hydrangea)
Bigleaf Hydrangea | True-Blue Mophead Blooms

‘Francy Blue’ is a compact, bushy bigleaf (mophead) hydrangea selected for its reliable, rich blue flowerheads in appropriately acidic soils. Rounded, full blooms and neat foliage make it a standout for semi-shaded borders and containers. Excellent for cutting and summer colour.

Plant Care

Sun: Partial shade (best: morning sun / afternoon shade). Protect from harsh midday heat.
Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained. For true blue colour, use acidic mixes (pine bark, acid compost) and avoid lime.
Water: Moderate — keep evenly moist, especially during summer heat and in containers.
Fertilizer: Balanced feed in spring; optional light top-up mid-summer (avoid high-phosphorus “bloom boosters” if chasing blue).
Pruning: Light only. Remove spent heads and dead/weak wood after flowering; avoid hard pruning (flowers on old wood).
Top tip: To maintain the blue, apply a hydrangea “blueing” agent (aluminium sulfate) a few times through the growing season; keep soil pH ±5.0–5.5.

Specifications

• Botanical name: Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Francy Blue’

• Common name: Bigleaf / Mophead Hydrangea

• Growth habit: Compact, rounded, deciduous shrub

• Size: ±1.0–1.4 m H × ±1.0–1.4 m W (in SA garden conditions)

• Bloom time: Late spring/summer to early autumn

• Flower colour: Blue in acidic soils; may shift toward pink in neutral/alkaline conditions

• Bloom (head) size: ±15–20 cm diameter (medium–large mopheads)

• Uses: Borders, feature shrub, large containers, cut flowers; reliable colour for semi-shade

Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR)

This cultivar is protected under Plant Breeders’ Rights. Propagation is prohibited without written authorisation. Plants are supplied for ornamental use only.

Quick Facts

• Compact mophead with true-blue blooms in acidic soils

• 15–20 cm flower heads; great for cutting

• Thrives in partial shade with consistently moist, rich soil