Long-lasting dark foliage
Deep purple leaves retain their character through the growing season, including the intervals between blooms.
4
Hydrangea 'Eclipse'® 19cm
Normal price
€12,00
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The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Bailmacseven’ Eclipse®
- Near-black foliage
- Red against velvet
- Repeat presence
- Morning sun
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Bailmacseven’ Eclipse® brings colour before its first flower ever opens. New and mature leaves retain a deep purple-black tone, forming a dramatic ground for red-to-pink mopheads with lighter centres. The contrast is rich, contemporary and exceptionally rare at this scale of hydrangea foliage, allowing the plant to function as a genuine design object throughout the growing season.
Dark foliage adds depth to a partly shaded border and brings out paler neighbouring plants. Pair it with white flowers or fine green foliage so the broad flowerheads have room to stand out. Near a seating area, the change from creamy centres to coloured sepal edges becomes especially noticeable.
What makes it distinctive
Dark foliage provides a lasting backdrop for large bicoloured flowerheads.
Coloured sepals
Large flowerheads combine pale centres with pink to purple shades, depending on soil conditions.
A rounded presence
The full crown forms a compact block of colour that can anchor a partly shaded planting.
Why you will love it: Near-black foliage keeps the composition dramatic before, between and after its red-pink flowers.
In the garden & on the balconyPlacement & plant pairingsPosition, mature scale and companion planting tailored to this cultivar.
Best position
Use on an east or north-east aspect as a dark focal point in the middle layer or alone in a large pot; allow at least 1.2 m so the near-black foliage reads as a coherent mass.
Compatible planting
Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’, Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ and Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’ share cool partial shade; gold, silver and clean white define the near-black foliage without competing with it.
- Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ — adds linear texture and movement without hiding the main plant's natural mature outline.
- Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ — provides clear foliage contrast and supports the palette without competing with the main crown.
- Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’ — complements the composition with a different texture and compatible site and soil-moisture needs.
Care at a glance
Light
Morning sun with afternoon shade; intense midday radiation can scorch leaves and sepals.
Water
Maintain even moisture without permanent saturation. Water deeply when the top 2–3 cm begin to dry.
Climate & hardiness
Winter hardy, though late frost can injure already formed flower buds.
Safety
All parts are considered inedible and may cause illness if chewed.
Detailed careComplete care guideLight, watering, soil, feeding, pruning and winter management.
Light
Morning sun with afternoon shade; intense midday radiation can scorch leaves and sepals.
Water
Maintain even moisture without permanent saturation. Water deeply when the top 2–3 cm begin to dry.
Soil & drainage
Humus-rich, cool, freely drained soil; pH influences some anthocyanin colours, but not every red cultivar equally.
Feeding
Use hydrangea feed sparingly in spring and, if required, once more in early summer.
Pruning
Deadhead to a strong pair of buds and remove only dead or genuinely old stems.
Winter
Do not hard-prune in autumn; old heads provide a little protection to the upper buds.
Development over timeFrom young plant to mature presenceEstablishment, branching, flowering and the real volume this plant will occupy in a garden.
Initial establishment
During the first months, roots establish while older stems retain valuable pre-formed flower buds. Even moisture and gradual light acclimatisation take priority over formative pruning.
Building the crown
The crown gains volume without losing its dark colour, while flower buds distribute across older and newer wood.
Mature expression
At full maturity the crown reaches about 0.9–1.5 m in height and 0.9–1.5 m in spread. Final planting distance must follow that scale rather than the plant’s current young volume.
Mature habit & dimensions
Long-term maturityHeight 0.9–1.5 mSpread 0.9–1.5 mDense rounded crown with exceptionally dark foliage
A rounded shrub with large opposite purple leaves and broad flowerheads.
Form through time
Seasonal cycleDeciduousMulti-stem shrubSeasonal flower headsrounded dark-leaved crown
Winter framework
After leaf fall, the woody branches and their buds remain visible.
Summer flowering
New leafy growth carries the characteristic flowerheads.
The seasonal views show natural changes in growth and flowering.
History & originCultivar originBailey · crossed in 2016 · selected and propagated in 2018
Eclipse® originated in Bailey’s breeding programme in Georgia, USA. David Roberts, Oren McBee and Justin Schulze sought Hydrangea macrophylla with dark foliage that retained its colour throughout the season. In summer 2016 they crossed seed parent HM16-P4-01 with pollen parent HM16-R13-02.
In summer 2018 they selected a seedling with deep purple foliage and rounded mophead flowerheads. Softwood-cutting propagation began that season at Winterville. The cultivar was recorded as ‘Bailmacseven’ in US plant patent PP34544 and joined the First Editions® collection under the commercial name Eclipse®.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific details nobody asked forMechanisms, anatomy and chemistry explaining how the plant actually behaves.
Sepals with a pale centre
The large coloured structures in a mophead are enlarged sepals of sterile flowers. In Eclipse®, under non-bluing conditions, they have pink-red margins and creamy centres. This pattern repeats across many small flowers in a single head.
Opposite leaves
Broad, toothed leaves grow in opposite pairs along the stem. This arrangement, together with short lateral shoots, helps reveal the branching structure beneath the full crown.
Frequently asked questions
Six exact answers about placement, watering, pruning and seasonal behaviour for Eclipse®.
01Does Eclipse® keep its dark foliage without flowers?
Yes. Deep purple foliage is a defining feature throughout the growing season. Its intensity is influenced by light and growing conditions.
02Why can the flowers be purple or cranberry-pink?
In Hydrangea macrophylla, flower colour responds to soil pH and aluminium availability. Bloom colour can change while the dark foliage remains a separate characteristic.
03Should I cut it down every winter?
No. Retain healthy branches and their buds. If adjustment is necessary, prune lightly after the first flowering and remove dead wood once it is clearly identifiable.
04Does it flower only on old wood?
Eclipse® can flower on older and new growth. Keeping existing buds supports the first display; there is no need to remove them to encourage new ones.
05Where should I place it in a hot courtyard?
Choose morning sun and afternoon shade, with fertile, well-drained soil that does not dry suddenly. Hot afternoon exposure is especially demanding for a potted plant.
06Does winter leaf fall mean the plant has died?
No. This is a deciduous hydrangea. Bare stems with their buds remain alive and produce new growth in spring.
📦 Your plant travels protected
Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.