Birth flower for June 6
Hydrangea
Meaning: Heartfelt gratitude
Hydrangeas are the chameleons of the garden: the same plant blooms blue in acidic soil and pink in alkaline soil, depending on how much aluminum its roots can take up. The big showy "petals" are actually sepals; the true flowers are the tiny ones in the middle. The common hydrangea is native to Japan, and the German doctor Philipp von Siebold, who introduced it to Europe, named one variety "Otaksa" after his beloved Otaki.