In contrast to the tree-like, petiolate, large-leaved, ashy and other forms, the inflorescences are elongated. They resemble fluffy panicles, which is why the species got its name. According to the description, the panicled hydrangea can only be compared with the oak-leaved variety, but, of course, the heroine of this material wins in terms of brightness, density and duration of flowering.
Shrubs most loved by gardeners: hydrangea paniculata, mock orange, lilac. Each shrub is good in its own way. But the hydrangea is still in the lead with this trio. Firstly, she is a real champion in the duration of flowering. Secondly, it grows and blooms without problems in partial shade, where lilac and mock orange will wither. Thirdly, her hats decorate the garden just when almost everything has already faded, and only dahlias are anxiously waiting for the end of the holiday - the first autumn frost.
Recently, new varieties of paniculate hydrangeas appear literally every year. It is difficult even for specialists to understand this flow. There is nowhere to look at all the forms "live", and even more so at the new items, even abroad. It is expected that a collection of the best varieties of paniculate hydrangeas will soon appear in the Botanical Garden on Mira Avenue.
A photo of an adult paniculate hydrangea with a detailed description is a rarity; nurseries do not indulge buyers with such gifts. So you have to collect information bit by bit. And, of course, at your own peril and risk, experiment yourself.
Selection of hydrangea paniculata
Previously, everything was simple with panicled hydrangea - in Russian noble estates and later in summer cottages, a single variety grew - ‘Grandiflora’. It was brought to Europe from Japan in 1829 by the German doctor Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold, who worked for several years on the islands in the Nagasaki region. Another old variety, ‘Floribunda’, which, thanks to Karl Maksimovich, came to St. Petersburg from a Japanese nursery in 1860, has not received such wide distribution in our country. A little later, two more cultivars became known in Europe - ‘Rgaesokh’ and ‘Kyushu’.
Their origin was the same - Japanese.
The situation changed in the fifties, the prologue of the century, when two enthusiasts took up the selection of paniculate hydrangeas - Robert and Elena de Belder (Jelena and Robert de Beider). It is to them that flower growers owe their appearance! such masterpieces as ‘Unique’, ‘Brussels Lace’ and ‘Pink Diamond’.
Breeders in Europe and the USA are still working with the legacy of de Belder. So, for example, using plants from their arboretum, in the 1970s and 80s. Dutchman Pieter Zwijnenburg gave the world such beautiful varieties of panicled hydrangeas as ‘ Phantom' , 'Limelight' and 'Silver Dollar'. The first cultivar became famous for the largest sizes of inflorescences to date, the second - for unusual, lemon-green sterile flowers, the third - for the spectacular appearance of the bush: large pyramidal inflorescences and strong, vertical shoots.
The best varieties of panicled hydrangea for the Moscow region: photo and description
'Brussels Lace'
The height of the bush is 2 m. The inflorescence is up to 30 cm long, conical in shape, the flowers are fertile and sterile. White, later turning pink. Blooms until October.
‘Grandiflora’
The height of the bush is 2-3 m. The inflorescence is a wide cone, 20-30 cm long. The flowers of this variety of panicled hydrangea, suitable for the Moscow region, are sterile, creamy white, then pink. Blooms until October.
‘Great Star’ (‘Le Vasterival’)
The height of the bush is 2 m. The inflorescence is round, with a diameter of 15 cm. Among the fertile flowers are sterile, very large, white, in the form of a "propeller". Blooms until September.
‘Dart’s Little Dot’ (‘Darlibo’)
The height of the bush is 0.8-1 m. The inflorescence is spherical, 15 cm in diameter, the flowers are white, sterile and fertile. Blooms until October.
‘Kyushu’
Bush height 3 m. Narrow-conical, loose inflorescence, 20-35 cm long, white flowers, sterile and fertile. Blooms until mid-August.
'Limelight'
The height of the bush is 2.3 m. The inflorescence is wide-conical, 30 cm long, the flowers are sterile, light green, then white. This one of the best varieties of paniculate hydrangeas for the Moscow region blooms until the beginning of October.
‘Mega Mindy’ (‘Ilvomindi’)
The height of the bush is 1.8 m. The inflorescence is conical, up to 30 cm long. Most of the flowers are sterile. The color is white, then red-pink. Blooms until August.
'Pinky Winky'
The height of the bush is 1.6 m. As you can see in the photo, this paniculate hydrangea has a conical inflorescence, 20 cm long:
The flowers are sterile, white, then deep pink. Continues to bloom in October.
'Pink Diamond'
The height of the bush is 2-3 m. The inflorescence is cone-shaped, up to 30 cm long. The flowers are sterile and fertile, white, then pink. Continues to bloom in October.
'Phantom'
The height of the bush is 2 m. Look at the photo - this variety of paniculate hydrangea has the largest inflorescence, conical-round, 30 cm long:
The flowers are sterile, white, then light pink. Blooms until October. Reminds me of ‘Grandiflora’.
‘Floribunda’
The height of the bush is 2 m. The inflorescence is wide-conical, up to 40 cm long. The flowers are sterile and fertile, white. Blooms until October.
'Vanille Fraise' ('Renhy')
The height of the bush is 1.8 m. The inflorescence is wide-eyed, 30 cm long, the flowers are small, sterile, pale pink. This panicled hydrangea, recommended for the Moscow region, continues to bloom in October.
'Silver Dollar'
The height of the bush is 1.7-4 m. The inflorescence is conical-round, up to 25 cm. The flowers are sterile, creamy white, then pink. It also blooms in October.
‘Tardiva’
The height of the bush is 1.3-3 m. The inflorescence is conical, 25 cm long. The flowers are sterile and fertile, white. It also blooms in October.
‘Unique’
The height of the bush is 2-3 m. The inflorescence is a wide cone, 25 cm long. One third of the flowers are small fertile, the rest are sterile, white, then intense red. In the garden, this paniculate hydrangea blooms until September.
If you dig around the Internet, look into all kinds of forums, it becomes clear that 'Limelight' is in the lead in this list. It is followed by 'Vanille Fraise' ('Renhy') and 'Phantom', and perhaps even 'Grandiflora' n'Kyushu'.
When describing the varieties of the best paniculate hydrangeas, one should not forget about especially fragrant forms. In theory, all hydrangeas, which have many fertile flowers, can be classified as fragrant. However, the aroma of varieties is different and not always pleasant. It is good that at a distance, as a rule, it is not audible.
However, there are varieties, as the advantages of which the aroma is mentioned in the first place!
For example, hydrangeas smell like honey Wim's Red' And ' Big Ben’.
Admire the photo of the best varieties of paniculate hydrangeas for the Moscow region in these photos:
Varieties of panicled hydrangeas-winners AGM: photos and names
Over the past twenty or thirty years, so many varieties of panicled hydrangea have appeared that flower growers have come close to the problem of choice.
Most Russian flower growers solve the problem simply by buying all the new items in a row. But foreigners have already become thoughtful. They have much more varieties for sale, and gardens are smaller in area. In 2008, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) of England released a bulletin dedicated to panicle hydrangea.
The goal is to introduce hobbyists to 47 of the best cultivars, especially those awarded with the Garden Merit Award - AGM ( “Award of Garden Merit” ).
New and old cultivars were evaluated in terms of cultivar availability to buyers, relative ease of cultivation, suitability for use in garden design, as well as bud and flower appearance, bud shape and shade stability, foliage ornamentality, shoot color, disease and pest resistance.
The winning varieties are: 'Big Ben' (2008), ‘Floribunda’ (1993), ‘Grandiflora’ (1993), ‘Kyushu’ (1993), 'Limelight' (2008), 'Phantom' (2008), 'Pink Diamond' (1993), 'Pinky Winki' (2008), 'Silver Dollar' (2008), ‘Unique’ (1993).
The closest candidates for the award are varieties:
‘Dolly’
'Pink Lady'
One circumstance prevents them from overcoming the bar - according to the judges, they are not yet sufficiently accessible to a wide range of amateurs.
What is good variety 'Dolly'? Plant height is about 1.5 m. Inflorescences are conical, dense, flowering is very plentiful. Experts consider it one of the most attractive hydrangeas. ‘Pink Lady’ has an elegant conical inflorescence that blushes towards the end of summer.
By the way, ‘Pink Lady’ is the same age as ‘Dolly’, both varieties were registered in 1990.
In addition, the Royal Horticultural Society of England conducted a rating of varieties. Plants were evaluated on a three-point system. Three points are excellent, two are very good, and one is good.
- Varieties awarded three points: 'Big Ben', 'Dolly', 'Kyushu', 'Limelight', 'Phantom', 'Pink Diamond', 'Pink Lady', 'Pinki Winki', 'Silver Dollar'.
- Hydrangeas received two points: ‘Brussels Lace’, ‘Chantilly Lace’, ‘Dharuma’, ‘Last Post’, ‘Martinvast’, ‘Praecox’, ‘Skylight’, ‘Unique’, ‘Starlight Fantasy’ (‘Degustar’), ‘Vanille Fraise’.
- One point went to varieties: ‘Dart’s Little Dot’ (‘Darlibo’), ‘Greenspire’, ‘Taiwan From’, ‘Mega Pearl’, ‘Mid Late Summer’, ‘Sherwood’, ‘Vera’, ‘White Moth’.
Several varieties did not receive any positive evaluation.
Surprisingly, the beloved by the Russians turned out to be rejected ‘ white lady’.
See what the best varieties of panicled hydrangeas look like in these photos:
The most beautiful varieties of paniculate hydrangeas: photo and description of flowers
Most hydrangeas change their color from white or cream to pink and even crimson, which is especially appreciated by Russian gardeners. The most spectacular variety in this sense is ‘Diamand Rouge’. New in 2011. Awarded with a silver medal at the competition during the largest international exhibition Plantarium 2011 (Holland). By autumn, its inflorescences become red-purple, almost with a purple tint, and the leaves become rich orange.
Another interesting cultivar is ‘ Wim's Red' - in August, the inflorescences acquire a burgundy-red hue.
‘Big Ven’ - one of the most beautiful varieties of panicled hydrangeas, he was awarded the Garden Merit Award (AGM) by the Royal Horticultural Society of England. Attractive with large conical inflorescences, becoming rich dark pink by the end of flowering.
As can be seen in the photo, the variety of garden paniculate hydrangeas ‘ Mega Mindy’ (‘Ilvomindi’) dense large cone-shaped inflorescence from white gradually turns into crimson:
In search of bright shades, you should pay attention to the series Magical:
Particularly good varieties ‘ Magical Fare’, ‘Pinki Winki' And ' Magical Flame’ with purple-pink conical inflorescences. They differ in size: the first is much higher.
Do not forget the classics - the "peaks" of inflorescences 'Pinky Winki' and wide hats 'Pink Diamond' And 'Magical Flame' .
What if you still want white? So that pearly clouds of hydrangeas soar in the coming autumn twilight?!
In this case, you can advise the variety ‘ white diamond '. This is a small rounded shrub, 1.3 m high. Its inflorescences remain white until late autumn.
Dwarf bushes of panicled hydrangeas
And what about those who have a really small garden or simply do not have room for a large bush? Look for baby hydrangeas. By the way, such varieties of dwarf panicled hydrangeas are useful for a low hedge, and even for a border. They will look good in a small mixborder. By the way, reducing the size of the bush is one of the modern trends in the selection of hydrangeas.
The "highest" of the babies, 1.2 m -‘ Sandae Fraise’ (‘Rensan’) . Similar to Vanille Fraise. The variety received a silver medal at the Plantarium 2010 competition (Holland).
Same height 'Dharuma'- slow growing shrub. Differs in very early and incredibly plentiful blossoming.
Even lower dwarf 'Bombshell' , only 1 m high, with a dense spherical crown.
Look at the photo - the flowers of this paniculate hydrangea are numerous, dense, almost round:
Recently appeared variety ‘ Little lime' - a relative of the beauty ' Limelight’. The bush is good, a mini-copy of "mom". Height up to 1 m.
Quite a little - variety ‘Bobo’(‘Ilvobo’) . Plant height - 60-70 cm. The bush is compact, the inflorescences are huge, dense, quickly turn pink. Shoots are vertical. For smaller gardens, it can also be grown in containers on balconies and terraces. In 2010, the variety received a gold medal at the FLORALL exhibition (Belgium).
Below are photos and descriptions of new varieties of paniculate hydrangeas.
New varieties of garden panicle hydrangeas
'Levana'
Height 3 m and even more. Effective foliage. Inflorescences narrow, large, up to 50 cm tall. Shoots are powerful.
‘Magical Moonlight’(‘Kolmagino’)
Translated into Russian, the name of the variety sounds like "Magic Moonlight". One of the most beautiful panicled hydrangeas. Height 2-2.5 m. Rigid shoots. Dense "stuffed" elongated white-green inflorescences. An improved version of 'Limelight'. In a sunny place in a continental climate, the flowers turn white quickly.
'Big Ben'
Plant height 1.8 m. The shoots are bright red, the inflorescences are large, conical. Differs in plentiful blossoming and strong aroma. By autumn, the flowers of this paniculate hydrangea become dark pink in color.
'Polar Bear'
Obtained by crossing two varieties: ‘Limelight’ And ‘Grandiflora’ . Height up to 1.5-2 m. The main feature of this variety is very dense conical inflorescences up to 40 cm high on hard, strong stems. The flowers are immediately slightly pistachio, then white and cream, by the end of summer they have a soft pink hue. The inflorescences of this new panicled hydrangea variety are distributed evenly throughout the bush, giving the impression of a huge flowering bouquet. Flowering from July to late autumn.
'Diamond Rouge'
New in 2011. Awarded a silver medal at the Plantarium 2011 competition (Holland). The bush is dense, compact. The autumn shade of inflorescences and leaves is unique. Inflorescences by autumn become red-purple, almost with a purple tint, and the leaves are rich orange.
'Candlelight'
In 2013, the hydrangea paniculata Candlelight was awarded a silver medal at Plantrium. Shoots are vertical, strong, beautiful dark red color. Panicles of inflorescences - yellow-lemon, by the summer - pastel, creamy-white-yellow, large up to 20 cm, pointed. Abundant flowering of this new paniculate hydrangea begins quite early and lasts from mid-June to late August - early September. Shrub of medium height 100-120 cm, with pronounced vertical growth.
'Fire Light'
This 2015 variety is the new standard for judging the merit of all panicled hydrangeas. Upright, strong buds turn from pure white to rich garnet pink very quickly. Thick, very strong stems hold heavy buds upright with no problem. Very early flowering: from the beginning of summer. Flowers turn deep garnet red before other varieties start to bloom. High winter hardiness. The height of the bush is 1.5 - 1.7 m.
'Shikoku Flash'
An amateur variety. This curiosity is grown for the original foliage. Green leaves at the beginning of the growing season are covered with cream and white strokes and specks. In July, the leaves become chartreuse. How abundant flowering is still unknown. The variety appeared in our country relatively recently.
'Angel Blush'
A new hardy variety, height 2.5-3 m. Shoots are strong, numerous, large inflorescences up to 25 cm, blush early. In 2011, the variety received an award at the FLORALL exhibition.
Here you can see photos of varieties of paniculate hydrangeas, the names of which are given on this page:
Fans of hydrangeas are sometimes in for an unpleasant discovery. The plant, obtained by hook or by crook, finally blooms, but the inflorescence does not match either the description of the variety or its photograph on the Internet. How not to get upset!
Do not rush to accuse everyone in the world of fraud and throw the "intruder" out of the garden. Most likely, your plant is simply not mature enough. For many hydrangeas, varietal characteristics may not appear immediately, for this sometimes several years must pass. By the way, this feature is characteristic of the classic variety ‘Grandiflora’. ‘Limelight’ can also be capricious. This beauty needs special lighting, diffused light. By planting a shrub in full sun, you may never get lime color at all. The same can happen when landing in dense partial shade.
Of course, re-grading cannot be ruled out. But even in this case, take a closer look at your purchase. In the end, what is more important for you: a label or a beautiful plant?!
The next section of the article is devoted to how to care for paniculate hydrangeas in the garden.
How to care for paniculate hydrangea in the country (with photo)
Caring for panicled hydrangea in the open field is not at all difficult, because this shrub is simply “not killed”. Grows everywhere except swamps and clean sand. True, he does not really like alkaline soils, but in central Russia they still need to be looked for.
A baby hydrangea, like a kitten, can be caressed, just killed with your attention and care. For example, dragging around the site in search of the most suitable place. Or, in the process of growing a paniculata hydrangea, you can feed it so that it simply cannot stand the winter. Hydrangea can be trivially poured; this plant, despite the name, which is translated from ancient Greek as “a vessel with water”, simply cannot withstand frequent watering on clay soil. Do not use long-acting imported fertilizers. They are undoubtedly good, but are designed for a longer growing season, and can prevent the plant from preparing for dormancy in time.
Of course, it is possible to feed the paniculate hydrangea when leaving in the garden, but it is better not to simply rake last year's foliage under the plant and mulch the bush with pine needles.
Should I loosen the soil under panicled hydrangeas? Better not worth it. You can, of course, three centimeters deep, but why? The root system of the hydrangea is superficial, only inadvertently damage the roots. But the mulch of this beauty will only be useful. And no weeds.
The photo of panicle hydrangea care shows all the main agricultural practices:
How to grow panicled hydrangea: bush formation
It is better to spend 2-4 years on the formation than to try to give the plant a decent look every year.
But everything is simple. In the year of planting, you should not cut the plant at all - leave it alone, let it take root and acclimatize in a new place. A year after planting, before the start of the growing season, take a closer look at your new product and decide what you will do with it. What you need and more interesting is to form a plant on a trunk or in the form of a bush. It is necessary to cut the hydrangea-bush while it is young, according to the same principle by which the hydrangea-"tree" is formed.
The difference is that for a "tree" you are looking for a single and strictly vertical shoot, which will eventually turn into a trunk, and for a hydrangea-bush, you need 3 to 5 shoots growing at an angle of about 30 degrees to the vertical.
Everything else (root shoots, except for future "legs", of course, the side shoots formed on these "legs" should be cut off during the first few years. Only 2-3 upper buds are left on the shoots you originally selected each spring. In order to keep the leaders straight in a given direction, you can drive in bamboo sticks at the right angle, and attach future “legs” to them in several places.When the leaders become powerful and hardened enough to withstand any snow and downpour with gusts of wind, they are cut at a height 1.0-1.2 m. Then the bush can grow as you like: in width, in height, in the form of a ball, pyramid or fungus on several legs.
In addition to the bush and tree, there is also a third, intermediate form, the fountain or vase, when you leave some basal shoots that diverge at an angle of 45 or more degrees vertically.
At the fountain, you can save the central shoot. The idea behind shaping is that you want to raise the natural annual growth so that the buds don't lie on the ground. In addition, you achieve clear contours of a bush that blooms annually in large or evenly sized inflorescences. Even after the end of the formation, the bush will continue to give fresh root shoots for some time, which will need to be removed in the spring.
If the small size of the garden or the desire to have many different varieties of paniculate hydrangea does not allow you to allocate enough space for each bush, you can form a hydrangea in a small bush. To do this, in the second year after planting (when planting in the fall - in the third year) in the spring, before the start of the growing season, make a low pruning, leaving 2 buds from the ground. This stimulates the formation of a large number of new shoots growing from the ground itself. During the season, remove all weak shoots, as well as shoots growing inside the bush.
You can leave 6-12 skeletal shoots on the plant. In the future, every spring, cut the branches by one third. In addition to the fact that with this method of plant formation you will have a compact bush shape, the inflorescences will be much larger.
To form a paniculate hydrangea "tree", choose one strong shoot, directed vertically.
Cut out the rest of the shoots. Pinch off the side shoots coming from the main trunk. At a height of 0.5-1 meter, select several (3-4) strong side shoots directed in different directions, in the form of a bowl. You can start pruning skeletal shoots for more lush flowering when the tree reaches the desired shape.
Below you will learn how to form a paniculate hydrangea on a trunk.
How to form a paniculate hydrangea on a trunk
Panicled hydrangea on a trunk is a good replacement for a rose, which requires too much trouble from the owners and free space on which the plant will need to be laid before frost. Instances with luxurious caps of inflorescences can be found in garden centers, but they are, unfortunately, not cheap. It is possible and even better to grow hydrangea on a trunk yourself. Among the rooted cuttings, the strongest and tallest are chosen and grown for 3-4 years.
The main thing when leaving during the cultivation of hydrangeas on a trunk is to correctly choose the height. Low - does not make sense, you get a bush on some strange leg. Tall (a meter and a half or even a little more) looks beautiful, but the crown of a hydrangea can freeze or break under an unfortunate set of circumstances.
Probably the best option is about a meter or a little more. Of course, the variety chosen for such a purpose must have powerful branches.
So, to form a paniculate hydrangea on a stem at a height of 1 m or a little more, the stem is cut off, and skeletal branches are allowed to develop from 4-5 buds located below. It is necessary to cut the crown of the standard hydrangea carefully, rather gentle pruning is required here. Otherwise, heavy inflorescences will break off.
The following describes how to properly prune a paniculate hydrangea when grown in a personal plot.
How to prune paniculate hydrangea in spring
How to prune paniculate hydrangea is perhaps the most painful topic for lovers of these plants. You can discuss it for hours. The main questions are: when to cut and how many buds to leave so that the plant “give out” worthy exhibitions of inflorescence caps.
Before the first snow, so that the bush does not break, the largest inflorescences are cut off. To prune the paniculate hydrangea in the spring, as I advise an experienced gardener, you need to wait until it becomes clear which buds are alive, because it is important not to disturb the plant once again. Cut off all the dried and thinnest. You can shorten a branch that is too long or ugly.
- First option- strong pruning (leave two buds);
- Second- moderate (leave 4 buds),
- Third- weak (remove old inflorescences, the so-called "decapitation").
In the first case, the plants bloom very late, forming huge caps. But such pruning is not suitable for all varieties, sometimes the branches do not withstand, and the plant lies down.
With moderate pruning, you will expect average flowering times and average bud size. With a weak - early flowering, but the inflorescences are small, however, numerous. It is curious that the pruning method practically does not affect the appearance and size of the inflorescences of the ‘Big Ben’ and ‘Brussels Lace’ varieties.
'Vanille Fraise' and 'Limelight' require a medium, gentle finish. But the ‘Pinki Winki’ variety needs serious pruning. The conclusion is simple: some varieties of panicled hydrangea require an individual approach during care when grown in the garden. And, of course, do not forget that with strong pruning in our climate, flowering can not be expected at all. Or get such a huge one, as, for example, the 'Phantom' variety can give out, that the bush will simply break from heavy rains.
Watch the video of paniculate hydrangea pruning for a better understanding of how to shape the plant:
Paniculata hydrangea in landscape design: what to plant next to the bushes
In fact, hydrangeas are self-sufficient plants. Hydrangea petiolate and large-leaved hydrangeas do not especially need partners. The perfect combination for any garden is Bredschneider hydrangea, mock orange and lilac. Here, as they say, nothing to subtract, nothing to add.
But you can “play” with tree and paniculate hydrangeas. The ideal background for paniculate hydrangea in landscape design is conifers and barberries, vesicles with purple foliage, Bredschneider's hydrangea. Another win-win option is a mixborder of hydrangeas and rhododendrons, especially evergreens.
The combination of panicled hydrangeas with thujas, mock oranges, white turf 'Variegata', 'Elegantissima', with snowberry, with Volzhanka, saplings, perennial asters, large ferns, with phloxes of pink shades, variegated phloxes of the 'Nora Leigh' type, hosts of white-edged varieties.
Shown in the photo, next to panicled hydrangeas in the country, you can plant plants with blue needles, bluish leaves or blue flowers:
These can be Carmichel's aconite, clematis, hostas, cereals, Buenosaires verbena, blue junipers.
But yellow, orange, and even more so red plants are categorically contraindicated for hydrangeas. Can you imagine 'Limelight' hydrangea next to 'golden balls' or powerful red dahlias?!
What else can be planted next to panicled hydrangeas in the backyard? You can surround these plants with borders of low coniferous plants, spirea, prominent stonecrops and even autumn colchicum. Or plant the hydrangeas themselves as a border, of course, some undersized variety. Just not ‘Bobo’, it will look too heavy, concentrate on itself, and after a heavy rain, large inflorescences, located, in my opinion, too close to the ground, will also turn out to be dirty. By the way, this variety has another drawback - fragile twigs. Therefore, before the first snowfall, the inflorescences will need to be cut off.
Hydrangea paniculata (lat. Hydrangea paniculata) is a species of the genus Hydrangea of the Hydrangea family, common in nature in Japan, China and southern Sakhalin. This attractive and fast growing culture is widely used in landscape design.
Planting and caring for hydrangea paniculata (in brief)
- Bloom: from mid-June to October from the age of four or five.
- Landing: in spring before buds swell or during leaf fall.
- Lighting: bright light or partial shade.
- The soil: fertile, neutral, without admixture of lime or other alkalis, clay soils or red earth are preferred.
- Watering: plentiful and regular: the soil in the circle should be moist at all times.
- Top dressing: fertilizers are applied 4 times per season: in early spring - organic matter with a high nitrogen content, during budding and in the middle of summer - complete mineral fertilizer, and in autumn - potassium-phosphorus fertilizer.
- Pruning: sanitary and shaping pruning, and, if necessary, anti-aging pruning is carried out at the end of March.
- Reproduction: most often layering and cuttings.
- Pests: aphids, spider mites, gall nematodes, snails.
- Diseases: white and gray rot, powdery mildew, downy mildew, septoria, chlorosis, ring spot virus.
Read more about growing hydrangea paniculata below.
Hydrangea paniculata - description
Hydrangea paniculata is a shrub or tree up to 10 m high with shallow roots, the distribution area of \u200b\u200bwhich significantly exceeds the crown projection. The leaves of the hydrangea paniculate are ovate or elliptical, up to 12 cm long. Honey inflorescences are densely hairy broad-pyramidal panicles up to 25 cm long and consist of large barren flowers up to 2.5 cm in diameter, the greenish-white petals of which gradually turn pink, and small fertile white flowers with early falling petals. For the first time paniculate hydrangea blooms at the age of 4-5 years. The fruit is a capsule cracking at the top when ripe, with numerous small, but extremely viable seeds.
Planting paniculate hydrangea in open ground
When to plant paniculata hydrangea
The best planting material is four-five-year-old seedlings that take root well and can bloom as early as the year of planting. Panicle hydrangea is planted in the spring, before the start of sap flow, or during leaf fall. Seedlings planted in the spring will almost certainly bloom soon, but if planted in the fall, it is necessary to insulate the near-stem circle of the plant for the winter.
Hydrangea paniculata can also grow in partial shade, but in bright sun its flowering will be more lush and long. It is very important that the plant is protected from strong cold winds.
Hydrangea paniculata prefers fertile, neutral soil, without any traces of lime or other alkaline compounds, due to which it can bloom poorly at best, and simply die at worst. Keep in mind that the roots of the plant spread far from the trunk, so do not add chalk, dolomite flour or ash to the soil in a diameter of 5-6 m from the intended planting site. Do not plant bulbous flowers in this space that require annual digging of the soil - tulips, gladioli, hyacinths. Brown peat, coniferous soil or sawdust can be added to acidic soil to neutralize it. Panicle hydrangea grows poorly in sandy soil.
How to plant panicle hydrangea
The landing site is prepared in advance. The pit for panicled hydrangea should be spacious: depending on the size of the seedling, from 50x50 to 80x80 cm at a depth of 40 to 60 cm. The distance between two hydrangeas or between a hydrangea and other plants should be 2.5-3 m. 3 buckets of water so that the moisture soaks the ground well. The next day, fill the hole almost to the top with a mixture of fertile soil, sand, peat and humus (2: 1: 2: 1), adding 25 g of urea and potassium sulfate and 65 g of superphosphate to it and mixing thoroughly. Let the soil settle and settle.
The roots of seedlings are pruned a little before planting, and in tree-like forms of paniculate hydrangea, annual shoots are also shortened, leaving no more than 3-5 buds on them. Only large-leaved hydrangea seedlings are not pruned, since the flower buds of this plant are located at the ends of the shoots.
Lower the root system of the seedling into the hole, straighten its roots and dig in the plant so that the root neck is just above the surface of the site. Water the seedling well, and when the water is absorbed and the soil settles a little, the neck will be where it belongs - at the level of the surface of the site. Mulch the near-stem circle of the seedling with needles, leaf humus or sour peat and at first shade the plant from the bright sun.
Hydrangea panicle care
Planting hydrangea paniculata and caring for it are not laborious. Hydrangea paniculata can grow near highways and in other disadvantaged places, but if you want to see it in the best shape, do not neglect the implementation of simple plant care measures.
Hydrangea paniculata, like other species of the genus, is extremely moisture-loving, so the soil in its near-trunk circle should be slightly moist all the time. Don't let the soil dry out on hot days. Water the plant once a week, pouring at least 3 buckets of water under each adult bush. It is good to add potassium permanganate to the water from time to time. In order to keep the moisture in the soil as long as possible, the trunk circle is regularly mulched with leaves or sawdust.
Panicle hydrangea is fed four times per season. In early spring, at the very beginning of sap flow, organic matter is introduced into the soil - a solution of mullein or bird droppings, for example. The next top dressing is carried out during the budding period: a solution of 35 g of potassium sulfate, 35 g of superphosphate and 25 g of urea in 10 liters of water is added to the trunk circle - this amount is enough to fertilize 1 m². In the middle of summer, the hydrangea is fertilized with a solution of 25-35 g of granular complex mineral fertilizer in a bucket of water. Consumption - 2-3 buckets per adult bush. The fourth top dressing is applied when preparing the plant for winter: in this case, a special fertilizer for hydrangeas that does not contain nitrogen is used.
For the formation of an ideal bush or tree, the correct pruning of hydrangeas, which is usually carried out at the end of March, is very important. Forming a bush, leave from 5 to 10 developed shoots and shorten them to 3-5 buds. The remaining shoots are cut to the ground. The old hydrangea is subjected to rejuvenating pruning, shortening all shoots to 6-7 cm from the surface of the earth: next year the old plant will give young sprouts.
Hydrangea paniculata, like any other plant, can suffer from diseases or pests. Most often, powdery mildew and aphids cause trouble to her. To get rid of powdery mildew, you need to treat the plant several times in 10-12 days with a one-percent Bordeaux liquid or a solution of 20-25 g of Fundazol in 10 liters of water. Ordinary garlic will help to cope with aphids: pour 250 g of crushed cloves with a bucket of water, leave for two days, then add 50 g of grated laundry soap to the infusion, dissolve it, stirring, and process the bush, trying to moisten not only the top, but also the solution. underside of hydrangea leaves. Treatments with garlic infusion should be carried out once a week until the aphid disappears. If garlic does not cope with the task, you will have to resort to the help of acaricidal preparations - Akarin, Aktar or Aktellik, for example.
With the onset of cold weather, paniculate hydrangea in Siberia and the Urals needs shelter. Sometimes you have to cover the hydrangea in the middle lane, if weather forecasters predict a frosty and snowless winter. The root zone is covered with a layer of rotted manure, peat or dry leaves at least 20 cm thick. As soon as the snow falls, throw a snowdrift under a bush or tree.
Reproduction of hydrangea paniculata
Most often, paniculate hydrangea is propagated by cuttings and layering. The cuttings with 4-5 buds remaining after spring pruning are placed for two days in a weak solution of Kornevin, after which they are planted on a school garden, deepening the lower cut into loose acidic soil for two buds. Panicle hydrangea cuttings must be protected from the bright sun, and the soil in the garden should be regularly moistened, not allowing it to dry out. As soon as young leaves appear on the cuttings, the shading is gradually removed. For the winter, the cuttings must be covered with spruce branches. Next summer, it is better to remove the first flower stalks so that the plant directs all its efforts to building up the root system. Cuttings are planted in a permanent place at the age of 4-5 years.
It is very easy to propagate panicled hydrangea by layering: in spring, a low-growing shoot of a young plant is bent to the ground, pinned to it, and the place of fixation is covered with fertile soil or peat. The whole season, the layers are watered, covered with spruce branches for the winter, and the next spring it is separated from the mother plant and transplanted to the school garden for growing.
Varieties of panicled hydrangea
We are sometimes asked to list the "names of panicled hydrangeas", the most popular in culture and at the same time the least capricious in care, and also asked to recommend varieties of panicled hydrangea for the Moscow region. Actually, any variety of this species is winter-hardy enough for moderately frosty winters, but in conditions of abnormal cold weather, they all need to cover the root zone.
We offer you the best varieties of panicle hydrangea.
Hydrangea paniculata Grandiflora (large-flowered)
Shrub, which eventually takes the form of a tree up to 3 m high. It is distinguished by later flowering than other varieties. Collected in broadly pyramidal inflorescences up to 30 cm long, large sterile flowers of this variety are creamy when blooming, pure white in full bloom, and then pinkish, becoming greenish-red closer to autumn. The life expectancy of plants of this variety is about 30 years;
Hydrangea paniculata Vanilla Fraze
A plant up to 150 cm high and with a crown of the same diameter. The inflorescences are large, similar to clusters of lilacs. The flowers are creamy at first, then they turn pink, and by the end of flowering they become dark red. On one bush at the same time there can be snow-white and bright crimson flowers. Plants of this variety are able to withstand frosts down to -29 ºC;
Hydrangea paniculata Phantom
A plant up to 2 m high with a crown diameter of the same size. The inflorescences of this variety are large, dense, round-pyramidal. The flowers are light cream when blooming, but with time they become pinkish;
Hydrangea paniculata Pink Diamond
The inflorescences of this variety, up to 30 cm long, consist of creamy white flowers, which gradually become dark pink, almost red;
Hydrangea paniculata Limelight
A plant extremely popular with designers because of its strong shoots that can easily withstand heavy greenish inflorescences that turn white in full sun and pink at the end of flowering. Green in spring and summer, the leaves of this variety turn purple in autumn;
Hydrangea paniculata Pink Lady
A fan-shaped shrub up to 2 m high with a spreading crown, straight brown shoots that acquire a reddish tint by autumn, and white inflorescences up to 30 cm long. Over time, a slight blush appears on the fragrant white flowers, then the flowers gradually become pale pink;
Hydrangea paniculata Magical Candle
A plant with a spreading crown and large pyramidal inflorescences of fragrant flowers that turn pink in summer and crimson by autumn;
Hydrangea paniculata Wims Red
A plant with conical inflorescences up to 35 cm long, exuding a honey aroma. During the season, the flowers turn from white to pink, and at the end of flowering - rich red;
Hydrangea paniculata Diamond Rouge
Compact erect shrub with inflorescences up to 40 cm long, the flowers in which are white at first, and then acquire a rich raspberry-red color;
Hydrangea paniculata Sunday Frize
Dense compact bush with red-brown shoots, pubescent leaves along the veins and white flowers, which turn lilac-pink by the end of summer;
Hydrangea paniculata Pinky Winky
A variety bred more than 10 years ago, but still not lost its popularity. This is a small tree or bush with a wide-rounded crown and shoots that grow up to 30 cm annually in height. Powerful stems bear paniculate inflorescences of white flowers, which change color to pink-purple during the season;
Hydrangea paniculata Melba Fraze (Fraize Melba)
A new variety, which is a tall shrub with maroon shoots with a brown tint and dense pyramidal inflorescences 45-55 cm long, consisting of milky white flowers, gradually acquiring at first soft pink, and by the end of flowering a rich wine-red hue.
In addition to those described, such varieties of panicled hydrangea are grown in the culture: Silver Dollar, Little Lime, Kyushu, Bobo, Tardiva, Presox, Unique, Floribunda, Matilda, Darts Little Dot, Brussels Lace and others.
Hydrangea paniculata in landscape design
Hydrangea paniculata, due to its loose conical inflorescences, brings airiness to the landscape. Its cultivation is justified next to mock orange, lilac and spirea, since its lush inflorescences replace the wilted flowers of these shrubs. Spectacular combinations of panicled hydrangea with sheared plantings of boxwood, spirea or cotoneaster: such a combination can enliven any corner of your garden. And climbing varieties of panicled hydrangea will help create decorative verticals on the site, for which the hydrangea is planted near the walls of buildings or large trees, away from drafts. Such plantings attract the eye not only during the flowering period, but also in the fall, when the hydrangea leaves acquire a variegated color.
After this article, they usually read
Planting hydrangea paniculata will decorate problem areas of the garden. Caring for a culture, of course, requires certain skills and efforts. However, one has only to look at the photo of this beauty to make sure - the game is worth the candle!
Description of hydrangea paniculata
Hydrangea paniculata is a genus of shrubs and trees from the Saxifrage family. Originally from the Far East. The height of the hydrangea panicle bush reaches 3 meters (some varieties up to 10 m). Shoots upright, spreading. From the second year of vegetation, the stems become woody. The leaves are opposite, large, finely serrated.
Panicle hydrangea differs from other species in the shape of the inflorescence. Many small graceful flowers are collected in panicles of a pyramidal shape. Peak-shaped inflorescences reach up to 30 cm in length and 20 cm in width. It blooms very profusely, forming a chic crown, from June to October. The first flowering occurs at 3-4 years of growth. The color of the flowers is a chameleon: by autumn, the white color will change to pink.
An adult hydrangea panicle bush is completely winter-hardy. Grows on acidic and gassed soils, in shaded areas, very moisture-loving. Long-liver - grows up to 60 years. Hydrangea paniculata is an excellent honey plant and will decorate any, even the most specific part of the garden.
Popular varieties of hydrangea paniculata
- Grandiflora("Grandiflora") is a common popular variety. Fast growing shrub with large flowers. During the flowering period, it changes color four times: when blooming inflorescences - cream; full bloom - white, turning into pink; in autumn - red-green. Blooms somewhat later than other varieties.
- "Kyushu"("Kiushu") - reaches a height of three meters, is distinguished by a sprawling fan-shaped crown. Flowers have a pleasant aroma.
- Mathilda("Matilda") - a bush up to two meters in height. The crown of the bush reaches 3 m in diameter. The flowers change color from cream to red-green.
- "Pink Diamond"("Pink Diamond") - differs in very large inflorescences, over time acquiring an almost red color.
- Brussels Lace("Brussels Leys") - a rare variety. Forms many inflorescences with fruiting flowers. Looks tender, like a bride.
- "Tardiva"("Tardiva") - characterized by late flowering (August - October). The height of the bush is up to three meters, the inflorescences are located at the ends of the shoots. Used for group landings.
A variety of varieties of hydrangea paniculata will help you choose the one that is right for you.
Planting hydrangea paniculata
Before planting paniculate hydrangea, you need to choose the right place.
Illumination. Hydrangea is planted in semi-shaded areas. In open areas, the hydrangea will grow poorly, and the inflorescences will shrink.
The soil. The plant prefers fertile clay or loamy soil. Does not develop in sandy soil. The soil for growing hydrangeas should be acidic, so flowering will be plentiful, and the color of the flowers will be brighter. It is possible to acidify the soil by preliminary introducing semi-rotted needles, sawdust, brown peat into it.
Important! It is impossible to make deoxidizers under hydrangea - lime, dolomite flour, ash.
Humidity. Hydrangea is a very moisture-loving plant and may not be able to endure neighborhoods with the same “drink lovers”. To preserve moisture under the crown, it is recommended to plant ground cover flowers: saxifrage and stonecrop.
Panicle hydrangea planting is carried out in early spring and autumn. The planting hole should be wide, up to 70 cm in diameter, for even distribution of the roots. The recess is filled with a portion of mineral or organic fertilizers and moistened. When planting a hydrangea seedling, the root neck should not be buried. The planting hole filled with soil and compacted should be watered abundantly.
Advice. In autumn, panicle hydrangea can be planted only in the southern regions. In all others - only in the spring.
The distance between planted bushes is at least one and a half meters. In group plantings of hydrangeas, in order to achieve a quick closing of the crowns, seedlings can be planted at a smaller distance from each other. As they grow, such plantings thin out.
Hydrangea panicle care
Hydrangea paniculata is a rather demanding and capricious plant. Proper care will help achieve bright abundant flowering on a powerful healthy bush.
Watering. Abundant and regular (in a drought at least twice a week). After watering, the soil must be loosened without cracking the top layer. The solution to the problem will be mulching with needles or peat.
Top dressing. Hydrangea is very responsive to fertilization. At the beginning of growth, it will be useful to add a diluted nettle infusion. Mineral dressings are applied carefully, without excess, but regularly (every 10 days). It is preferable to use water-soluble fertilizers and apply them along with irrigation. From organics, slurry and diluted bird droppings are perfect.
Important! The interval for applying dressings for hydrangea should not exceed 15 days. Otherwise, flowering will be sparse and faded.
pruning. Annually, hydrangea bushes need to be cut short. So they will retain their attractiveness for a long time and bloom profusely.
In autumn, all remaining inflorescences, old and weak shoots growing inside the bush, are cut off from the bush. It is recommended to leave 10-12 strong shoots in winter.
Spring pruning is carried out before bud break. The shoots of an adult bush are cut into 2-3 buds, a young one - by 3-5. Such pruning will allow the bush to gain strength over the summer and meet the winter fully armed. Flowering becomes more lush.
Important! Pruning is required for hydrangea paniculata. Otherwise, the bush develops poorly and does not bloom.
Old bushes need to be rejuvenated from time to time. To do this, the shoots are cut under the stump. The bush is fully restored in two years. Standard methods of growing hydrangea paniculata require more gentle pruning.
Shelter. Young seedlings require winter shelter with spruce branches or other materials. In regions with a harsh climate, adult bushes also need to be covered.
A photo of panicled hydrangea in the garden conveys all its beauty and inspires you to overcome the difficulties of growing.
Reproduction of hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata reproduces in the following ways:
- Seeds.
- cuttings.
- layering.
It should be noted right away that the propagation of hydrangeas by seeds is not justified. The seeds are very small, give unfriendly seedlings, grading is lost, a flowering bush can be obtained only after four years.
The most common propagation method is cuttings. Cuttings are cut from one-year-old mature shoots. Usually ripening occurs in June, when the hydrangea releases buds.
Important! Cuttings cut in spring and autumn do not root well.
Rules for cutting cuttings:
- the cutting must have at least three pairs of buds;
- lower cut under the kidney at a distance of 2 cm;
- the upper cut above the kidney at a distance of 5 cm (if the shoot is a small upper cut, you can not do it);
- the lower leaves are removed, 1-2 leaves are left at the top;
- the remaining sheets are cut in half.
Chopped shoots need to be soaked in water for several days. Hydrangea is very capricious during reproduction, therefore, in order to achieve the desired result, it is recommended to treat the cuttings with a growth stimulator.
Cuttings are rooted in containers with a sand-peat mixture (1: 2). Planting material is deepened by 2/3. The soil mixture is covered with a layer of sand from above so that the bottom of the cutting does not reach the peat mixture. Seedlings are covered with banks and placed in the shade.
It is very important to maintain constant moisture in the containers, otherwise the cuttings will not take root. Spraying and watering should be done every day. The first roots will appear after three weeks. Now the banks can be removed and continue to water the seedlings regularly.
For the winter, containers should be placed in a cool, but frost-free place. During this period, you need to monitor the condition of the plant and prevent the appearance of fungus.
Seedlings are planted in open ground in August of the following year. By this time, the stalk will already acquire young shoots. If flower buds appeared during this period, they need to be cut off so that the plant can gain strength. A young seedling needs to be covered for the winter, and only after the first flowering is the bush considered winter-hardy.
Getting panicled hydrangea layering is quite simple. One-year-old mature shoots bend down into a dug groove, 20-25 cm deep. Shallow incisions are first made on the stem at the intended site of root germination. In the ditch, the layer is pinned or fixed with a stone. The upper part of the shoot must be above the ground, always in a vertical position. The trench is covered with earth and moistened.
Already next spring, layering will give young shoots. It is not worth rushing to separate them from the mother bush. This can be done in a year, when the young will gain enough strength. All varietal properties of the mother bush are preserved.
Diseases and pests
Hydrangea in the garden is affected by many diseases and pests. The most dangerous diseases include:
The fight against diseases must be carried out in a timely manner with special preparations and do not forget about preventive measures.
Hydrangea panicle pests:
- snails - feed on foliage;
- aphids and spider mites - located on the underside of the leaf, feed on plant sap;
- pennitsa and bedbugs are larger sucking pests;
- leaf beetle, leafworm, weevil - gnaw and twist foliage;
- nematodes - live in the tissues of the roots.
Important! During the flowering of paniculate hydrangea, spraying with chemicals is not recommended.
Weak plants cannot resist diseases. Growing zoned varieties, observing agricultural practices, preventive spring spraying with Bordeaux mixture, removing dried branches - these are the activities that will help to avoid the misfortune of most diseases.
Plants damaged by nematodes and viral infections must be removed.
Hydrangea paniculata is a very capricious beauty. Growing it is fraught with many difficulties. But when the first huge inflorescences appear, all the difficulties are forgotten, and you just want to enjoy this incredible miracle of nature.
Flowering hydrangea paniculata: video
Varieties and types of hydrangea: photo
Under natural conditions, this plant is very common in rare forests and edges of China, Japan and southern Sakhalin. Hydrangea paniculata is a small tree that looks like a large shrub with a dense crown. The leaves are elongated, especially on the underside and along the veins, rather large - about 12 centimeters long, oval in shape. Hydrangea blooms in small - up to 3 centimeters in diameter with white flowers, which eventually turn into fruits. The fruit is small, up to 3 mm. boxes, by the time of ripening - approximately by the month of October, crack at its top and scatter the smallest seeds.
In addition to its decorative effect, panicle hydrangea - hydrangea paniculata is described as a good honey plant and throughout the flowering period, from mid-summer to mid-autumn, it supplies bees with high-quality raw materials. Such honey plants are collected in large paniculate inflorescences, reaching a third of a meter in length.
Hydrangea flowers are very interesting for their changing color. As they develop, they turn from creamy to snow-white, and then gradually acquire a pink hue, which, towards the end of flowering, closer to autumn, gradually turns into red-green.
Almost all hydrangeas have similar growing requirements. There are differences only in frost resistance and demanding lighting, but only to a small extent. Consider below the general rules for caring for hydrangeas, common to all varieties.
Landing
The most acceptable results are obtained when planting hydrangeas in the spring. You can plant a plant in the autumn, but in winter frosts it will be more difficult for it to take root, and besides, you will have to take care of reliable warming of autumn seedlings. At the same time, by planting a tree in the spring, during a warm, sunny period, you give the hydrangea a chance for the most comfortable rooting, and this ultimately guarantees that the tree will grow healthy and will fully bloom, and most likely already this season.
What you need to know to choose the right site
Like most ornamental trees, hydrangea loves when there is a lot of light and little wind, especially she does not like through and cold winds. These are the most significant factors to consider when growing it.
Most hydrangeas, including hydrangea paniculata, grow quite tolerably in partial shade and even in shaded areas, but you need to understand that under these conditions, its development will not be quite full, and flowering is not so plentiful and more faded. Therefore, if possible, you need to grow them in areas of light, not shaded by the crowns of large trees.
It is also worth considering that this plant requires sufficiently nutritious soil, which excludes its planting on poor soils - sandy. They will have to be prepared before planting and subsequently, carry out regular feeding, especially in spring and autumn.
First of all, on the selected site you need to prepare a landing hole. Its size should correspond to the size of the root system of the seedling. Since the hydrangea is a rather large shrub, the size of the hole should not be less than 60 centimeters in diameter and about the same depth, but it is better to make it bigger - this will allow you to put more fertilized soil into it, which means to provide the plant with nutrients for longer. The optimal size is 80/70 centimeters.
In a dug hole, depending on its size, pour 20 - 30 liters of water and wait until it is well absorbed - until the next morning. The shaken hole is filled with prepared soil, the approximate composition of which is a mixture of horse and sod land, humus, peat and sand in proportions - 2/1/2/1. All this must be fertilized with organic matter and mineral compounds. Must be present - urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate. It is desirable that the soil is slightly acidified. This can be achieved by adding pine or spruce needles to the mixture. But, as for lime, it should not be at all - hydrangea reacts extremely negatively to it. Lime is guaranteed to lead to diseases, and if its concentration is significant, then to the death of the plant.
The next step is planting a seedling. Before planting it, you need to carry out its correct pruning. It is made depending on the type of hydrangea. If it grows in the form of a tree, its roots must be shortened, and on the aerial part, all annuals are needed so that no more than 4 - 5 points of growth remain on them. If this plant has a bushy crown, the seedling cannot be cut, since all its flower-forming buds grow at the end of the shoots - they should absolutely not be touched.
The prepared seedling is planted and sprinkled with soil, and then gradually rammed. First, they ram the hole from the outer perimeter, and then gradually move to the trunk. At the same time, it is worth making sure that the basal neck is not below the soil level. If this happens, the seedling must be taken out and transplanted again, since the deepening of the neck will almost certainly lead to the death of the seedling - its trunk will rot and the plant will disappear. This procedure is preferably carried out in spring or autumn.
As already mentioned, hydrangeas need to be grown on acidic soils, so after planting and watering the seedling, it is worth mulching the soil with humus, acidic peat or needles. In addition to increasing acidity, such ukrov will prevent premature evaporation of moisture and help the seedling to quickly adapt to new conditions. In addition to mulching, a young hydrangea requires reliable protection from winds and drafts, as well as from the scorching sun. At first, it is very desirable that the light be diffused.
Hdrangea paniculata, like its other varieties, is completely unpretentious and grows quite tolerably even without much care for it, but if you want to see the fullness of its decorative effect, you will have to provide the plant with proper care. It will be discussed below.
Watering
All hydrangeas, regardless of variety, love moisture, so they require regular moisture, and quite significant. An adult plant requires weekly watering - at least three buckets per square meter of soil around the plant. Regular watering is especially important if the bush grows in an open, sunny place and on hot summer days. The plant does not impose special requirements on the quality of water, but it will be nice, for preventive purposes, sometimes add a little potassium permanganate to it - so that the solution is slightly pink. This will be a good prevention of root fungus and root rot.
The regularity of watering is of particular importance on very light - sandy soils, which evaporate moisture very easily. In this situation, it is worth monitoring the humidity very carefully - it is undesirable to allow drying out. Competent mulching retains moisture very well, therefore, after each watering, cover the soil around the trunk with sawdust or dry peat, but only so that it can breathe, otherwise it may rot and rot.
As for overflow, most varieties of hydrangeas are not very sensitive to them. An exception, perhaps, is paniculate hydrangeas, but they tolerate temporary drought better than others.
Lighting
All hydrangeas love a lot of natural light, and paniculate hydrangea is the most light-loving - it prefers bright sunlight, but subject to sufficient humidity. If the air is dry, it will be better to provide at least a small scattering of sunlight, otherwise the foliage loses some of its decorative effect.
Optimum temperature
It all depends on the type of plant. So, for example, a tree-like hydrangea easily freezes in winter if it is not insulated, but quickly recovers with the onset of heat. True, some of the branches will have to be cut, which spoils the crown. But paniculate hydrangea is quite frost-resistant - it easily tolerates frosts down to minus 40 and does not require crown insulation at all. But still, it will be better to insulate the root system, because if the winter is snowless, the plant may freeze slightly and will not bloom in due time.
The most vulnerable to frost, hydrangea varieties are serrated and large-leaved. They require warming not only of the roots, but of the entire crown, otherwise the buds from which the flowers develop are guaranteed to freeze and die, and the plant itself recovers for a long time and may not bloom from one to three years.
soil quality requirements
The approximate composition of the soil has already been described in the previous chapter - panicled hydrangea - planting. Now let's take a look at some of the features.
Soil acidity is of great importance, because when it is insufficient, chlorosis often occurs and develops - the leaves turn pale and then turn yellow.
When feeding, it is advisable not to use nitrogen fertilizers, especially before wintering - nitrogen significantly reduces the winter hardiness of all varieties of hydrangeas. On the contrary, potassium compounds increase it, and in addition cause more abundant flowering.
Do not add wood ash flour to the soil - it lowers its acidity, which means it is harmful to the plant.
The concentration of certain elements in the soil leads to a significant change in the color of flowers. Thus, an increase in substances rich in iron and aluminum leads to an increase in the acidity of the soil and the coloring of flowers in blue tones, and with a neutral and alkaline composition, hydrangea blooms in warm tones - pink and red.
Fertilizer
Like all large plants for normal development, hydrangeas need nutrients. Therefore, you need to regularly apply fertilizers - both organic and mineral compositions:
- Liquid manure is well suited from organic matter, but you should not get carried away, otherwise the plant will begin to increase its mass immoderately, and the inflorescences will become heavy and unbearable for flower stalks - they will break off under their own weight;
- It is advisable to use special minerals - for hydrangeas, and in a strict dosage indicated by the manufacturer;
- To improve flowering and its abundance, it is worth adding about 25 grams of urea, 35 superphosphate and the same amount of potassium sulfate dissolved in water under each bush.
Such top dressing is carried out four times during the warm season - from March to August inclusive. The first time you need to feed the hydrangea in early spring, introducing organic compounds. It will allow you to quickly increase the green mass.
The second is needed for the development of emerging flower buds. At this time, you need to add superphosphate and urea.
At the time of flowering, in order to prolong it as much as possible, the plant requires top dressing with mineral complexes. The last top dressing is done with store-bought hydrangea formulations. It is carried out in the fall before preparing the bush for wintering.
Crown care and shaping its shape
The best time for such care is the end of March, the beginning of April. Young hydrangeas leave no more than 10 shoots. The healthiest and strongest ones are chosen, cut off so that 4 - 5 points of growth remain on them. The rest of the shoots are cut at the root. If they are not cut off, they will only take strength from the bush and slow down its growth, so you should not feel sorry for them. Even if all the shoots seem good, you need to leave no more than 10, and even 5-6 is better.
Pruning a mature bush is carried out a little differently. If it has become noticeably worse to bloom, it is advisable to cut all its shoots to a size of 5 - 10 centimeters from the root. This will heal and rejuvenate the plant - for the next season it will actively grow and give abundant flowering.
It is possible to carry out pruning in the fall, but in this case it is limited to sanitary measures - diseased and damaged parts of the bush are removed.
Preparing for the winter
Despite its frost resistance, it will be better if the plant is prepared for winter in late autumn. First of all, you need to insulate the root system, which will not be out of place in the event of a winter without snow. You can cover the roots with peat or sawdust, but rotted manure is best, which, in addition to warmth, can also feed the plant in the spring when it gets warmer.
As for crown insulation, whether to do it or not depends on the situation. An adult and frost-resistant plant will easily overwinter even without insulation, but young growth, especially for the first winter, is still better to be insulated. This should be done in late autumn, shortly before the onset of frost. For this, spruce or pine spruce branches, or garden fabric are suitable. True, in the latter case, you will have to make sure that it does not freeze, and if this happens, you will have to remove it, since it is completely airtight, and the plant needs to breathe.
If everything is done correctly, even the first-year seedlings easily endure the winter, begin to actively develop in the spring, and give the first flowers in the summer.