Hydrangea is not a frequent guest of florists. Hydrangea species number in the dozens. Recently, it is rapidly gaining the love of florists, becoming a real decoration of the homestead plot.
Hydrangea flowers have a wide range of colors, unusual, sometimes even bizarre, shape, so you can choose the most suitable species for your garden. Late blooming hydrangeas delight their owner at the end of the season, complementing the amazing colors of autumn.
Hydrangea Description
Hydrangea is a low-growing ornamental shrub in the Hydrangea family. This family got its name because of its moisture-loving nature. Today there are about 80 species of hydrangeas. The plant spread across the planet from China. However, there are also American Hydrangea species, which are successfully cultivated in European countries.
Most Hydrangeas are deciduous, stunted trees or shrubs with large ellipsoidal leaves with a pointed apex, serrated edges and prominent veining. The green color of the upper leaf surface transitions smoothly to bluish on the back, which is less exposed to sunlight. Hydrangea is a heat-loving plant, dwelling in the subtropics, some hydrangea varieties reach 4 meters in height. Approaching northern regions, the size of the shrub can decrease significantly to 1-2 meters.
Evergreen varieties and species of hydrangeas grow exclusively in warm climates.
Hydrangea is one of the typical representatives of the “shield” inflorescence. They come in flat, hemispherical, globular and pyramidal forms.
Hydrangea flowers come in two types: small, sexless, fertile, and sterile. The flower has 4-5 large petal-like sepals. The color of the petals depends on the variety.
White or cream predominates. At the beginning and end of flowering the bud has a greenish hue. During flowering, the inflorescences begin to turn pink, especially when exposed to direct sunlight. Depending on the species, the inflorescences are lilac, pink, blue or white. Hydrangeas have a lush inflorescence reminiscent of lilacs. The inflorescence can be 10-25 cm in diameter.
Fertile and sterile flowers are arranged chaotically in the inflorescences. Most often, however, the center of the inflorescence contains fertile flowers surrounded by sterile flowers. Such an inflorescence is called a crimson inflorescence, in Anglo-Saxon parlance a “lace cap”. Certain species have completely sterile inflorescences, and there are some that are endowed with only fertile inflorescences. Planting hydrangea on your plot, you should understand the species and varieties of this exquisite beauty.
Most hydrangea varieties are represented by low-growing shrubs, but there are also a few that are classified as vines.
Appearance characteristics may vary depending on the species variety. Moreover, each species prepares for flowering in a different way and has a different duration of blooming. The earlier varieties begin flowering in mid-June, the bulk of hydrangeas bloom en masse by mid-July, and the later ones form their inflorescences in late September or early October. Late varieties, of course, do not have the opportunity to take root in the Central European belt.
Hydrangea, whose varieties are designed for indoor cultivation, are shrubs of small height. In the middle latitudes, tree and panicle hydrangeas are gaining popularity. Local florists call the tree hydrangea “white bush” or “white spherical.” It is so adapted to the northern regions of European countries that it is ready to withstand the unforeseen features of the Northern Hemisphere climate.
Hydrangea “panicle”.
In flower growers in the middle belt of the Eurasian continent is the most popular hydrangea panicle. Every year the panicle hydrangea (H. paniculata) pleasantly surprises professional gardeners and fans with new varieties, which are unpretentious and of a wide variety of colors. The plant has broadly pyramidal paniculate inflorescences, reaching a length of 25 cm.
The inflorescences consist of fertile flowers of not too large size and rather large sterile flowers.
The selection of new hydrangea varieties fills the landscape plant market with crops that have the longest blooms.
Before purchasing hydrangea seedlings, consider the climate and the timing of their blooms.
The hydrangea varieties, the least and most adapted to the middle latitudes, are listed below:
- Tavrida is not suitable for the middle latitudes, as its flowering is too late – in October.
- The Grandiflora variety is well adapted to gardens in the middle latitudes, enjoying beautiful large inflorescences from the very beginning of the summer season, consisting of sterile flowers, arranged very densely to each other.
- The variety ‘Limelight‘ (Limeligth) is one of the first to win the love of gardeners of the middle belt of the Eurasian continent. “Limelight” has dense inflorescences of sterile flowers of delicate greenish hue, which by the end of flowering turn pink. The bushes of this variety reach a height of 2 meters. Flowering starts in the second half of June.
- Pinky-Winkystarts blooming in early July with a number of conical openwork flowers which are sterile and gradually turning purple-pink by September. This variety reaches a height of 1.5-1.8 meters.
- The Phantom variety has large, distinctive shrubs that can grow to a height of 2.5 metres. It has a beautiful, spreading crown with large, creamy pale pyramidal inflorescences which open in mid-June. As fall approaches, the flowers turn noticeably pink.
- Vanille Fraisewith its large dense, conical flowers which bloom from the first decade of June and turn a strawberry pink in autumn. The name of this type of hydrangea speaks for strawberry dessert. The height of the bush reaches 2 meters. A smaller copy of Vanilla Fraise is considered to be Sundae Fraise. Its bushes have a height of 1-1.2 meters.
- Dharuma is one of the smallest varieties. Its small, openwork, spherical-flat-shaped inflorescences are cream-colored at the beginning of blooming, in mid-June, but turn a dark pink at the end of blooming. Daruma’s foliage complements the inflorescences very organically, gradually turning red by fall.
- DiamanteRougehas large, dense inflorescences that turn rapidly pink in mid-summer and bright red in the fall. Diamon Rouge grows to a height of 1.5-1.8 meters.
- EarlySensationblooms very early in the morning of June. Its inflorescences are broad, cone-shaped, openwork tubes with a cluster of fertile flowers. In midsummer it turns purple, combining beautifully with the dark purple leaves.
- Great Star is a large white sterile flower specimen with long, propeller-like, elongated petals. The sterile flowers tower over the small fertile ones. The bushes of ‘Great Star’ reach up to 2 meters in height. Blossoms from June to October.
- The ‘Kiyushu‘ variety is characterized by very large tall plants. Its inflorescences are small and delicate and its shoots are long and upright. Kiyushu grows to a height of up to 2.5 meters. Kiushu blooms in July.
- The White Lady variety (White Lady has long, openwork-like inflorescences with few large flowers and a marvelous cut at the edges, which gives it a very graceful appearance. Despite the early appearance of the inflorescences, in early June, the flowers remain white for a long time, turning slightly pink towards fall. The height of ‘White Lady’ bushes reaches 2 meters.
- The “WimsRed” variety is a beautiful bush up to 2 meters high with large openwork inflorescences, which the bush is simply strewn from the top to the base of the trunk. Flowering of this variety begins in June. “Weims Red” throws delicate white inflorescences, gradually changing to bright pink and becoming purple-red by the end of blooming.
Hydrangea arborescens
Hydrangea arborescens (H. Arborescens) is perfectly adapted to the climatic features of the middle latitudes and rightfully takes its rightful place in flowerbeds and park areas of European countries. Varieties of this species are characterized by stunting.
The largest plants do not exceed 1.5 meters in height.
The crown of tree hydrangeas has a rounded shape with somewhat drooping shoots.
Their leaves are large, oval and have serrated edges and a heart-shaped depression at their base. The upper part of the leaf is greenish, turning grayish towards the bottom.
Hydrangea arborescens is a typical representative of plants with “shield” inflorescence.
The small, fertile white flowers harmonize with the large sterile ones. Flowering begins in the first half of July. Hydrangeas should be protected from hard frosts in harsh winters; they can freeze.
The following varieties of this type of hydrangea are often found in the middle latitudes:
- Annabelle starts to flower in early July with very large inflorescences, sometimes up to 25 cm across with white sterile flowers.
- Sterillis has a dense, spherical configuration of sterile flowers. They begin to bloom in the second half of June when they are pale cream-colored and then turn beige and pinkish in the fall.
- The Hayes Starburst variety is the owner of astonishing, terry-shaped flowers, gathered in large, oval inflorescences that measure 25 cm in girth. The flowers have a greenish tint at first, then turn white. The bushes of this variety are not tall (0.8-1.2 meter) and have thin shoots which sometimes cannot even withstand the weight of the abundant inflorescences, which appear in the middle of June.
- Incrediball fascinates with its enormous white spherical flowers, which break out in the first half of July. It varies in height from 1.2 to 1.5 meters.
- Invincibelle Spirit impresses with its large pink flowers which are made up of large sterile flowers. The white color of the flowers gradually changes to pale pink from the beginning of flowering, from mid-June until late fall. Shrubs reach a height of 1.2 meters.
- The White Dome variety has large, cream-coloured, “shield-like” inflorescences with fertile flowers in the middle and white sterile flowers on the edges. The height of the bushes varies from 1 to 1.4 meters. Flowering begins in mid-June and lasts until late fall.
Other Hydrangea species and varieties
Varieties and species of hydrangeas are not limited to the panicle and tree, where the attention of florists is focused on the flowers. Some types of hydrangeas have beautiful crowns, thanks to which they win the love of specialists and fans of ornamental garden crops.
In some gardeners can be found hydrangea Bretschneideri (H. Bretschneideri). It is not too decorative, but endowed with high winter hardiness and very unpretentious. Bretschneider’s shrubs reach a height of 2.5-3.0 meters and form a dense crown abundantly covered with dark green leaves. This species blooms from the beginning of August with large umbrella-shaped inflorescences consisting of small fertile flowers, which are surrounded by large sterile flowers that turn purple-pink by the end of flowering.
The Hydrangea Radiate has large, rich, dark green foliage with a white foliage underneath. If this variety is planted in a windy location, you can admire the amazing shimmering colors of the crown. Hydrangea radiantiana is conquering northern regions because of its winter hardiness. However, to avoid the death of the bush from too low temperatures, it is advisable to cover the root part for the winter, bending the shoots to the ground.
The Samantha variety is popular because of its unique crown. Its leaves are large, have a contrasting silver coloring on the “back” side and bright green on the “front” side. Even a slight breeze creates an enchanting spectacle, giving the hydrangea something mythical and unique.
Hydrangea “Oak-leaved” (H. Quercifolia) has lobed leaves like an oak; in principle, the name speaks for itself. Toward fall, the foliage takes on a beautiful mottled color with a reddish hue, complementing the colors of an autumn garden. This species can be cultivated as a perennial. To do this, it is enough to wrap the root part for the winter, and with the arrival of spring, the bush will give young shoots with a beautiful crown.
Recently, varieties endowed with remontant properties of flowering have begun to appear.
Of course, plants of this type should be kept in room conditions, or at least try to create them conditions close to greenhouse conditions, excluding contact with the cold, winds and ground freezing for the winter. The amazing ability to remontant in such varieties is due to the fact that new inflorescences appear repeatedly on the shoots of the current year.
If a florist wishes the hydrangea to blossom on the shoots of the past year, then the shrub should be carefully wrapped for the winter, preserving the sap movement in the fragile shoots until the spring. This is usually difficult to accomplish in northern regions, but by keeping the shrubs in a greenhouse or on an insulated balcony, you can experiment.
Conclusion
Hydrangea is a relatively unpretentious plant, successfully acclimated in the middle latitudes. Planting Hydrangea in your garden plot, you can not worry about saturating the soil for her with additional mineral fertilizers. However, the plant will be very grateful to peat fertilization.
In the spring, you can not miss the mandatory pruning of the bush. This will help to thin the overly dense crown, allowing the inflorescences to grow proportionately on the shoots during the flowering period.
For the winter, cold-sensitive shrubs can be dug up, transplanted into pots and placed on insulated sites.
Varieties of hydrangeas, presented in the modern market of crops for landscape design, will impress even the most sophisticated florist. Therefore, it is possible to choose a suitable variety, based on the characteristics of your plot and the microclimate of the area.
Hydrangea perfectly co-exists with other plants, absolutely “not conflicting” and not displacing neighbors. It adapts quickly in park areas and private gardens, filling even the most inconspicuous sites with unique color and comfort.
