Hydrangea Section Macrophyllae Cultivars E–F

'Eisvogel'

(Teller Series, introduced 1979) Flowers deep blue to strong pink, very pH really pH? sensitive; sepals of sterile flowers large; free-flowering. Height to about 1.5 m. A favourite at the Hydrangeas Plus nursery in Oregon, where it is one of the first to start flowering, continuing well into autumn, and recommended for dried cut flowers (Hydrangeas Plus 2024). Boebel (2011) found it flowers well in upstate New York, at least as a younger potted plant. Less widely grown in Europe than many Tellers, van Gelderen & van Gelderen (2004) found the foliage unattractive and prone to chlorosis. From the same very successful cross as ‘Blaumeise’ and ‘Nachtigall’: (‘Möwe’ × ‘Glärnisch’) × (‘Bodensee’ × ‘Enziandom’) (Hempel, Hohe & Tränkner 2018). Eisvogel is the Kingfisher.

Endless Summer® Series

A series of remontant, cold-hardy mopheads and lacecaps marketed by Bailey Nurseries, Minnesota, at least those described here linked to their collaboration with Michael Dirr and colleagues of University of Georgia / Plant Introductions International. The initial ‘Bailmer’ (ENDLESS SUMMER®) was a ‘find’, and ‘Blushing Bride’ was bred from it, but later introductions from the Georgia breeding programme inherit remontancy from ‘Penny Mac’, an independent find, and have H. serrata in their genetic background. These are ‘Bailmacfive’ (SUMMER CRUSH®), ‘Lady in Red’, ‘Piihm-I’ (TWIST-N-SHOUT®), and ‘Piihm-II’ (BLOOMSTRUCK®). (Dirr 2021; Endless Summer 2024)

'Enziandom'

Flowers with large sepals, blue/pink, in large, solid heads; when blue a wonderful, intense shade, drying metallic blue; able to flower on side shoots, hence long-flowering; blooms reasonably in colder areas. Stems strong, height about 1.25 m in height. Introduced 1950 by August Steiniger, Germany. A classic among the bluer mopheads. The trade designation GENTIAN DOME is simply a translation of the cultivar name. (Boebel 2011; Church 2007; Foster 2023; van Gelderen & van Gelderen 2004; Association Shamrock 2022).

In blue mode, Hydrangea 'Enziandom' flowers are a wonderful, intense colour (Hergest Croft, Herefordshire, UK; 9 July 2025). Image Rowan Griffiths.

Hydrangea 'Enziandom', a mophead with dense heads and large sepals; an ability to flower on some side shoots lengthens the flowering season (Hergest Croft, Herefordshire, UK; 17 July 2025). Image Rowan Griffiths.

Hydrangea 'Enziandom' with the full range of floral organs emerging at the centres of many 'sterile' flowers (Hergest Croft, Herefordshire, UK; 26 July 2025). Image Rowan Griffiths.

Hydrangea 'Enziandom' still in pink mode three years after planting out in acidic soil alongside blue examples of the cultivar (Hergest Croft, Herefordshire, UK; 9 July 2025). Image Rowan Griffiths.

Hydrangea 'Enziandom' has strong stems to around 1.25 m (Hergest Croft, Herefordshire, UK; 17 July 2025). Image Rowan Griffiths.

'Europa'

Flowers blue / lilac / deep pink, sometimes a rather indeterminate colour on pH neutral soils, with strongly serrated sepals, turning red in autumn and good for drying. Vigorous, height about 2 m. A classic old mophead, introduced 1931 by Heinrich Schadendorf, Germany, along with rather similar but perhaps better sister seedlings ‘Altona’ and ‘Hamburg’. (Church 2007; van Gelderen & van Gelderen 2004; Boebel 2011; Association Shamrock 2022).

Hydrangea 'Europa', a classic mophead, here in blue mode on very acidic soil (private garden, Ayrshire, UK; 24 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea 'Europa' has strongly serrated sepals, at least on most flowers (private garden, Ayrshire, UK; 24 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Everlasting® Series

Some cultivars from the European Magical® Series were initially marketed as Everlasting® Series in North America by Plants Nouveau; the Magical® brand is now used on both continents.

'Fasan'

(Teller Series, introduced 1979) Flowers tending towards a strong red-pink, ‘about as red as a macrophylla can be in neutral soils’ (Boebel 2011), but purplish on acidic soils; sterile flowers large, usually in a double ring; free-flowering, sometimes with late flowers on side shoots. Strong shoots to about 1.5 m (Church 2007; Foster 2023; van Gelderen & van Gelderen 2004). A popular, gardenworthy Teller; Fasan is the Ring-necked Pheasant, referencing the red wattle on the male bird’s head. In upstate New York, it will flower using Tim Boebel’s (2011) method (see under Hydrangea macrophylla).

Hydrangea 'Fasan', a strong red-pink lacecap (nursery stock, Chelsea Flower Show). Image Maurice Foster.

'Fischers Silberblau'

Flowers with rounded, entire sepals, initially cupped, pale silvery blue / pink, with distinctive paler veins, the colour fading in full sun. Compact, height to about 1 m. Double starred by Haworth-Booth (1984) as capable of flowering on the current year’s shoots, although Foster (2023) demurs. Introduced 1930 by Fischer of Wiesbaden, Germany. (van Gelderen & van Gelderen 2004; Lawson-Hall & Rothera 1995; Association Shamrock 2022)

Hydrangea 'Fischers Silberblau' is well named. Image Maurice Foster.

Flair & Flavours® Series

Varieties bred by Spring Meadow Nurseries, Michigan, but licenced in Europe through Valkplant, The Netherlands, under the Proven Winners® brand as used in North America (Valkplant 2024). We include ‘Mak2’ (BLACKBERRY PIE), ‘Mak20’ (COTTON CANDY / BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE), and ‘SMNHSI’ (FROZEN SMOOTHIE).

'French Cancan'

(Rendez-vous Series) Sterile flowers large, pale lilac / pale pink with darker, dentate – almost frilly – margin; fertile flowers pigmented. Height to perhaps 1 m. Selected 2012 or before by French nursery Sicamus, and marketed in the European pot plant trade; we have no reports on its long term garden performance. (Sicamus 2024; Promesse de Fleurs 2024; Royal Horticultural Society 2023; Association Shamrock 2022)

The 'frilly' sterile flowers of Hydrangea 'French Cancan' may effectively hide the fertile flowers (13 July 2022). Image Maurice Foster.

'Freudenstein'

Flowers with large sepals, purplish/pink but tending towards pink; blooms quite well even in cold areas. Height 1–1.5 m. Introduced 1966 by the Swiss breeder Haller, several of whose cultivars were named for castles (Boebel 2011; Church 2007; van Gelderen & van Gelderen 2004; Association Shamrock 2022). Regularly stunning in autumn for Richard Pitts, Devon, UK (pers. comm. 2023).

Hydrangea 'Freudenstein' in autumn, the ageing flowers a superb, rich colour (Avenue Cottage, Ashprington, Devon, UK; 17 October 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

'Frillibet'

Flowers with strongly serrate sepals, giving the whole dense inflorescence a frilly look, cream opening to powder blue / pale pink; free- and early-flowering; height to 1.25 m, sometimes rather floppy (Boebel 2011; Church 2007; Lawson-Hall & Rothera 1995). Dating from the 1950s, the name is generally attributed to Michael Haworth-Booth, UK, although he does not mention it in the 1984 edition of his book. It has been claimed as a branch sport on the white-flowered ‘Madame Émile Mouillère’ (van Gelderen & van Gelderen 2004; Edwards & Marshall 2019), although the International Register equates it with the old French cultivar ‘Vice-Président Truffault’ (Association Shamrock 2022).

'Antique' tones in Hydrangea 'Frillibet' late in the season (Avenue Cottage, Ashprington, Devon, UK; 17 October 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea 'Frillibet' has dense inflorescences. The sterile flowers are cream at first, with notably serrated sepals (Avenue Cottage, Ashprington, Devon, UK; 17 October 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

'Fuji-no-shirayuki'

Sterile flowers white, double; fertile flowers white; long flowering; spreading habit, height to about 0.5 m. Origin Japanese. (Foster 2023; van Gelderen & van Gelderen 2004; Association Shamrock 2022)

'Fuji-no-taki'

Sterile flowers creamy white from green buds, ageing green, neatly double with many extra sepals; fertile flowers white; intermediate between lacecap and full mophead form with sterile flowers scattered across the inflorescence. Long flowering, from June in Southern England; height to about 1 m. ‘Indispensable’ for H. serrata connoisseur Maurice Foster. Origin Japanese, before 1980; the name could be rendered ‘Mt. Fuji Waterfall’. (Foster 2023; van Gelderen & van Gelderen 2004; Association Shamrock 2022)

Hydrangea serrata 'Fuji-no-taki' (RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey, UK; 27 June 2024). Image Jack Aldridge.

Hydrangea serrata 'Fuji-no-taki' in autumn (Avenue Cottage, Ashprington, Devon, UK; 17 October 2023). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea serrata 'Fuji-no-taki' with neat double sterile flowers (Savill Garden, Surrey, UK; 24 June 2024). Image Julian Sutton.

Hydrangea serrata 'Fuji-no-taki' (Savill Garden, Surrey, UK; 24 June 2024). Image Julian Sutton.

'Fuji Waterfall'

Registered as a cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla subsp. serrata (i.e. H. serrata) by Terra Nova Nurseries, Oregon, in 2001, noting ‘The original plant was selected in Japan in 1997. This clone is characterised by very large flower clusters of white double sterile and fertile flowers’ (Bertrand 2007). The Register currently lists it as a selection of H. serrata (Association Shamrock 2022). Marketing material on the Terra Nova website includes an image showing rather broad leaves and flowering only at shoot tips, suggesting at least some H. macrophylla influence, as well as a picture of pale pink flowers (Terra Nova Nurseries 2024). Numerous North American nursery descriptions mention that flowers may be pale pink or blue on some soils, white on others. Some in North America have suggested that it is a renaming of ‘Sumida-no-hanabi’ (e.g. Singing Tree Gardens 2024). The RHS Horticultural Database (Royal Horticultural Society 2024) claims it as a synonym of H. ‘Fuji-no-taki’, but that is not the plant shown in the Terra Nova images; this point of confusion may be because the two names share a meaning. The name is current in nurseries on both sides of the Atlantic.

Double flowered Hydrangea 'Fuji Waterfall' (private garden, Ayrshire, UK; 24 August 2023). Image Julian Sutton.