Editing Hydrangea (section)

==Life cycle==
''Hydrangea'' [[flower]]s are produced from early spring to late autumn; they grow in flowerheads ([[corymb]]s or [[panicle]]s) most often at the ends of the stems. Typically the flowerheads contain two types of flowers: small non-showy fertile flowers in the center or interior of the flowerhead, and large, sterile showy flowers with large colorful [[sepal]]s (tepals). These showy flowers are often extended in a ring, or to the exterior of the small flowers. Plants in wild populations typically have few to none of the showy flowers, while cultivated hydrangeas have been bred and selected to have more of the larger type flowers.

There are two flower arrangements in hydrangeas with [[corymb]] style inflorescences, which includes the commonly grown "bigleaf hydrangea"—''Hydrangea macrophylla''. Mophead flowers are large round flowerheads resembling pom-poms or, as the name implies, the head of a mop. In contrast, lacecap flowers bear round, flat flowerheads with a center core of subdued, small flowers surrounded by outer rings of larger flowers having showy sepals or tepals. The flowers of some [[rhododendron]]s and [[viburnum]]s can appear, at first glance, similar to those of some hydrangeas.