They can start out light green but should quickly clear to their intended color. I guess anything could happen, though!

Hopefully they are not mislabeled which is another can of worms. Annabelle and some paniculatas may start green so, watch them and give them a few weeks to change to the proper color for that type of potting soil mix. Green blooms are actually called immature blooms and should change to white faster with more sun exposure.

But if they remain green and do not change to pink/blue soon then I would think about either returning or keeping them. An unnamed lacecap that I have was supposed to be Nikko Blue. A white rose variety was supposed to be yellow. And so forth.... Both were purchased when not in bloom.

I decided to keep the lacecap hydrangea because the stock at Lowes was down, the NBs were gone and I did not like the few that were left.

That is why some people say to buy hydrangeas only when they are in bloom.

Luis

PS - A bunch of hydrangeas that I saw at Lowes included some that were almost all white but the ends of the sepals were starting to turn pink or blue.

Good advice Luis! One of the best advice I read/heard is to buy Snowflake in bloom so you know you are getting the real deal.

Even buying bigleaf hydrangea's in full bloom is no guarantee of flower color. As the coloring of this plant is so variable depending on soil, irrigation water and even type of fertilizer used it is often difficult to predict the exact coloring the plant will develop in YOUR garden.

Unless you know something I don't, 'Snowflake' is a cultivar of oakleaf hydrangea and they are ALWAYS white. Until the flowers age and take on the rosy color. It is only Hydrangea macrophylla and the closely related serrata that actually have an ability to change flower color. All the others hydrangeas that appear to change color are really just displaying their typical aging process.

Yes, Snowflake is an oakleaf. Sorry to imply color change when I meant to say just heed good advice when given. Should've said Snowflake is the only double blooming oakleaf.

OMG, you have no idea how close I came to buying Snowflake and-or Snow Queen last weekend. I found them at a local garden center and was shocked because they are hard to find, at least in the last few years. But alas, they had cercospora infestations so, for the regular price that they asked, I passed.

Since they were not for sale at that store until the last few weeks ago, I assume that the local retailer got them like that from the wholesaler. Too bad as I was itching to buy them... one of those impulse buys I hate to do this late in the season (I try not to buy/plant starting mid to late May as it gets into the 90s and is uncomfortable working outside past 10am).

I bought this Snowflake at Wilkerson Mills 3 years ago and I visited on their last open weekend before they closed down for summer sales (the first Saturday in June). It was very hot that day and fairly dry too. I hope mine gets this large one of these years.

Last year I bought a Ruby Slippers at a local chain nursery. Looked healthy when I bought it but it soon had lots of black leaves a week or two after planting. I cut them all off and it has come back nicely this year and has a couple of nice spires. Three years ago I bought Bombshell and it became infested with spider mites so I cut every leaf off of it and it came back beautifully the same year but has failed to bloom. UGH!

Here is a big Snowflake at Wilkerson Mill 3 years ago (June 5, 2011).

Did you ever find out what caused the black leaves on Ruby Slippers? I have one so I wanted to be prepared just in case.

Willkerson, I think, is in Georgia. How did you like the visit? They are too far from me but that is where my alma mater is located so if I stop by Atlanta, I may visit Wilkerson. Did they actually close thru the warm season there or did they just stop mail orders but pick ups were ok?

I am not surprised that Bombshell is giving you fits. Last year, a lot of peole were complaining about lack of bloomage as late as July. I remember emailing the company and the person who answered suggested leaving it alone and not pruning at all. Most people though had said they did not prune because the plant just wasn't that big yet to need pruning. I posted the comment but no one who complained ever said what happened (if it eventually bloomed -say in August- or not at all). Looked nice in pictures though.

Never found out the reason for the black leaves but it did look awful - hence the reason for cutting them all off and disposing of them.

Yes, Wilkerson Mill is about 25 miles from my home and I didn't realize that so my first business with them was mail order - you get gallon sized plants but no pot, just a plastic bag wrapped around the soil and roots. My second time was the visit and it was very hot in early June that year - not an ideal time to visit but the last time they would be open until fall. They stop visits and orders in summer.

I did have one Bombshell to bloom but only the part that was in mostly full sun.

Here is Ruby Slippers two days ago. Very dwarf plant with big spires. Munchkin on the other hand is dwarf with dwarf spires. This fence is protection from our dogs and is 3 foot tall.

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Hmm, you know what, that fence would not deter my pooches. They would jump it, turn around and eat whatever they saw me sprinkle when I fertilized. Hee hee hee. Now I keep them inside when I am fertilizing and let them out when done. Then I use my pistol (the hose) when they get too close to the plants/fertilized areas. But I admit, they eventually get to the fertilizer. :o)

But your oakleafs look very healthy, green and lush. My RB is blooming like in the picture. I just wish it would produce more blooms.

Yeah, my youngest dog easily jumps 3 feet but he knows that is the boundary line. If a squirrel or chipmunk is on the other side and I am not outside or out of sight he figures the game is on. GRRR!

I'm fairly happy with the oakleaf Hydrangeas except for Alice - I had two trunks that decided to produce little plantlets up and down the trunks and try to bloom while one trunk had the giant leaves. What's up with that?

Snow Queen is my giant this year but Ellen Huff has some of the largest panicles of the oakleaf varieties.

Here is my Snow Queen (from Wilkerson too) - about 10 feet tall if you count the blooms.