Founding florist
Tulipanna
Bondi NSW · est. 1992
A Bondi Road florist since 1992, with seasonal bouquets, arrangements, roses and potted orchids, and a weekly note on what's at market.
Seasonal cut flowerHydrangea macrophylla
Hydrangea: when it's in season in Australia
In season now (November 2026): No
Hydrangea is outside the listed Australian season in November. The national season is December to March. Local growing conditions and supply can change the timing. Check the state guide below and ask your florist about locally grown stems before ordering, especially near the beginning or end of the season.
- Right now
- Out of season in November
- Season
- December to March
- Vase life
- 7 to 15 days
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Written by Dan d'Auvergne
Season by state
Flowers and pets: check before bringing a bunch home
Season months drafted from koch.com.au, figandbloom.com, katehillflowers.com.au, flowersforeveryone.com.au. Availability varies by grower and region. See sources
Hydrangeas are a summer flower in Australia, at market from about December to March, with December the high point for fresh mopheads. In Victoria they carry on into autumn, when the heads age into the green, burgundy and dusky pink "antique" tones florists love, usually by April. Blues, pinks, whites and mauves are all grown locally. Heads are big and thirsty, so a floppy hydrangea usually just needs a long drink.
Where to buy hydrangea
In summer
Hydrangeas are at their freshest at the start of summer, and December is the high point for big mophead heads. They keep coming through January and February, and in Victoria the season runs on into autumn, when the heads age into antique greens and burgundies. Summer is also their hardest test. Those heads lose water fast, and a hot room or a sunny car seat will flop them quickly. Stand them in deep, cold water as soon as you get home, keep them away from air-con vents, and mist the heads late in the afternoon. If one droops, don't throw it out. A long soak usually brings it back. In the garden they are flowering now too, and they do best with afternoon shade.
Summer flower guideSold by the stem. Good value in summer when heads are big and plentiful.
How to choose good hydrangea
Press a head gently. It should feel firm and slightly papery, with no brown edges on the florets. Turn it over and check the back, where browning usually starts. The stem should be thick and woody at the base and the leaves crisp rather than limp. Avoid heads with soft, see-through florets or a sour smell coming from the bucket. One large mophead fills a small vase, and three make a full arrangement. December and January bring the biggest heads and the best value, while autumn is the time to hunt for the antique greens and burgundies.
Grown here or imported?
Hydrangea is not native to Australia, but it's grown here commercially.
Where it's grown
Hydrangeas like the cool, moist hill country of southern Australia. Cut-flower growers are concentrated in Victoria, especially the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley, with more in Tasmania, the NSW Southern Highlands and the Blue Mountains. Most are grown in the field on small flower farms, cut through summer and again in autumn for antique heads. In gardens they want morning sun, afternoon shade and plenty of water. Soil sets the colour of blue and pink types. Acid soil with aluminium available gives blue, and neutral to alkaline soil gives pink. White hydrangeas stay white whatever the soil.
Out of season, florists bring in imported stems. Ask your florist which you're buying: local stems are usually fresher and have travelled less.
Colours, varieties and care
Colours
- blue
- pink
- white
- mauve
- green
- antique burgundy
Varieties to ask for
- Mophead (H. macrophylla)
- Panicle (H. paniculata)
- Annabelle (H. arborescens)
Vase life
7 to 15 days
Making it last
- Choose heads with at least three quarters of the florets open and firm to the touch
- Recut stems on a sharp angle and stand in deep, cool water straight away
- Keep out of direct sun and heat, as heads wilt fast
- Revive a wilting head by submerging it in cool water for 30 minutes
- Mist the flower heads, as they also take up water through the petals
Using it at home
Hydrangeas fill a vase fast, so one or two heads carry an arrangement. A wide, deep vase or a ceramic jug holds the water they need. In summer they pair with lisianthus and garden roses for a soft cottage look, or with sunflowers for more colour. In December and January, blue heads sit well with lavender, and early in summer with delphinium. Over the weeks, fresh blues and pinks age into green, burgundy and dusty tones. Aged heads dry well if you stand them in a little water and let it evaporate.
Meaning
Traditionally a flower of gratitude and heartfelt emotion.
Where to see it growing
Sydney Flower Market
Flemington
Best months: all year
Melbourne Market flower market (National Flower Centre)
Epping
Best months: all year
Questions people ask
When are hydrangeas in season in Australia?
Hydrangeas are at their freshest from about December to March, peaking in December. In Victoria the season stretches into autumn, when the heads age into antique green and burgundy tones around April and May.
Why do my hydrangeas wilt so fast in summer?
The big heads lose water faster than the woody stems can take it up, and warm rooms speed that up. Recut the stems on a sharp angle, stand them in deep, cold water and keep them out of sun and air-con drafts. Misting the heads in the afternoon helps, because hydrangeas also take up water through their petals.
Can I dry hydrangeas from my garden in summer?
Fresh December heads tend to shrivel as they dry. Wait until late summer or autumn, when the heads have aged and feel papery, then cut them and stand them in a few centimetres of water until it evaporates, or hang them upside down somewhere dry and shaded. The aged, antique colours dry best.
How do I keep hydrangeas fresh at Christmas?
Recut the stems on a sharp angle and get them into deep, cold water straight away. Keep the vase out of the sun and away from air-conditioning vents, mist the heads in the late afternoon and change the water every day in hot weather. If a head flops, submerge it in cool water for 30 minutes and it usually comes back.
How do I revive a wilted hydrangea?
Recut the stem on a sharp angle and submerge the whole flower head in a sink of cool water for about half an hour. Hydrangeas take up water through their petals, so this usually brings them back.
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