The most common reason for hydrangeas wilting is because of dry soil. Hydrangeas require the soil to be consistently and should be watered often in hot weather to prevent the hydrangea leaves and flowers wilting. Small pots dry out too quickly and do not hold enough moisture causing hydrangeas to wilt.
To revive a wilting hydrangea, give the soil a good watering, apply a layer of mulch to help conserve water and ensure your hydrangea is in a location out of the wind and in either dappled light or morning sun followed by afternoon shade.
Here is a table listing the most common reasons for wilting hydrangeas:
| Wilting Hydrangea: | Reason for Wilting Hydrangea: |
| Hydrangea Wilting Due to Drought: | Hydrangeas require the soil to be consistently moist around the roots and wilt quickly when the soil is dry either due to a lack of watering or soil that drains too quickly. |
| Too Much Sun: | Hydrangeas prefer morning sun followed by afternoon shade or dappled light during the day. Too much sun causes the leaves to wilt and scorch a brown color. |
| Hydrangea in Small Pots: | Small pots heat up too quickly for hydrangea roots to draw up moisture. |
| Hydrangea in Pots without Drainage Holes in the Base: | Hydrangeas require consistently moist soil but do not tolerate saturated soil which causes root rot. |
| Hydrangea Wilting After Planting: | Hydrangeas often wilt after planting due to transplant shock. The contrast in sun, soil, airflow, temperature can all cause the hydrangea leaves to wilt. Roots need time to establish before drawing up moisture. |
| Competing Roots From Other Plants: | Roots from nearby plants can compete with your hydrangea for water and nutrients which may contribute to your hydrangea wilting. |
| Too Much Fertilizer: | Using fertilizer too often or in too high concentration can cause drooping growth on your hydrangea and cause it to display fewer flowers. |
| Too Much Wind: | Hydrangeas grow naturally in woodland with protect from wind. Too much wind saps moisture from the large hydrangea leaves and causes them to wilt. |
Keep reading to learn what is causing your hydrangea to wilt and how to implement the solutions to revive your wilting hydrangea…
Hydrangea Wilting Due to Dry Soil Conditions
The word hydrangea is derived from ‘hydra’ meaning water which is an indication of the preferred conditions of hydrangea plants.
The most common reason for a wilting hydrangea is drought stress due to poor soil, lack of watering or rainfall and excess heat. Hydrangeas require the soil to be consistently moist around the root system to avoid a wilting appearance.
Hydrangeas grow naturally in woodland environments in dappled light, with soil that is composed of lots of organic matter (leaf mold) that retains lots of moisture around the root system.
If your hydrangea is in an area of full sun or sun during the middle of the day and the afternoon (when temperatures are highest) then the hydrangea leaves can scorch brown and wilt as the large leaves are losing more moisture then the roots can draw up.
Sandy or stony soils also drain too quickly for the hydrangea roots to draw up moisture causing dry soil conditions which results in the hydrangea leaves and flowers wilting.
Hydrangeas are also one of the first plants in the garden to suffer with wilting leaves in a heat wave or drought thanks to their high demand for moisture.
Therefore to prevent a hydrangea from wilting it is important to recreate their preferred conditions in your garden…
How to Revive a Wilting Hydrangea Suffering Drought Stress
- Plant, transplant or move the hydrangea (if it is in a pot) to an area of morning sun followed by afternoon shade (or dappled light during day). Morning sun ensures the hydrangeas has enough sunlight to display flowers and shade in the afternoon protects the hydrangea from the hottest part of the day to prevent the leaves scorching and wilting.
- The best time to transplant hydrangeas is in the Spring or Fall rather then Summer, to allow the hydrangea’s roots system to establish in the soil without having to contend with intense Summer temperatures. If your hydrangea is wilting in the Summer I would advise you to shade your hydrangea temporarily in the afternoons until it is safer to transplant the hydrangea in Fall when temperatures are cooler so it has the best chance of reviving.
- If your soil is sandy, stony and draining very quickly then ideally you should replant the hydrangea in an area of the garden that has been well prepared with lots of compost, leaf mold or well rotted manure to a depth of 18 inches (to accommodate the hydrangea’s root system) which helps to recreate the moist soil conditions that hydrangeas require to prevent wilting.
- If it is too difficult to remove your wilting hydrangea then give your hydrangea a really generous soak with a hose to ensure the soil is evenly moist and then apply a 2 inch layer of mulch to the surface of the soil around your hydrangea to help conserve moisture.
- The best materials for mulch are compost, leaf mold, or well rotted manure as all three materials retain moisture, improve the soil structure and add nutrients to the soil. Apply a mulch a the start of Spring every year after soaking the soil and ensure that the mulch is not in contact with the growth above ground as consistently moist material can rot the living wood that is above the soil line.
- Water your hydrangea as often as required to keep the soil moist (but not saturated). Exactly how often to water hydrangeas depends on a wide variety of factors so there is no universal advice when it comes to how often to water your hydrangeas. Ensure the soil is moist to a fingers depth. If the soil feels as though it is starting to dry, give the hydrangea a generous soak.
- Always water hydrangea thoroughly. Watering too lightly encourages the roots to grow to near the surface which can cause the hydrangeas to be more vulnerable to drought. Watering thoroughly helps to encourage the roots to establish in the ground which increases the hydrangeas resistance to drought.
By recreating the hydrangeas preferred growing conditions and ensuring that the surrounding soil is consistently moist they hydrangea should recover from its wilting appearance.
Hydrangea Wilting After Planting
The reason hydrangeas wilt after planting is because of transplant shock, caused by a contrast in soil, light, and watering conditions from the environment in which the hydrangea was grown to the conditions of your garden. Hydrangea leaves wilt as the roots are not established and cannot uptake enough water.
When hydrangeas are cultivated in nurseries to be sold commercially they are grown in a very specific, controlled green house environment. Conditions such as temperature, humidity, watering, sunlight, air flow soil structure are all consistent and designed to grow the hydrangeas for sale.
The hydrangea adapts to growing in this specific controlled environment. When you plant your hydrangeas in your garden the contrast in conditions can cause transplant shock as the hydrangea has to adapt to a new set of conditions.
This shock often causes the hydrangea to wilt as a sign of stress.
The roots has to adapt to a new soil structure which may not retain as much moisture or perhaps the increased air flow is sapping too much moisture from the leaves.
If the leaves are losing too much moisture they hydrangea wilts as a survival strategy as wilting effectively reduces the surface area of the leaf from which it can loose water, until the roots can establish in the new soil and draw up water more effectively.
For this reason I recommend buying new hydrangeas from a nursery that is close to your home, as they are more likely to be suited to the local conditions whereas some large garden centers can even import hydrangeas from different counties so they are not as well adapted to the local climate.
How to Revive a Wilting Hydrangea After Planting
- Ensure the hydrangeas is planted in the right conditions and in the optimal location. This means the hydrangeas should be in dappled light or morning sun followed by afternoon shade, be planted in consistently moist soil amended with organic matter, out of the wind, and watered as often as required to ensure the soil is consistently and evenly moist.
- Even with the best of conditions and locations hydrangeas can still wilt as they adjust to the new soil conditions. In the meantime, water the hydrangea often to encourage root development and the hydrangea should start to revive.
- Apply a 2 inch layer of mulch around any hydrangeas that have just been planted. This helps to conserve moisture in the soil and prevent the sun shining directly on the soil which can dry it out too quickly.
- If possible shield your hydrangea from direct sun if it is still wilting after planting. Wind breaks can act as a good temporary shade and prevent too much airflow from drying out the leaves which causes them to wilt.
The most important thing to remember is that the roots require time to establish after planting which means the hydrangea cannot uptake moisture as effectively until it becomes more established.
This is why frequent watering is so important for wilting hydrangeas after planting.
A layer of compost used as mulch is a really effective way to conserve moisture in the soil to create the right conditions for your wilting hydrangea to revive after planting.
After a few weeks the hydrangea should adjust to its new conditions and the leaves should recover from their wilted appearance.
(Read my article, how to revive a dying hydrangea).
Potted Hydrangea Wilting
The reason for potted hydrangeas wilting is often because the pot is too small or pots without drainage holes in the base. Hydrangeas require consistently moist soil. Small pots dry out much quicker which results in a wilting hydrangea.
Pots without drainage cause the soil to become saturated and the hydrangea wilts and dies from root rot.
Hydrangeas have lots of leaves that have a large surface from which to lose water. Hydrangeas quickly wilt in dry soil as they rely on moisture at the roots to draw up enough moisture to support the large leaves.
Hydrangeas have extensive and thirsty root systems that can quickly out grow a pot. Smaller pots have less capacity for soil and therefore hold much less moisture so they hydrangea can quickly wilt even after watering.
If the pot does not have drainage holes in the base or there is a tray or saucer underneath then this can prevent excess water draining and cause the soil to become saturated.
If the soil is saturated and water is pooling around the roots then this excludes oxygen from the soil which prevents root respiration.
If the roots cannot respire as they do not have access to oxygen then this interferes with the roots ability to draw up moisture and nutrients from the soil to transport around the plant.
If the roots cannot transport water or nutrients around the plant the leaves wilt and can turn yellow. If the roots are in saturated soil for too long this causes root rot and results in a dying hydrangea.
How to Revive a Hydrangea Wilting in a Pot
- Always plant hydrangeas in a large pot that is at least 12 inches across with the same proportional depth. A pot this size can contain enough soil to hold enough moisture for most hydrangeas. However you may have to repot depending on the size of the hydrangeas. It is worth checking to see whether your hydrangea roots are pot bound. If replant your hydrangea in a much larger pot.
- I personally recommend adding some leaf mold to your potting mix as leaf mold has an exceptional capacity to retain moisture and replicates they typical soil conditions of the hydrangeas native environment. This helps to maintain the optimal balance of moisture for hydrangeas to prevent wilting.
- Water hydrangeas in pots as frequently as required to ensure that the soil is moist but not saturated. Pots naturally dry out much quicker then if the hydrangea were planted in a garden boarder so be diligent with your watering. As soon as they soil starts to dry out to a fingers depth, give the pot a generous watering to revive the wilting hydrangea.
- Plant hydrangeas in clay, ceramic or terracotta pots as they tend to be thicker and do not heat up as much as plastic or metal pots and planters.Thin plastic pots heat up in the sun much quicker which dries out the soil to quickly for the hydrangea roots to draw up the moisture they require which results in wilting.
- Always plant hydrangeas in pots with drainage holes in the base. Whilst hydrangeas prefer the soil to be consistently moist they do not tolerate saturated, boggy soil so good drainage at the base of the pot is important. Transfer your hydrangea to a pot with holes in the base as quickly as possible and ensure that excess water does pool underneath the pot by using feet to elevate the pot off the ground.
As a hydrangea matures the roots system can be quite extensive so whenever I see hydrangeas wilting in pots, I always check whether the roots are pot bound or not.
Hydrangeas need a lot of potting soil around the roots as they prefer conditions to be consistently moist which is why a larger pot with a greater capacity for soil is so important when potting up hydrangeas.
Potted hydrangeas that are wilting can be revived if you replant the hydrangea in a larger pot, replace the potting soil and water as often as required so that the soil is moist.
Remember to keep the hydrangea in an area of morning sun followed by afternoon shade or dappled light throughout the day to help it revive and avoid leaf scorch.
If the potted hydrangea has been in saturated soil for a long time then it can be difficult to revive as the roots rot which kills the hydrangea.
Too Much Fertilizer Can Cause Wilting Hydrangea Leaves and Flowers
Too much nitrogen fertilizer applied too often or in too high concentration can cause excess foliage growth which grows weak, sappy and droops down with a wilting appearance. Excess nitrogen in the soil also causes the hydrangea to display fewer flowers then usual.
Hydrangeas are relatively heavy feeders and usually benefit from a fertilizer application in the Spring.
However too much nitrogen fertilizer tends to cause hydrangea stems and leaves to grow weak and sappy (and display fewer flowers) which causes it to wilt and it is more vulnerable to pests and diseases.
Excess nitrogen can also be from lawn fertilizers which can dilute in heavy rain and run off into garden boarders and affect hydrangeas.
There is not much you can do after the fertilizer has been applied and the hydrangeas has wilted or is drooping, other then scale back the use of fertilizer.
I recommend using a miracle-gro granular fertilizer that contains all the nutrients that the hydrangea requires and releases nutrients more slowly which prevents the hydrangea wilting or displaying fewer flowers.
(Read my article, why is my hydrangea not flowering?).
The hydrangeas should revive from its wilting appearance the following Spring.
(Read my article, why are my hydrangea flowers turning green?)
Key Takeaways:
- To revive a wilting hydrangeas, recreate the conditions of the hydrangea’s natural environment with dappled sunlight, shelter from excess winds and water the hydrangeas as often as required so that the soil is evenly moist. Apply a layer of mulch to help conserve moisture to help revive the wilted leaves.
- The most common reason for wilting hydrangeas is because of dry soil. Hydrangeas require consistently moist soil to meet the demand of their large leaves. Hydrangeas need to be watered as often as required to ensure the soil is moist to prevent leaves and flowers from wilting.
- The reason for wilting hydrangeas after planting is because of transplant shock. The contrast in soil, watering, sunlight and airflow causes the leaves to wilt as a sign of stress. The hydrangeas roots need time to establish in the soil after planting, to be able draw up water and revive the wilting leaves.
- Hydrangeas wilting in pots is often because the pot is too small and dries out too quickly for the hydrangea to draw up moisture resulting in wilting leaves. If the pot does not have drainage holes then excess water can pool around the roots which also causes the leaves to wilt.