Registered by Dr. Kevin Vaughn of Massachusetts in 1983, this plant is a hybrid of an F3 unnamed seedling of (H. 'Polly Bishop' × H. 'Blue Lace') x H. 'Summer Fragrance'. It forms a large size (26 inches high) mound of blue-green foliage with medium lavender flowers in July. The foliage is moderately corrugated and somewhat cupped with thick substance.

According to The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), "...'Aqua Velva' remains high on my list of good, blue H. 'Sieboldiana'-types."