Can’t stand black spots on hydrangeas? Neither can I! I’m sharing the causes and solutions, plus why I ultimately decided to toss out my own mophead bigleaf hydrangeas!
My love of mophead bigleaf hydrangeas!
Ever since I can remember, I’ve adored the deep blue color of hydrangeas that I would see on Cape Cod, Massachusetts and in Newport and Nantucket, Rhode Island. (I used to live in New England and was lucky to visit those places a lot over the years.)
When we moved to our home in southern New Jersey, I planted two Endless Summer hydrangeas which did great for us, mainly because they were planted in a sunny location that also retained a ton of water. The garden was also in a windy location, so daily good air circulation was built in naturally.
When we redid our landscaping, we didn’t keep those hydrangeas — don’t ask me why as I’m shaking my head not understanding why myself.
Instead, I asked the landscapers for Pinky Winky hydrangeas (love them), Little Lime Hydrangeas (love them), bigleaf hydrangeas and two dwarf mophead hydrangeas (Pia hydrangeas).
The bigleaf hydrangeas arrived without a name, and I didn’t press the issue. They were a pink rose color, almost identical to the Pia hydrangea color. I planned to change the color to blue using a soil acidifier.
Here’s the short version:
The bigleaf hydrangeas weren’t placed properly when first planted — my fault for thinking these particular landscapers knew more than I did. So they quickly overtook their spots within a few years — even the dwarf ones.
Disclaimer: I’m a huge fan of true landscapers and landscape designers. Huge! I’m not a fan of landscapers who might say they know about plants but actually don’t. There’s a reason some landscapers are much cheaper than others. Do your research and get references.
The image above is the newly planted foundation garden (2014). Here’s what you see:
1 = Silver King Euonymus shrubs, which will form a hedge underneath our windows
2 = large unnamed mophead hydrangeas planted in between the hedge and an ornamental tree
3 = an ornamental maple tree
4 = Pia dwarf hydrangeas planted just in front of an ornamental tree
In addition to these bigleaf hydrangeas needing to be transplanted due to the overcrowding, they also were suffering from black spot.
Look at the overcrowding at the back of this bed, below:
These dwarf hydrangeas were fighting with the ornamental maple tree for space:
After a few years, we transplanted the five hydrangeas into our back yard garden and hoped for the best.
Are black spots on hydrangeas bad?
There are two diseases that can infect hydrangeas and cause these black spots. Dumbing it down for myself — and for you — here is the bare minimum you need to know.
First, there are several reasons we see black spots on hydrangea leaves:
- not enough air circulation between plants
- branches/stems too close together, especially near the base of the plant
- humidity
- overhead sprinklers
- lots of rain
Second, these “black spots” on the leaves of hydrangeas are primarily caused by wet and/or humid conditions.
The two diseases responsible are:
- Cercospora Leaf Spot (pronounced CIRCUS-SPORA)
- Anthracnose (pronounced AN-THRAK-NOES)
Yes, these black spots are bad, but there are remedies to get rid of them.
Next, a bit of background on these two diseases.
Cercospora Leaf Spot
Cercospora Leaf Spot happens when hydrangea leaves stay wet from either sprinklers or rain. This won’t kill your hydrangeas but obviously the leaves look horrible and most likely will fall off the shrub. Your hydrangeas infected with this may have less flower buds (and flowers) during the blooming season too. Cercospora may begin in one part of the shrub and spread to other parts.
Anthracnose
This disease is a fungus due to hot, humid weather. The fungus attacks the leaves and flowers of hydrangeas, making the familiar looking black spots, and it happens all over the shrub at the same time, versus starting in one spot. Anthracnose can stick around in your garden debris during the Winter, so you may have to treat your hydrangeas the following season.
How do I know which disease my hydrangeas have?
Both diseases mentioned above have slight differences in what the “black spots” look like on the leaves. Since both diseases are treated the same way — by using a copper fungicide — it’s more important to know how to treat the diseases versus which type of disease your hydrangeas have.
At least that’s my opinion. I’m sure there will be experts who may disagree, but as a home gardener I think it’s more important to know some general information and most important to know how to treat problems that crop up.
Helpful tip: There are plenty of images you can find doing a simple internet search showing examples of both diseases. In my opinion, I don’t think it’s crucial to know which one your hydrangeas have. Why? Because both are caused by wet and/or humid conditions and because the treatment solution is the same for both diseases.
Whether it is Cercospora or Anthracnose, the remedy is to treat the hydrangeas with a copper fungicide, usually in a spray form. I use Espoma Copper Soap, which you spray on the leaves. No matter which type of copper fungicide you use, follow package directions and know that you will have to stay on top of it!
Preventative measures to avoid getting black spots
There are several preventative measures you can take to help prevent black spot from taking over your hydrangeas.
- Thin out the stems your hydrangeas in early Spring, removing the oldest stems. Don’t remove more than 1/3 of the stems. You can also remove stems just after flowering. This will increase air flow, helping leaves dry out easily.
- Don’t over-fertilize your hydrangeas, as too much fertilizer can make them more susceptible to diseases. Use a slow-release organic fertilizer such as Espoma Holly-tone, rather than chemical-based fertilizers.
- Try to avoid using overhead sprinkler systems with your hydrangeas. Water them at the base of the plant, using a garden hose or drip hoses. If you have a sprinkler system, run it on sunny days in the morning so the sun has time to dry the water off the leaves during the day.
- Make sure to throw away any diseased leaves, stems, flowers that you remove from your hydrangeas. Don’t add them to your compost pile.
- In late Fall, clean up any fallen leaves and debris surrounding your hydrangeas.
How to treat black spots on hydrangeas
So let’s say that — your hydrangeas have black spots. Don’t fret too much, but do get out there and try these remedies:
- Remove infected leaves. If you have just a handful of infected leaves, snip them off. If you have many infected leaves, you still need to remove them. It will take longer and may result in removing stems as well.
- Remove the oldest stems for air circulation. As mentioned earlier, removing stems will increase air flow and help leaves to dry out better. It’s best to make this a regular part of your early Spring pruning, however you can also do this just after your hydrangeas have flowered. Make sure not to remove more than 1/3 of the stems.
- Use a fungicide. Treat the infected areas with a fungicide spray such as Copper Soap.
If you catch the infections early, then spraying can help eliminate the problem, along with removing infected leaves and creating more air flow among stems.
I got rid of my bigleaf, mophead hydrangeas!
This may sound extreme, but digging up and removing our mophead hydrangeas was indeed the last resort for me. And one that I don’t regret. Here’s why.
Although they started out fantastic every year . . .
. . . they always ended up like this:
First, I spent the past three years constantly spraying them for black spot. I did all of the steps I mentioned above, but the second problem we faced is these hydrangeas need SO MUCH WATER all the time or they wilted. And I’m not talking about the slight wilting that occurs daily when the full sun hits overhead. We did an experiment, and watering at the base of the plant for long periods of time — much longer than our usual sprinklers run — was the only thing that worked. It was way too much water to use just to keep these looking pretty.
So, after three years of spraying them for black spot, trimming out the oldest stems, only watering from the base of the hydrangeas, plus their relentless need for water — I’d had enough. It was time to say goodbye.
This year, I replaced them with panicle hydrangeas — specifically two Little Quick Fire hydrangeas, which so far early in the season look adorable!
Are panicle hydrangeas better resistant to black spot?
Panicle hydrangeas are the hardiest of all hydrangeas species, so they are the easiest to grow and the most adaptable to different garden conditions. Panicle hydrangeas do great in hot and humid weather, and they also can survive Northern Winters. They are much stronger than mophead hydrangeas!
And for me? I much prefer enjoying hydrangeas that are happy in my gardens versus fighting with hydrangeas that are miserable. Miserable plants make for a miserable gardener. And we don’t want that!
Video showing what happened
Below is a video showing you exactly what happened to our mophead hydrangeas — including the not-so-lovely black spots on hydrangeas — and how the newly planted Little Quick Fire hydrangeas are doing so far.
Gardening shouldn’t be frustrating!
So there you have it. I tried. I did everything suggested to treat black spots on hydrangea leaves. But eventually I realized it was just too much work.
All of us garden because we enjoy it, right? We love flowers, we love to nurture plants, and we love to care for our gardens. Whether you have a little garden plot or several garden beds, remember that gardening should be soothing, fun, and satisfying.
Your case may be different, and I hope that the above solutions help you!
Happy gardening!
Learn more about my favorite hydrangeas!
Below are links to my articles on hydrangeas that I love! (And I still love Pia hydrangeas, even though they weren’t happy in my gardens.)
Pia Hydrangea: A Pink Dwarf Hydrangea You’ll Love!
Little Lime Hydrangea — Your Ultimate Guide
Pinky Winky Hydrangea Care — Your Ultimate Guide
I’ve been waiting for a video like this for two years. Thank you, Thank you.
Two years ago, my plants were infested with the fungus. It was so ugly. I cried about it and was embarrassed because of them. I didn’t want anyone to see them. That’s how ugly they were! I believe it was August and I said to my husband they have to be taken out NOW! I can’t look at them. So instead he cut them all the way down to the bottom. Next year they came up but no flowers and they did start with the spots later on. I kept spraying them and that was that. It did not take care of it. This year they came up with beautiful leaves and produced multiple flowers, no spots yet. I’m waiting, and if they do, they will definitely be taken out. When this happened I couldn’t find out much information about it. I even went to a nursery and believe or not they were not too helpful. Do you believe it. Anyway, with a lot of research I found out about the black spots that the leaves were getting water on the leaves, etc. You are the first gardener that gave an excellent video in plain English about this situation. Thank you so much! I do have a question. I haven’t sprayed them yet. Should I spray without the spots? I know it’s only July and I’m sure it’s going to happen. I’m a pessimist, ha, ha. Just want to know what you think. Also I live in southern New Jersey. Hope this comment wasn’t too long. Thanks!
Hi Irene — your comment wasn’t too long at all! You sound exactly like me last year! I was embarrassed and tried to only take pictures of the garden without including the horrible-looking hydrangeas. And when they grow big, you can’t help but see them anyway. Yuck! Maybe spraying them preventatively will work. I didn’t try that, and I probably should have. So I’d say go for it, as it can’t hurt and may in fact solve the issue. I’m crossing my fingers for you because it is horribly sad when they go from beautiful flowers and lush leaves to icky, sickly looking shrubs. Let me know if the preventative spraying helps! And let’s hope we don’t get any more tropical storms here in southern NJ (like Elsa last night) this Summer!
Most informative article I’ve read! Every year I tell my hydrangea this is the last chance you have to survive without the leaf spot. I’ve been saying it for four years, and end up with leaf spot without fail around October. I think it’s time for a funeral. My question is if I should remove the plant now or wait until spring.
Thanks so much Gerry! Glad I could help you realize life is too short for the annual disappointment of black spot! I removed ours in the Fall — no need to have them stay in your garden any longer! This way, you’ll get to “see” how much room you have to put something else there — something that will love you back! 🙂 Plus, it just feels good to throw them away — like you finally have control over them!
Thank you for your information and video! My hydrangeas were doing great and overnight they got black spots and leaves were dropping. I was beside myself. After finding your blog and video I’m not even going to try to save them. My question is do I have to worry about this disease affecting my other plants that are near them?
Hi Chris, No worries the black spot will get on your other plants — unless they are more mophead hydrangeas. We removed ours, and planted Little Quick Fires in their place. These panicle hydrangeas are doing wonderfully well, with NO black spot or any discoloration on the leaves and gorgeous flowers. (I’ve got a video on my YouTube channel where you can see what they look like.) I say go for it! And please let me know what you decide to plant instead!
Hi. I am currently going through this. This year is the worst it’s ever been. Yesterday I cut the five ft shrubs down to 3 ft. Salvaged all the bluish purple blooms, removed the leaves from the stems and place them in a vase. The flowers are beautiful. As I read your blog, I see I have to get back out there today and remove all the leaves and do more pruning. Purchase some copper soap and hope for the best next year. However, I think if it happens again, I will dig one of them out. I think it has outgrown the area it’s in anyway. But damn they are beautiful when in full bloom with green leaves. Thank you for your information. Ugh.
Oh Adria, I feel your happiness with the beautiful flowers yet sadness and frustration with the black spot. It can be SO very frustrating. I get it. Perhaps if you decide to remove one and keep the other, you will be able to keep the black spot in check with ongoing spraying with copper soap. I personally wasn’t able to, but it IS possible. So I wish you luck and better weather to decrease the chances of black spot next year! And in the meantime: enjoy those wonderful flowers in the vase!
Hello! Thank you for the article. I read this a few months ago to identify the black spots on my hydrangeas. I love them so. I have several of them and I just couldn’t get enough and I added 3 more. They came with spots on them from the nursery. I didn’t know what it was. Now all 9 plants have them. I spent the summer spraying and the leaves just kept coming with spots. So by October I said that’s it they are coming out. But it felt too late to plant something. I’m counting the days until I can plant something else. I’m so embarrassed and sad. They look horrible! They really fit in with Halloween but now that it’s January it’s just depressing. Should I rip out now or just do wait? I don’t even know what to plant. I’m in NE Florida and they are still flowering and taunting me.
Hi Deb — First of all, you have my sympathy because I totally understand how you’re feeling! Don’t be embarrassed — part of gardening is learning what works best for our individual gardens! But I completely can relate to feeling like the shrubs are taunting you — I get it! I’m not familiar with nursery schedules — i.e. when garden nurseries sell hydrangeas and other flowering shrubs in Northeast Florida, so I’m unsure how quickly you can purchase something to replace the evil shrubs. I see on the Proven Winners website — as just one mail-order example — that they will ship plants to your area in early- to mid-April. Knowing it will still be a few months, perhaps you want to cut them back a bit, so that the black spot isn’t so obvious to you. Maybe turn them into low growing leafy shrubs for the time being until it’s time to plant something new.
Another option is to dig them out now, and clean up the area of any black spot leaves, fill in the holes — or just cover them so nobody accidentally falls into them.
As for something to replace them with… Panicle hydrangeas to fabulous in heat and humidity! Here in southern New Jersey, our Summers are horribly hot and humid, and the panicle hydrangeas I have don’t get any black spot and bloom wonderfully. They are easy-care and some varieties can also stand up VERY well to any heavy storms too. (Just don’t consider Limelight hydrangeas, as the floppiness factor drives gardeners nuts — it’s almost an art form to prune the stems to keep them from drooping.)