Large-leaved hydrangea blooming on the shoots of the current year

Hydrangea is an amazing flower that pleases with its beauty. The most popular is the large-leaved hydrangea that blooms on the shoots of the current year. It blooms twice a year. It is not easy to grow a hydrangea in Russia, especially in the harsh Siberian conditions, but its beautiful appearance makes gardeners make every effort to get a beautiful exotic flower in their garden.

Origin and appearance

Macrophiles consider China and Japan to be the homeland of the deciduous shrub hydrangea. The hydrangea came to Europe thanks to French travelers who brought it from the island of Mauritius.

Large-leaved hydrangea

Its name means a vessel of water. Scientists explain this by the fact that the macrophile is quite hygrophilous, and its seed pods are like a jug.

This is an incredibly beautiful shrub with large flowers of various colors. Depending on the level of acidity of the soil, flowers can be white, blue, pink, red, purple. The flowering period is from spring to autumn. Up to 6 large inflorescences are formed on one plant. Their diameter reaches 30 cm.

Hydrangea is a shrub that has erect stems. In the tropics, its height reaches 4 m.When grown in Russia, where the temperature regime is colder, the plant grows up to 1.5 m in height.

The stems have ovoid leaves with jagged edges. The color of the leaf can be either light green, almost yellow, or dark green. Has two types of colors.

Breeders have identified two forms of large-leaved wild hydrangea:

• l Japanese. Has inflorescences umbrellas. There are beautiful sterile flowers at the edges, and fruit-bearing flowers in the center.
• l Changeable. Differs in hemispherical inflorescences. A large number of varieties have been bred from this form, differing in various colors and sizes of flowers.

Flowering features

So on which shoots does panicle hydrangea bloom? Flowers are not formed on all shoots of the current year. Only on those that were formed from the upper buds of last year's shoots.

Frost resistance

Hydrangea has a rather low winter hardiness. This is the main problem when growing in the Russian climate. But beautiful flowers compensate for the time and effort spent on caring for the flower. Hydrangea stems hibernate still green. Only the next year do they become lignified. This is due to the low winter hardiness.

Unlike the tree hydrangea, which is quite frost-resistant, the large-leaved hydrangea was previously grown only as a houseplant or in a greenhouse. Now many frost-resistant varieties have been bred. For a successful wintering, the plant only needs shelter, it is also important to protect it from early autumn frosts and return spring frosts.

Shelter for the winter

The information on the packaging in which the cuttings were sold can help winter the large-leaved hydrangea. If there is an inscription USDA on it, then the variety refers to plants acclimated to regions where the temperature does not drop below -23 degrees in winter. On the territory of Russia, many regions have winters with lower temperatures.When grown in them, the large-leaved hydrangea is completely covered. Better yet, grow it in containers, pruning the plant for the winter and storing it in a cool place for wintering.

Variety of remontant varieties

Repaired varieties of large-leaved hydrangea have a long flowering period. This became possible due to the fact that at the beginning flowers are formed on last year's shoots, later on the branches of the current year. Under unfavorable conditions, when for any reason the buds on the old shoots have not blossomed, the stems of the current year compensate for their absence.

For cultivation on the territory of the Russian Federation, it is better to choose proven varieties. This will avoid the problems that gardeners face when growing hydrangeas. The variety of varieties will allow you to choose a seedling that matches your taste preferences.

Grant's Choise

Refers to winter-hardy varieties of hydrangea large-leaved remontant. The packaging of this variety bears the inscription Persistence, Everyblooming or Re-blooming (RE).

Twist-n-Shout

Hydrangea remontant Twist-n-shout is a small shrub, the same size in height and width, approximately 0.9-1.2 m, with large leaves. In the summer, the leaf is rich green, in the fall it turns red. Grows best in sunny areas.

The color of the flower depends on the acidity of the soil. Pink flowers can bloom on alkaline soils, lilac on neutral soils, and different shades of blue on acidic soils. Inflorescences are medium in size from 10 to 16 cm. In this case, the central flowers are small, the outer ones are large. Flowering continues throughout the summer.

Twist-n-Shout

Pink wonder

A compact bush with a height and width of up to 0.8 m. The variety received the name Rose Miracle for similar inflorescences, the color of which does not depend on the balance of the soil. Prefers sunny areas. Responsive to watering. Poorly tolerates frosts, therefore, in the winter period, shelter will be required even in the suburbs.

Hamburg

Large-leaved hydrangea Hamburg prefers fertile, moist soils. It tolerates frosts down to -18 degrees. In harsh winters, shelter will be required. In cold regions such as Siberia, shelter is already at the end of September.

Differs in beautiful large flowers, the color of which changes depending on the acidity. On neutral soils they are pink, on acidic soils they are blue. Flowering is short - from July to August.

Passion

An interesting variety that has collected flowers of all shades of pink. Inflorescences are spherical.

Winter hardy hydrangea varieties

Winter-hardy varieties of large-leaved hydrangea are suitable for growing in Russia. In each region, the temperature in winter is different, but there are varieties adapted for breeding in central Russia.

Endlees summer

One of the first remontant varieties that delight with long flowering due to the formation of flowers on the shoots of the current year. It tolerates frosts down to -29 degrees. The height of the bush is 1.5 m. The color of the inflorescence changes depending on the acidity of the soil from blue to pink. It got an interesting name for the constant renewal (every 6 weeks) of flowers.

Hydrangea inflorescence

Freepon

One of the last varieties bred. It differs from other representatives in corrugated petals. The flowers are blue in color, which gradually becomes more intense. At the beginning of flowering, the petals are pale blue, then the color becomes richer.

Green shadows

The variety is interesting for its unusual flowers, which are green at the beginning of flowering, then gradually change color to dark red, only the green center remains. Flowers are odorless. The bush is unpretentious, not afraid of frosts down to -20 degrees. Differs in rapid growth.

Hopcorn

It is named so because of the unusual type of flowers. They have round petals that look like popcorn. The diameter of the bush reaches 1 m. It blooms all summer and early autumn. When growing a plant on alkaline soil, the flowers are pink, on acidic soil they are blue-violet. Without shelter, it tolerates frosts from -18 to -23 ° C; in colder winters, it requires shelter.

Mirai

An original plant with an extraordinary color of flowers. When they bloom, they have white-pink petals with a red border. Over time, the flowers turn green. The plant looks very beautiful when green and red flowers are present on it at the same time.

The list of varieties is quite large. The variety of colors makes the large-leaved hydrangea popular. It looks good, both in group and single landings. The long flowering period makes it even more attractive.

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