How to determine the variety of hydrangea paniculata. Hydrangea: types and preferred varieties for the Russian garden

Amazing hydrangea, the species of which are quite numerous, is a shrub or small tree, which are covered with inflorescences consisting of two types of flowers. The first is large specimens that have four sepals. They are completely sterile. The second version of the flowers is quite small, but its representatives perform reproductive functions. This article will consider the types of hydrangeas with photos of their representatives. After all, each of them deserves not only an illustration, but also a separate description.

General information

Hydrangea is a genus of flowers, which includes about eighty species. The greatest variety of these plants can be found in Japan, China, and also in America.

Several variants grow in the Far East. Of course, the types of garden hydrangeas are not so diverse, but still there are plenty to choose from. The family to which the plant belongs is called Saxifrage. This indicates that this flower is quite strong and hardy. But he, despite all his strength, has a stunning appearance. You can verify this by examining the types of hydrangeas presented in the article with photos that show the beauty of this plant.

Features of flowering

Flowering occurs from spring to late autumn. The inflorescences of this plant are located at the ends of its stems and have the shape of a ball. They are called a shield or panicle. Some species have both reproductive and non-reproductive flowers. They differ in that they have a different size. Smaller (reproductive) are located in the center, and larger (sterile) along the edge. But the inflorescence can only consist of fertile (fertile) flowers.

Then they will all be the same size. More often, hydrangea, the species of which are so numerous, has a white color. But there may be other shades. You can find plants of red, blue, pink, and purple flowers. Such colors, as a rule, depend on the pH of the soil. In acidic soil, specimens grow, the petals of which turn blue, and in alkaline soil, plants with pink or purple flowers. All types of hydrangeas, garden or wild, have the same fruit. Usually it is represented by a box divided into compartments. Their number can vary from two to five.

historical moments

The first acquaintance of Europeans with hydrangea took place at the end of the eighteenth century. It was then that the first French expedition around the world took place. Its participants brought large-leaved hydrangea, which they discovered on the island of Mauritius, located in Indian Ocean. This plant, according to one version, got its name in honor of Princess Hortensia, who was the sister of Prince Nassau-Siegen. According to another, more romantic assumption, the French doctor Commerson named the flower, dedicating it to his beloved, who bore the name Hortensia.

In 1739, this plant was studied by the botanist Jan Frederik Grovonius, who gave it the name "hydrangia". It was he who combined two Latin words in the name of this flower. One of them means water, and the other - a jug. These associations were provoked not only by the shape of the seed containers, but also by the moisture-loving nature of this flower. Since then, it has become more and more famous flower hydrangea, varieties and species of which conquer people everywhere. Before reaching Europe, this plant conquered all of Asia. And this is not surprising. Hydrangea has a number of positive characteristics. She feels wonderful not only at home, but also in the garden. The most famous and popular is garden or large-leaved. But what else is hydrangea (species)? Varieties, photos of which are found in this article, may well be grown in our climatic conditions. And they are not at all afraid of the weather vagaries of the Russian climate.

The nature of our region is not too spoiled by shrubs that can bloom beautifully. Such a gap can be filled by plants borrowed from other areas and resistant to winter. An example of such a shrub is lilac. She fell in love and took root so much that she is considered “native”.

But many of these plants have not received due attention, which is completely in vain. Just one of these is the hydrangea, the species and varieties of which, although very beautiful, are not widespread enough. Although some of them perfectly tolerate a temperate climate and are unpretentious in their care.

Unfortunately, we cannot grow any hydrangeas in our house. Species and varieties for Russian gardens in the middle lane are somewhat limited. This, of course, is due to the climatic conditions of our area. But for all of them there are general recommendations. Whatever the hydrangea (species), planting and caring for the plant, produced in garden conditions, require some preparation. All representatives of this wonderful flower love to have a lot of light. They feel best in open areas, although they do not favor too bright sun. Therefore, they grow and develop well also in slightly shaded places. Important features when choosing a place for planting, it is protected from the wind and constant soil moisture. As well as acidic or slightly acidic soil.

Hydrangea: types and care

The soil in which you are going to grow your flowers must be fertile. He shouldn't get sloppy. Since alkaline soils lead to the development of chlorosis. Hydrangea leaves begin to turn yellow and lose their attractiveness. To prevent this, once every ten days, watering is carried out with saline, which must necessarily contain iron.

The hydrangea shrub, the types and photos of which are presented in this article, prefers the following option soil mixture for growth. This is a combination in equal proportions of peat, sand, as well as sheet and sod soil. The best way to plant hydrangeas in early spring. When planning a landing, fifteen to twenty days before it, they dig a hole. The width and depth should be about half a meter. The pit should contain fertile soil, and the neck of the root should be located at the level of the soil. After planting, the hydrangea is well watered and the ground near the trunk is covered with peat.

As for fertilizers, it is better to use potassium permanganate in solution or slurry. At the beginning of summer and all spring, it is better to fertilize hydrangeas with sour nutrients, and in July, August and autumn - phosphorus-potassium.

Every year the plant requires spring pruning. If it is not produced, then the bushes are pulled out until they simply break off under the influence of their own weight. Propagation of hydrangeas is done by cuttings. They are cut when they are already flexible, but not yet stiff. Bushes begin to form at least three years of age.

Hydrangea: types, varieties, photos of representatives

Some of the species and varieties of hydrangea that exist in nature are able to grow and even delight in their flowering in temperate gardens. Tree and paniculate are best suited. Bretschneider's hydrangea and petiolate develop somewhat worse. Therefore, they require special care.

But numerous types of large-leaved hydrangea practically do not take root. We can please ourselves with only some of its varieties, with all their diversity. The largest number of species of this wonderful flower is found in the nature of East Asia. So, let's figure out what types of hydrangeas are in our gardens.

Hydrangea tree is most often represented by the following varieties. Variety "Annabel" has the appearance of a shrub, the height of which does not exceed one and a half meters.

The diameter of its crown can reach three meters. The leaves are large, juicy green. They do not change their color even in autumn. Flowering begins in June and continues until the end of September. Inflorescences are white.

The next variety is Grandiflora. This spreading type of shrub is densely covered with cream flowers. This beauty lasts from June to September.

And one more, no less beautiful, variety "Sterilis". It has a longer flowering period. Whitish-green inflorescences, under the weight of which the branches bend, cover the bush until the end of October.

Varieties of panicled hydrangea are also very beautiful. This is a real decoration of the garden. This species also has a variety called "Grandiflora". Its inflorescences are pyramid-shaped and reach a length of thirty centimeters. Flowers change their color. Initially, they have a creamy tint. In the active phase of flowering - white. Over time, the inflorescences turn pink, and by autumn they acquire a greenish-red color.

The tall shrub of the Kyushu variety has a very unusual crown shape - in the form of a fan. Its inflorescences are white and fragrant. Distinctive feature is frost resistance. The flowering period continues from mid-July and captures half of October.

Another variety "Symphony of Color" blooms from early July until the end of September. Requires shelter for the winter. Over the entire flowering period, its color changes from pale cream to wine red.

The plant in our area rarely exceeds a meter in height. The types of garden hydrangea, the photos of which can be found in this section, are very beautiful and change color depending on the level of acidity of the soil in which they grow. The variety "Early Blue" has very strong stems and does not need a garter. During flowering, it can dissolve about six inflorescences at once.

Their color is bright blue. It has a powerful root system, thanks to which it can feel quite comfortable in a tub. The flowering period begins in July and continues until the end of September. In the climatic conditions of our area, wintering is possible only under the condition of shelter or in a winter garden.

It is a vine-shaped shrub. It has suckers and aerial roots. Thanks to these adaptations, this species is able to conquer heights up to twenty-five meters. The flowers are white-pink in color and are collected in large loose inflorescences. This hydrangea is able to develop and grow quite well in shading conditions. Although it blooms better on open areas. Requires wind protection. This type perfect for decorating gazebos or decorating walls.

One of the most resistant species is She courageously endures not only winter, but also a long drought. Its inflorescences have a milky hue. At the beginning they are greenish, and in the end they become purple. Flowering occurs every year and continues throughout the summer, starting in June.

Large-leaved hydrangea: care features

Japan is considered the birthplace of this plant. It is there that this type of hydrangea is able to reach a height of four meters. Unfortunately, the large-leaved hydrangea is not very resistant to cold and can only hibernate in a state of shelter. Previously, this species was grown only as a house plant, but more frost-resistant varieties were later developed, which allowed this plant to move from the windowsill to the garden.

The soil should have an acidic environment and consist in equal parts of peat, humus, sand, leaf and sod soil. This hydrangea is very sensitive to the appearance of lime in the soil. It should not be planted under trees, since in this case it will be deprived of both moisture and nutrition. The place of growth should be slightly shaded.

Plant hydrangeas in the garden in the spring, as soon as the threat of frost has passed. If there are several bushes, then a distance of at least one meter must be observed between them. Hydrangea should be watered with soft water. Perfect for rain. After watering, the soil should be mulched using peat or pine needles. Fertilize the ground, as a rule, at the beginning of growth, during the laying of buds and during the flowering period. As soon as the first frosts appear, the bushes should be spudded to a height of about thirty centimeters, and the top should be covered with two layers of film with holes. In November, the branches of the plant should be well bent to the ground and carefully covered with dry foliage. After that, cover the hydrangea with a box. Plant pruning is done in spring and autumn. You can propagate by cuttings or layering.

Paniculata and care

This type of hydrangea is able to tolerate even marshy soils. Abundant flowering of the bush is possible if the ground under it remains wet. All types of hydrangea paniculata the best way grow on acidic clay soils.

It is better to place the plant near a hedge or near a building. This will protect the hydrangea from the wind. But at the same time, the area should be well lit. This species feels quite comfortable in conditions of polluted air. This makes it possible to plant shrubs along the road. If your region is characterized by the severity of the climate, then try to provide the plant with at least a little shelter for the winter.

In general, paniculate hydrangea is a frost-resistant plant. At the very beginning of spring, and preferably at the end of winter, the plant should be pruned. It is important not to miss one point here. During pruning, the dormant period should continue. If it has already ended, then the cropped plant can get sick. If you want to achieve a large number of flowers, then last year's shoots are best cut very short. But gentle pruning will help enhance the growth of the stems. Every two weeks, hydrangeas should be fed with liquid mineral fertilizers. A week after top dressing, organic fertilizer is added. This is done once a month. Reproduction of this species is carried out by cuttings or layering. First three years young plant should be well covered in winter.

Hydrangea

All types of arboreal hydrangea love moist, slightly acidic. Although this species is quite capable of surviving a certain amount of lime. Flowering is plentiful. It usually occurs from early June to late September. But flowers bloom only on young shoots. Last year's branches are not involved in the process. The inflorescences of this species retain their shape well even when cut, so they often become part of it. In areas closer to the north, it is best to plant this type of plant in spring, and in the southern area it can also be done in autumn.

If several specimens will grow in your garden, then they must be at least a meter apart from each other. tree hydrangea, although not deep, but wide enough. Therefore, the pit prepared for planting should be in the shape of a cube, each face of which is equal to at least thirty centimeters. About a third of a bucket of humus is poured inside the pit and then planted. At the end of planting work, the plant is watered with soft water, and the soil around the trunk is covered with peat.

This hydrangea requires abundant watering, as well as regular feeding with mineral and organic fertilizers. In autumn, shrubs should be spudded thirty centimeters from the ground. But the most important thing in caring for this plant is pruning. As soon as growth buds begin to swell in early spring, the hydrangea must be cut off. Six to twelve last year's growths should be left in the bush. This type of hydrangea is easy to propagate. This can be done not only with the help of layering and cuttings, but also with root offspring or bush division.

Pests and diseases

Hydrangea, like many other plants, is susceptible to various diseases, as well as pest attacks. This may lead to incorrect temperature regime, violation of irrigation requirements, untimely feeding of plants and even dense planting of bushes.

Very often, hydrangea diseases are provoked by high humidity. Under such conditions, a false powdery mildew. This is evidenced by the spots that appeared on the leaves. They are yellow at first and then darken. On the reverse side of the sheet, a plaque can be found. If symptoms are detected, fungicide treatment should be carried out immediately.

In the summer, hydrangea shoots can be attacked by gray rot. Brown spots appear on them. In that case, all affected areas must be removed and destroyed, and the remaining ones should be treated with a fungicide. Hydrangeas are among those plant species that are often affected by viral infections. Of the pests, these shrubs are most often visited spider mite, as well as aphids.

Hydrangea, the types of which were discussed in this article, is a real decoration of any garden. It is not always capricious in care, and many of its varieties are frost-resistant enough that we can afford to grow them.

If you strictly follow all the rules for caring for this plant, then the reward will be abundantly pleasing not only with large inflorescences, but also with their ability to change color throughout the entire flowering period. Hydrangea will provide beauty and unusualness to your garden.

Garden hydrangea is not a frequent visitor to our personal plots. And it’s completely in vain, because hydrangea flowers have a wide color palette, are unusual in their shape and can become a real decoration of a personal plot.

In this article, we will take a short excursion into the past to acquaint you with the history of the hydrangea flower, tell you about the types and varieties of hydrangea, give some recommendations on planting garden hydrangea and caring for it, and, of course, we will provide the opportunity to enjoy garden hydrangea flowers on a photo.

Hydrangea flowers in the garden

The nature of central Russia is not rich in flowering shrubs. This gap is filled by winter-hardy plants introduced from other places. Some of them (like lilac, wrinkled rose) are so fond of and widely spread in Russian gardens that one gets the feeling that these are our "native" plants. Others are undeservedly overlooked and are still quite rare guests in the gardens. These include garden hydrangea flowers, although it is difficult to find a shrub that would be distinguished by such a duration of flowering in the second half of summer.

Moreover, among garden hydrangeas there are species that perfectly tolerate a temperate climate and are distinguished by their unpretentiousness in culture. Therefore, it is difficult to explain such our "disgrace". But the active selection of this culture, which gives us more and more diverse varieties, contributes to the fact that various types and varieties of hydrangeas appear more and more often in the gardens of the middle lane.

Garden hydrangea flowers: historical background

Europeans got acquainted with hydrangea at the end of the 18th century, when the participants of the first French round-the-world expedition brought large-leaved hydrangea from the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. It got its name in honor of the beautiful Princess Hortense, sister of Prince K. G. Nassau-Siegen, a member of the expedition. There is also a more romantic version that it was named by the French physician and naturalist F. Commerson in honor of the charming beloved Hortense. However, there is a completely prosaic explanation that the name comes from the Latin word hortensis, which means "from the garden", since the shrub was discovered in the garden of the governor of Mauritius.

Later, botanists, referring the hydrangea to the genus Hydrangea, gave it the name hydrangia, however, the old name was preserved in another name for this species - hydrangea. The plant received a new name for its moisture-loving nature. In Greek, hydor is "water", angeion is "vessel", which gave Hydrangea.

Types and varieties of hydrangeas in the photo

The genus of hydrangeas contains several dozen species (botanists still do not have a consensus on the number of species) and belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family of the same name.

Most species are shrubs with large leaves, less often they are small trees or creepers.

As can be seen in the photo, all types of hydrangeas have flowers collected in large corymbose or paniculate inflorescences and located, as a rule, at the ends of the shoots.

In most types of hydrangeas, the inflorescences contain two types of flowers: small fertile (fertile) flowers and large sterile (sterile), which are usually located on the edge of the inflorescences. The color of most species is white or pink.

Description of hydrangea paniculata and its photo

For horticulture in central Russia, paniculate and tree hydrangeas are of the greatest interest. These hydrangeas are most often found in old gardens.

In recent years, panicle hydrangea (H.paniculata) has been actively selected, and almost every year new varieties appear on the market. In the gardens of the Moscow region, its growth does not exceed 3-3.5 m. The description of paniculate hydrangea is similar to the description of tree hydrangea, the main difference is in the form of inflorescences.

Wide-pyramidal paniculate inflorescences of hydrangea up to 20-25 cm long consist of small fertile flowers and large sterile ones.

Look at the photo of panicled hydrangea above - the color of the petals is white at first, then they turn pink, and by the end of flowering, greenish tones appear in their range. This sign of color change is to some extent characteristic of all varieties. The large elliptical or ovate leaves are slightly pubescent above and noticeably stronger below.

Species and cultivars are very different. long flowering. Early varieties bloom in June, the bulk begins to bloom in July.

But the late-flowering variety of hydrangea "Tardiva" ("Tardiva") should not be started, because it blooms in October, and simply does not have time to prove itself. It is worth noting that the Floribunda variety (Floribunda), which is very common in the West, is often found on sale under this name.

Hydrangea paniculata "Grandiflora"

Most often, the old variety of hydrangea "Gmndiflom" ("Grandiflora"), or, as it is also called in the West, "Pee Gee" (from the abbreviation of the name Paniculata Grandiflora) is grown in gardens. Hydrangea paniculata "Grandiflora" has large, dense inflorescences, consisting of sterile flowers.

Hydrangea paniculata "Limelight"

Hydrangea "Limelight" - the first variety with dense inflorescences of sterile flowers that have a distinct greenish tint, turning pink by the end of the season.

Hydrangea paniculata"Limelight" reaches a height of 1.6-2 m. A reduced copy is “Little Lime” (“Little Lime”) up to 1 m high.

Hydrangea paniculata "Pinky Winky"

Hydrangea "Pinky Winky", syn. "DVPinky"("Pinky Winky"), has conical openwork inflorescences with large quantity sterile flowers that acquire a purple-pink color. Hydrangea paniculata "Pinky Winky" reaches a height of 1.5-1.8 m.

Hydrangea paniculata "Phantom"

Hydrangea "Phantom"("Phantom")- a large shrub up to 2.5 m high with a spreading crown and very large pyramidal creamy white inflorescences. By autumn, the inflorescences of hydrangea paniculata "Phantom" evenly turn pink.

Hydrangea paniculata "Vanilla Fraze"

Variety "Vanille Fraise"("Vanilla Fraze") has a very dense large conical inflorescence, quickly acquiring a pleasant strawberry-pink color. A real vanilla-strawberry dessert. A bush up to 2 m high. A reduced copy of the Vanilla Fraise hydrangea variety is the Sundae Fraise variety (Sunday Fraise), reaching a height of 1-1.2 meters.

Varieties of hydrangea paniculata

Now the market offers a large number of varieties of panicled hydrangea, differing in the density and color of inflorescences, the height of the bushes, and the flowering period.

Dharuma("Daruma") Probably the smallest variety. Small creamy openwork spherical flattened inflorescences become dark pink over time. The leaves also take on a reddish tone, complementing the red color of the shoots.

Hydrangea "Diamant Rouge"(Diamond Rouge) differs in large dense inflorescences and very quickly appearing juicy red color. Plant 1.5-1.8 m high.

Variety "Early Sensation", syn. Bulk("Early Sensation"), blooms very early with wide-conical openwork inflorescences. Fertile flowers turn purplish-pink quickly, complementing the deep purple shoots. By autumn, the leaves also take on a purple hue.

"Great Star", syn. "Le Vasterival"("Great Star")- a variety with very large white sterile flowers with elongated petals in the form of a "propeller", hovering over the main mass of small fertile flowers. Bush height up to 2 m.

Kiyushu("Kiushu")- an old variety up to 2.5 m high, characterized by erect shoots and openwork inflorescences. The described smell was not to be caught.

Hydrangea "White Lady"("White Lady"). Long openwork inflorescences adorn a few large flowers with serrated petal edges. The flowers remain white for a long time. Bush height up to 2 m.

In the variety "Wim's Red"("Weems Red") - beautiful shape bush up to 2 m high with large openwork inflorescences covering it from the top to the ground. It blooms in June with white flowers, which then turn deep pink and finally burgundy red.

Hydrangea tree and her photo

Another beauty that endures our climate is the tree-like (H. arborescens). This is a low shrub up to 1.5 m high with a neat rounded crown and slightly pubescent shoots. The leaves of the hydrangea tree are large, ovate or elliptical, serrated along the edge, with a heart-shaped notch at the base. The leaf is green above, bluish below.

As you can see in the photo, the hydrangea tree has a corymbose inflorescence, consisting of small white fertile flowers and relatively large barren ones. Blooms for a long time from the first half of July. In very severe winters it can freeze slightly.

Hydrangea tree varieties: photos and descriptions

As in the case of Paniculata, in gardens it is usually not a natural species, but a variety of hydrangea tree "Annabelle" ("Annabelle"), blooming with large (up to 25 cm in diameter) inflorescences of white sterile flowers.

Much less common forms of this Hydrangeas "Gmndiflom" ("Grandiflora") and Sterilis("Sterilis") with similar dense hemispherical inflorescences of barren flowers.

"Hayes Starburst", syn. "Double Annabelle"("Hayes Starburst")- the first grade of tree hydrangea with double flowers filling rounded inflorescences with a diameter of up to 25 cm. The flowers are greenish at first, then turn white. The bushes are low, thin shoots often do not withstand the severity of the inflorescences. The height of the bush is 0.8-1.2m.

"Incrediball", syn. Abetwo"("Incrediball"), - a variety that strikes with the size of spherical white inflorescences. The height of the bush is 1.2-1.5 m.

Variety "Invincibelle Spirit", syn. "Invincible"(Invincibell Spirit), conquers with large pure pink inflorescences from sterile flowers. Over time, the flowers fade to a light pink color. Bush 0.9-1.2 m high.

Sort "White Dome", syn. Dardom("White House"), characterized by large corymbose inflorescences with creamy white fertile middle and snow-white sterile marginal flowers. Plant 1-1.4m high.

In addition to these two species, other hydrangeas can also find a place in our gardens.

First of all, this is Mr. Bretschneider (N. bretschneideri). Some botanists do not distinguish it in separate view, but is considered a variety of ground cover (N. heteromalla). It is not as decorative as the species described above, but has a high winter hardiness. Reaches a height of 2.5-3 m and forms a lush thick bush with a wide-rounded crown with dark green large leaves. It blooms profusely from the end of July with wide umbellate inflorescences, consisting of small fertile flowers, which are decorated along the edge with large white sterile flowers, acquiring a purple-pink color by the end of flowering. Thanks to juicy beautiful foliage and openwork soft inflorescences, the shrub is good for creating a background and in informal living hedges.

Hydrangea leaves and their photos

Hydrangea attracts not only with flowers, but also with beautiful juicy foliage. At the same time, there are plants that have especially decorative leaves. In the city of radiant (N. radiate) - sometimes it is described as a kind of tree hydrangea - large foliage, dark green on top and white-tomentose-pubescent below. If the plant is planted in a windy place, then it will be possible to observe the "overflows" of foliage colors. It blooms from July with corymbose inflorescences with numerous white marginal sterile flowers. It is winter-hardy enough, but the root system should be covered, and the shoots should be bent to the ground. Then, in case of freezing of the shoots, the plant will quickly recover. The variety "Samantha" ("Samantha") has been bred with large leaves and a contrasting silvery reverse side.

Pay special attention to the photo of the leaves of the oak-leaved hydrangea (H. quercifolia). Unlike other species, her leaves are not solid, but lobed, resembling oak leaves, for which she received her specific name. In autumn, they take on a very beautiful red-purple color, adding to the charm of the bush. In addition, this species blooms with large beautiful paniculate inflorescences. Many decorative-flowering varieties of this hydrangea have been obtained, but it is not winter-hardy enough in our climate, and it is easier to get by with panicle varieties. But the species itself, and especially varieties with decorative foliage, can be used as decorative leafy plants, growing them as perennials. In this case, it is enough to cover the root system before winter, and in the spring new shoots with beautiful foliage will grow.

Hydrangea variety "Burgundy"("Burgundy") it is distinguished by a particularly bright purple autumn color of the leaves, and in "Little Honey" ("Little Honey") it attracts with golden yellow tones.

Petiole hydrangea and her photo

Having seen the petiolate hydrangea, or climbing hydrangea (H. petiolaris = H. scandens) in the Baltic states, some gardeners try to grow it in our country, forgetting that winters are milder in the Baltic states. In our climate, this species can be used either as a groundcover or removed from supports before winter. Additional shelter will not hurt either, since shoots may suffer in winters with little snow.

Look at the photo of petiolate hydrangea - this plant has large, corymbose, loose inflorescences, consisting of fertile flowers with marginal sterile flowers. On the shoots, a mass of aerial roots and suckers is formed, with the help of which this hydrangea is able to climb to a height of up to 25 m in the south. Thanks to its large, heart-shaped, dark green leaves, when grown as a ground cover, it forms a dense green "veil".

Large-leaved hydrangea and her photo

Of course, the most beautiful and desirable is the large-leaved hydrangea, with which the story began. Unlike other rations, it strikes with a variety colors, and not only in different colors: white, pink, red, purple, blue, purple, but also their combinations.

As you can see in the photo of the large-leaved hydrangea, the variety of flower shapes and inflorescences is added to this variety of colors.

However, its winter hardiness does not correspond to our frosts, and choosing a reliable shelter option is not an easy task. If the shoots are not covered well enough, then they freeze out; if the cover is tight, but it is wet, the shoots will trample. If you cover too late or open too early in the spring, then the flower buds die. The most reliable option is when the hydrangea is grown in a greenhouse, then planted in open ground, again transferred to the greenhouse in the fall, and removed to the basement for the winter.

In recent years, new "winter-hardy" varieties have appeared, characterized by remontant flowering.

These are the popular Endless Summer series, abbr. ES (Endless Summer), and Forever & Ever, abbr. FE (Foreve Eve). “Wintering without shelter” they were made by sellers, since flower buds do not withstand frost, and shoots often freeze out. The main difference from old varieties is that they can bloom again on the shoots of the current year. But this is for the 7-8th climatic zone.

If you want to have flowering on last year's shoots, then the bush must be covered for the winter, and everything that was described above remains true for these varieties. If you still managed to keep the shoots, and your hydrangea has bloomed, then this does not mean that it will flourish a second time. In our zone, the season is shorter and the sum of positive temperatures is lower, so the plant may not have time to bloom a second time. For this to happen, it is necessary to create a greenhouse above the bush in the spring so that the plant begins to vegetate earlier; cut flowering shoots as early as possible; the bush should be planted in a sunny place and watered abundantly; conduct regular top dressing and have a “warm” microclimate on your site. In this case, you may be able to achieve repeated flowering.

Planting and caring for garden hydrangea

Plants are unpretentious, but it is better to choose open places or partial shade for planting garden hydrangeas (for colored varieties, a slight shading at noon is desirable). The place should be well-drained, especially for insufficiently winter-hardy species.

When planting and caring for garden hydrangea, you can not worry about the special saturation of the soil with minerals, this plant is not demanding. However, it grows and blooms better on loose, fertile, moisture-intensive soil with an acidic reaction (pH of the order of 5-6). Therefore, peat is necessarily introduced into the substrate.

Hydrangeas are calcephobic, which should be considered when choosing partner plants and using fertilizers. When the soil is alkalized or lime enters the plants, chlorosis develops. As the name of the genus suggests, hydrangeas are demanding on soil moisture and prefer abundant watering, especially on hot sunny days.

The soil when caring for garden hydrangea must be mulched to retain moisture. Plantings are also mulched before winter to cover the root system. To ensure the lush flowering of hydrangeas in the open field, regular top dressing is necessary. In the spring, after pruning, nitrogen fertilizers are applied, later (in May-June) they are fed with a complex fertilizer that does not contain calcium and chlorine, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are introduced into the budding phase, and at the end of August - potassium sulfate. It is good to use manure infusions with superphosphate as a top dressing.

Growing hydrangeas involves mandatory pruning in the spring (April-May). The degree of pruning can, to a certain extent, adjust the height of the bush. Without pruning, the bushes thicken, which is reflected in the abundance of flowering and the size of the inflorescences.

Insufficiently winter-hardy species need winter shelter. The most reliable is pot culture, when the plants are harvested in the fall in the greenhouse and then transferred to the basement.

Today, a sufficient number of varieties have been bred so that you can choose a plant for your garden. The cultivation of hydrangeas is carried out not only singly or in groups, but also together with other plants. Thanks to its late flowering, it is indispensable for creating flower beds that delight us at the end of the season.

Hydrangea species and varieties of which are ubiquitous - heat-loving flowering plant originally from Japan. It came to the European continent at the beginning of the 18th century, it was originally grown as a room plant. But thanks to the hard work of breeders, it became possible to grow hydrangea in a garden plot in a temperate climate. The origin of the name is associated with the name of the sister of one of the Roman military leaders. In Japan, the plant is known under the name "Ajisai".

The form of the plant is bushy, the flowers appear on woody stems, up to 1.2 meters high, collected in dense large inflorescences. The first inflorescences appear in early May, flowering continues until the cold weather. The color is different, there are plants of white, blue, pink and lilac shades. There are at least 100 species and varieties of hydrangea. At the same time, plants belonging to different species may not differ in appearance, but have a different degree of resistance to pests, flowering diseases, and temperature rise and fall. Before buying a plant, it is extremely important to study the characteristics of the selected variety. Otherwise delicate flower may die without having time to please the owner with the first independent flowering.

Types and varieties of hydrangeas

The climatic features of the Russian region do not fully correspond to the conditions to which such a fastidious foreign guest is accustomed. And yet, in the garden plots of Russians, they can not do without hydrangeas. Some species of this plant have adapted to difficult weather conditions and delight with incredibly beautiful flowering for most of the summer and autumn season.

The following types of hydrangeas discussed below can be considered the most unpretentious in terms of heat, sunlight and resistance to pests.

Hydrangea paniculata

A large tree-like plant, up to 10 meters high. It grows in China and Japan. Unlike most varieties, Hydrangea paniculata is not thermophilic; it is found in Russia even on Sakhalin. Survives at air temperatures below 20-25 degrees.
There are not only cultural, but also wild varieties this plant, growing on the outskirts of deciduous forests. The shape of the leaves is elliptical, the upper part is slightly pubescent, the pubescence is more pronounced in the lower part. The length of the leaves is from 10 to 12 centimeters. Flowers are collected in large panicles, which actually gave the name to this species.

During the flowering period (June-October), it exudes a pleasant aroma that attracts bees. Prefers shade. Direct sunlight has a negative effect on the inflorescences, they turn pale and fade. Does not like drafts and strong winds, the tree is quite fragile. In anticipation of a strong thunderstorm, it is better to overlay it with boards or sandbags, thereby preventing the trunk from breaking.

Hydrangea paniculata is best not to be left unattended. The tree grows rapidly, runs wild, it is difficult to fight with its thickets. Propagated by cuttings, the period of planting in the ground depends on the region. It is better to plant in the spring, in regions where there are no such severe winters, autumn planting is practiced.

Varieties

The best varieties of panicle hydrangea are considered to be:

Grandiflora. Bushy plant with large, mostly white flowers pyramidal shape. A feature is the change in the color of the inflorescences. At the beginning of flowering, the flowers are cream, in the middle of summer they become snow-white, closer to autumn - greenish-brown. Similar indicators are observed in the "bombshell hydrangea" variety.

The plant is sterile.

Brussels Lace. Delicate plant with many white flowers. Unfortunately, only a fairly experienced gardener can grow this variety from seeds. Kyushu. Adult kyushu plants are distinguished by good winter hardiness, but newly planted ones can die, therefore hydrangea transplantation is carried out exclusively in spring. The flowers are white with a pleasant smell and aroma. About a quarter of them are sterile, the rest are fruit-bearing. Blooms from mid-July to October. The form is bushy, the height of the shoots does not exceed 2 meters.

Limelight. The height of the plant does not exceed 2 meters, the inflorescences are large, white. In the early stages of flowering - green. It has the form of a shrub with straight stems and velvet leaves. The length of the inflorescences collected in panicles can reach 30 centimeters. Blooms from mid-July to mid-August. Unpretentious in care, does not need abundant watering, does not like shade. A bush growing in the shade will never please with white flowers, the inflorescences will remain green even by the end of flowering.

Candlelight (candelight). Shrub up to 2 meters high. Used for decorative purposes. Candlelight has creamy conical inflorescences that gradually become pink shade. The leaves are jagged, dark green in color. Needs top dressing and abundant watering.

The variety is characterized by high frost resistance.

Magical fire (fire).

The popular variety Fair is distinguished by a diverse color of inflorescences.

The name of the fire variety is also associated with the presence of bright red inflorescences in some individual plants.

Polar bear (bear).

The polar bir variety has good winter hardiness.

The flowers of plants known as the polar bear are snow-white, collected in large inflorescences.

Mathilda. Shrub with an unusual color of inflorescences, depending on the stage of flowering. The first buds formed are pleasing to the eye with creamy flowers. As the bush blooms, the flowers turn white, after a few days a pink, and then a red tint appears. Closer to the end of flowering, the inflorescences are red-green, sometimes such plants are called chameleons.

Perennial, inflorescences are white, have a conical shape, appear in June, the plant blooms in August.

At the end of October, when flowering ends, the flowers acquire a bright pink color.

Bush with cream, and then pink and red flowers. Inflorescences can be sterile and fruitful.

Diamantino hydrangea is grown everywhere, is not afraid of frost, and is resistant to pests.

Diamant rouge (rouge).

Bush with straight stems, large inflorescences, up to 0.4 meters long.

At the beginning of flowering, the color of the inflorescences is white, at the end - raspberry, purple color is not uncommon.

Floribunda. The main feature of the variety is abundant flowering. The inflorescences are white, cone-shaped, held on long stems. Similar characteristics are inherent in plants of the variety magical moonlight, magical amethyst, magical moonlight hydrangea and pink lady (pink hydrangea). Hydrangea medzhikal inflorescences are impressive in size and shape.

Magical sweet summer. Bush up to 2 meters high. The stems are straight, the shoots are reddish, strong, flowering begins in July and continues until September. At the beginning of flowering, the color of the inflorescences of the summer suites is greenish-white, at the end - pink. Pink hydrangea is not uncommon, so a change in color should not worry the gardener.

Vanilla Fries.

Vanille fraise hydrangea is a bush up to 2 meters high and inflorescences up to 30 centimeters in diameter. The color of the inflorescences is white or pink. Hydrangea vanilla fraze is successfully combined with large plants. Hydrangea of ​​the Vanilla Frazi variety can also be multi-colored.

Large-flowered hydrangea, up to 2 meters high.

Bushes need protection from wind and rain.

The color of the inflorescences is pink, white, sometimes blue.

Bush of medium size. Blooms from August to late October. Immune to most pests, grows rapidly, requires regular care.

The color of the inflorescences is white, by the end of flowering it is pink, which allows us to consider this variety as a chameleon.

Dart's Little Dot. Bush up to 0.5 meters high. Inflorescences are collected in panicles of a pinkish tint.

Little Lame. Little lime is a shrub with white pistachio and pink buds. Its characteristics are similar to the Limelight variety.

Hydrangea Bretschneider. Bush up to 4 meters high. It blooms profusely, the inflorescences are small, collected in corymbs, the color is white, purple at the end of flowering. Needs winter shelter. Grows on loose organic soils with a neutral or slightly acidic environment. Does not tolerate lime. Similar characteristics correspond to the hydrangea varieties of Mancini and Beauharnais.

The varieties and types of panicled hydrangea described above are widely used to create flower arrangements, and are sold in bouquets and pots.

Video Varieties of hydrangea paniculata

Hydrangea large-leaved (garden)

A perennial plant, grown for decorative purposes, is a shrub up to 2 meters high. Stems erect, inflorescences sterile. The size and color of the inflorescences depends on the quality of the soil layer, primarily on the degree of acidity.

By periodically increasing, or vice versa, lowering the acidity, you can get inflorescences of a rich blue, pink and lilac color. The initial color of the inflorescences is white. Leaf color is green.

hydrangea oak-leaved

Hydrangea quercifolia

Perennial up to 2 meters high. Shoots are straight, painted red. Inflorescences paniculate, white. The beginning of flowering is June, the end is September. The plant is fruitful. Needs chernozem soils, does not tolerate limestone. Young plants are afraid of cold weather, with age the shrub becomes more winter-hardy. Propagated by cuttings, division of the bush is possible. In autumn and spring, the bushes are pruned.

Hydrangea radiata

Perennial plant up to 2.5 meters high. The shape of the leaves is oval, lanceolate, the top of the sharp leaf is sharp. Inflorescences are white, sterile, collected in shields. Flowering is short, does not exceed 1 month.

Radiant hydrangea is propagated by cuttings. It is afraid of frosts, needs shelter for the winter. Hydrangea is used in landscape design.

Hydrangea serrate (serrated)

Shrub shaped like a tree, up to 1.5 meters high. The crown is spreading, the leaves are oval, green, sharp at the end. The plant is an annual, inflorescences are spherical, blue in color, brightening at the edges. By the end of flowering, the color may change to pink. The intensity and color of the inflorescences depend on the acidity of the soil. Flowering begins in July, ends in September.

The plant is easy to transplant, it takes root well, in most cases propagated by cuttings. For the winter, this variety is covered, in the summer they provide abundant watering and a bright place for planting. The plant is resistant to diseases and pests.

Hydrangea Sargent or Sargent

Shrub up to 3 meters high. Inflorescences are collected in umbels of lilac and purple hues. By the end of flowering, the color becomes blue or white. It is considered a frost-resistant species, but does not grow without shelter. Needs good watering. Flowering begins in August, ends in September. The beauty of this variety of hydrangea can only be conveyed by watercolors.

Hydrangea ash (grey)

The height of the bush does not exceed 2 meters. It blooms with small sterile flowers of a grayish hue. Blooms from mid-July to October.

Hydrangea Rough

Tree up to 3 meters high. The stems are straight, the leaves are dense, green, the shoots are covered with hairs. The inflorescences are flat, collected in corymbs, the flowers are small, pink or blue. Flowering begins in August, ends in September. The plant can withstand temperatures as low as 23 degrees. The most popular variety is the rough macrophylla.

Most of the described varieties and varieties are profusely flowering. The number of inflorescences is related to the frequency of pruning. Left unattended, the plant grows, grows wild, inflorescences become small, and flowering is rare. In addition, the listed plant species are most suitable for Russian gardens, as they are distinguished by good winter hardiness.

Both single and group cultivation of the plant is allowed, including with other perennials. Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are used as top dressing. The best fertilizer is manure infusion and superphosphate. To preserve moisture, it is necessary to mulch the soil.

The hydrangea flower was first discovered in Japan. Literally translated from Greek, the name of this plant means “a glass of water” or, more literally, “a vessel with water”, because hydrangeas need a large amount of liquid, and its flowers resemble small cups in shape.

For some, the bud-like arrangement of hydrangea inflorescences will resemble a pom-pom in shape, the color of which varies from white to blue and from pink to purple.
The largest number of hydrangea species are thermophilic, prefer the sun and die in cold conditions. It is this reason that does not give them the opportunity to grow in central Russia. However, some species of this flower are frost-resistant.

Consider the main types of hydrangeas (photos and names with descriptions), as well as new varieties of hydrangeas for Russian gardens.

Hydrangea: varieties with photos and names

What hydrangeas (garden varieties) are the most popular?

Refers to frost-resistant species. This winter-hardy variety is able to grow and bloom in areas where prolonged and Cold winter, late spring. In addition, this species can bloom both on the shoots of this year and on the shoots of last year. For the winter, it is advised to cover and use a dry shelter for this, and also carefully ensure that snow does not fall in large quantities from above (for example, frost from the roof). Remove the film in the spring.

The second wintering option is to transplant the bush into a container with a volume of 5-20 liters (depending on size) and keep it in a cool room with a temperature not higher than 7 degrees. Water periodically.

One of the most popular varieties of large-leaved hydrangea - early blue hydrangea, which blooms with lush blue inflorescences. This is a small bush that can be planted not only in a flower bed, but also in a pot at home.

In appearance, it is very different from its counterparts - the tree-like hydrangea is a sprawling lush bush with a large number of shoots.

It blooms from June to September. This flower grows quickly and sometimes reaches 5 meters in height. Finding a tree-like hydrangea in the sun is undesirable, it is better in partial shade, otherwise the plant risks dying.

It is also worth remembering that hydrangea is a moisture-loving plant, so it is necessary to provide it with enough water. Approximately 3-4 times per season, you need to loosen the ground around the flower. It is frost-resistant, however, it is recommended to cover young bushes and loosen the ground by about 15-20 centimeters so that the roots of the plant do not freeze.

One of the most popular tree hydrangeas is Annabel (Annabelle). Its other name is smooth hydrangea.

Any type of soil is suitable for it; the main condition for the long life of this variety is a large amount of moisture and the absence of heat, so on days when the sun is especially active, it is worth paying more attention to it. With proper care, Annabelle hydrangea is able to bloom for many seasons in a row (sometimes there are also long-livers that bloom for 50-60 years).

Another variety - Sterilis- not much different from her predecessor Annabelle. This lush shrub blooms especially in August. Its flowers turn from white-green to pure white. Caring for her does not differ from caring for Annabelle, however, winter hardiness this plant average.

serrate hydrangea. This type of hydrangea is also a shrub, but less lush than the tree hydrangea shrub. Depending on the acidity of the soil, it can change color.

Requires sun, however, a little shade will work for her too. The soil for planting serrated hydrangea must be nutritious. For the winter, the flower must be carefully covered, otherwise it may die.

It got its name from its appearance: it is a shrub with flowers collected in a pyramidal inflorescence. The bush blooms profusely. This type of hydrangea loves water, so it will survive even in swampy areas. Frost resistance is high: it will endure cold up to -25 degrees.

Relating to serrated hydrangea, it is notable for the fact that it changes color: during the summer from a greenish tint to pure white, and in autumn it becomes pink.

This variety has been grown in our country for a long time, because it easily tolerates frosts and is unpretentious in care.

It has melliferous flowers, long flowering, frost resistance. An interesting note: the more acidic the soil, the more magnificent the bush. Prefers partial shade rather than full sun.

- a dwarf bush (up to 70 cm in height), which blooms luxuriantly from July to September. He likes lighted places, protected from the wind, as well as slightly acidic and moist soil. Watering is necessary once a week.

Bobo hydrangea is suitable for planting in a pot or container, so that they are at home, on terraces or balconies.

It is very popular among gardeners. Still: a lush bush and fragrant flowers will leave few people indifferent.

It is able to grow for a long time without a transplant, has high frost resistance and is unpretentious to the soil. However, when planting, it is worth remembering that most of all she loves the light, but without direct sunlight.

hydrangea vanilla fries. This is the new kind, which is different bright flowers: at the beginning of flowering they are white, and then turn crimson. It needs fertile and moist soil. Frost-resistant, shelter is necessary only for young shrubs.

Hydrangea breitschneider. Perhaps the most unpretentious flower in the care. It is not necessary to cover for the winter, it has high frost resistance. Tolerates lack of water, only needs to be watered in severe drought. Feels good in the shade. It is a shrub (height up to 4 m), flowers are collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences.

Liana, able to climb the support to a height of 25 meters. It is used for decorating houses, arbors, fences.

winter-hardy; only young plants need to be covered. The flowers of this hydrangea are small and bloom from June/July. It needs moist nutrient soil. Grows best in partial shade or full sun.

ashy hydrangea. This is a small heat-loving shrub, the flowering period of which is from July to September. Frost resistance is average, however, during a harsh winter, the shoots will freeze. However, they recover quite quickly. Requires a lot of moisture. Ash hydrangea inflorescences are used in winter bouquets and in the preparation of floristic compositions from dried flowers.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in caring for hydrangea. Provide her with proper care, and the flower will delight you for many seasons.

And here is a video about varieties of hydrangeas (species and varieties).

And so, we sorted out the most popular hydrangeas (varieties, description, photo). Good luck growing!

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

Majority hydrangeas (Hydrangea) - small deciduous trees or shrubs, not exceeding a height of 1 - 3 meters, but there are also tree-like lianas up to 30 meters high. In the Hortensia family, there are about 80 types of hydrangeas, almost all of them are native to North America and Southeast Asia, including Japan and China. Several types of hydrangeas grow in the Russian Far East.

All hydrangeas have opposite, rounded leaves with serrated edges. Large corymbose inflorescences or conical panicles appear at the ends of the shoots of the current year in the second half of summer.

Hydrangea inflorescences consist of large, very conspicuous flowers, consisting of four to five flat petals, however, these flowers are sterile, and small, very unsightly flowers, but producing seeds.

For reference: flowers from which seeds can be obtained are called fertile.

In central Russia, only a few types of hydrangeas can be grown in open ground, namely: tree-like hydrangea, ashy hydrangea, radiant hydrangea, oak-leaved hydrangea, panicled hydrangea, large-leaved hydrangea, ground cover hydrangea, Sargent hydrangea, Bretschneider hydrangea, petiolate hydrangea.

- A very common type of hydrangea in our country comes from North America. Tree hydrangea is a sprawling bush of upright shoots up to 1 meter high, shoots branch in the lower part, some lie down and take root.

In the hydrangea tree, light green, oppositely arranged leaves up to 20 centimeters long are located on long petioles. White or pink hydrangea tree inflorescences bloom from mid-July. The shape of the inflorescences is convex shields up to 15 - 20 centimeters in diameter, consisting of large sterile and small fertile flowers. In severe winters, unripened young shoots of the hydrangea tree can freeze slightly.

There are several varieties of hydrangea tree. The most famous - Annabelle, is a short shrub with dark green leaves and very large, up to 30 centimeters in diameter, round white or greenish inflorescences, consisting of sterile flowers.

The variety of hydrangea tree Grandiflora is more common than others, it has large, up to 20 centimeters in diameter, inflorescences of their large sterile cream flowers, which turn green over time.

The Sterilis variety is very similar to the Grandiflora variety, only its inflorescences are slightly smaller.

For the winter, the faded inflorescences of the hydrangea tree must be cut off. Pruning of weak, diseased, dry or thickening shoots should be done either in early spring, before the leaves bloom, or in summer, when all the leaves have fully blossomed.

Hydrangea arborescens grows well in both sun and partial shade. It is undemanding in care, unlike large-leaved hydrangea, it grows well not only on neutral, organic-rich soil, it can grow even on poor soils, although flowering suffers greatly. Hydrangea tree is considered drought-resistant.

Tree hydrangea can be planted in the garden in groups on lawns, next to a pond, in a curb planting along paths. It can be planted next to tree groups in a Japanese-themed garden.

- ornamental deciduous shrub up to 2 meters high with a wide spreading crown. - grayish pubescence of the underside of leaves and young shoots. Ash hydrangea leaves are broadly elliptical, serrated at the edges, up to 15 centimeters long. Inflorescences corymbose, up to 15 centimeters in diameter. Blooms in July.

Ash hydrangea winters well in our climate, but in cold winters, young shoots can freeze slightly, although the bush quickly recovers in spring. In order not to take risks, in the fall, ashen hydrangea bushes can be covered for the winter.

Ash hydrangea, like the tree-like one, is undemanding to soil fertility and moisture, which makes it indispensable in planting medium-sized hedges. It tolerates penumbra well, decorative throughout the growing season.

- a very decorative deciduous shrub with a height of just over 1 meter. Oakleaf hydrangea is less known in Russia than Sargent's hydrangea, but it deserves attention due to its somewhat unusual leaves for hydrangeas. They are with 5-7 large lobes, reach a length of 20 centimeters, dark green in summer, bronze-red or purple in autumn, very reminiscent of oak leaves. The underside of the leaves is white tomentose.

The inflorescences of oak-leaved hydrangea are conical, in the form of a panicle, up to 20 centimeters in length, in which there are a lot of large sterile flowers, up to 3 centimeters in diameter. At the beginning of flowering, the inflorescences are white, then they turn pink, and in the fall they acquire a deeper, almost crimson color with greenery.

In cold winters, the oak-leaved hydrangea can freeze slightly, so it needs shelter.

Hydrangea macrophylla, or garden (Hydrangea macrophylla) is a small, less than 1 meter tall, shrub native to Japan. Large-leaved hydrangea has bright green, serrated, up to 15 centimeters long leaves. Among the cultivated large-leaved hydrangeas, there are forms close to wild-growing, with a corymbose inflorescence, with separate sterile flowers. However, along with these forms are already widely cultivated and varietal hydrangeas, which have spherical, up to 25 centimeters in diameter, inflorescences consisting only of sterile flowers, usually pink. However, their color can change from pink to blue depending on the acidity of the soil. There are also bred, resistant varieties with blue flowers.

Large-leaved hydrangea can be successfully grown in indoor culture, but it is most widely used in amateur gardens in open ground. It should be noted that despite the low winter hardiness, large-leaved hydrangea with great success, along with roses, wins our gardens and hearts)). Large-leaved hydrangea can be used to create a garden in a poetic style.

Among the variety of modern varieties of large-leaved hydrangea, there are plants with white, red, blue flowers, the edges of the petals can be even or jagged. The most frost-resistant varieties of large-leaved hydrangea are Blue Wale, Mariesii. Caring for large-leaved hydrangea.

Hydrangea paniculata (Hydrangea paniculata) - deciduous shrub with a wide crown up to 1.5 - 2 meters tall, which can be formed in the form of a small tree. Panicled hydrangea has very dense, oblong-round, dark green leaves, up to 12 centimeters in length.

Hydrangea paniculata is perhaps the most "northern" of all types of hydrangeas. It blooms from late June - mid-July to late August. Inflorescences are strongly convex shields, very similar to panicles, in which both sterile and fertile flowers are mixed. Hydrangea paniculata is a very resistant and profusely flowering hydrangea. At the very beginning of flowering, unopened buds have a greenish color, in the full dissolution of the inflorescence they become white, by the beginning of autumn their color gradually turns into crimson or crimson-violet.

Hydrangea paniculata is very winter-hardy. late autumn it is recommended to cut off faded inflorescences. In the spring, before bud break, the main pruning of the shoots is carried out. If the hydrangea is grown as a tree, then formative pruning should also be carried out in early spring.

Varieties of panicled hydrangea: Grandiflora - with long, up to 25 centimeters conical inflorescences, in which there are many large sterile flowers; Praecox is an early flowering variety with medium-sized inflorescences, but the flowers in the inflorescence have jagged edges, Pinky-Winky, Kyushu.

Hydrangea paniculata is good both as a tapeworm and in group plantings, it can grow both in open areas and in light partial shade, but it is more demanding on soil moisture than tree hydrangea.

ground cover hydrangea, or mixed-haired (Hydrangea heteromalla) - deciduous sprawling shrub over 2 meters tall. Ground cover hydrangea is easy to form in the form of a tree. The upper side of the leaves is dark green, the lower side is light, covered with pubescence. Leaves up to 20 cm long, elliptical sharp end and wedge-shaped base, located on reddish petioles.

Ground cover hydrangea blooms in July. The corymbose inflorescences are wide, but liquid, containing mainly small fertile flowers, among which sterile, larger flowers are located in some places. At the beginning of flowering shields white color, turn pink closer to autumn, sometimes they can acquire a brighter crimson or purple color. Hydrangea groundcover is drought-resistant, winter-hardy, grows rapidly. Easily propagated, in spring and autumn - by dividing the bush, during the summer - by root offspring, green cuttings.

A neatly trimmed groundcover hydrangea bush is an excellent tapeworm.

It is very similar to ground cover hydrangea, differs only in smaller leaves on short petioles and not so wide inflorescences. Hydrangea Bretschneider blooms in July, the color of the inflorescences is white, turning crimson by autumn. Grows well in partial shade. Hydrangea is highly winter hardy, does not require shelter for the winter.

A neatly trimmed Bretschneider hydrangea bush is an excellent tapeworm.

- a very unusual Chinese hydrangea with thick, erect, felt-pubescent shoots up to 1 meter high. She has very interesting - powerful, dark green, velvet - leaves. In July, reddish-brown scutes-inflorescences with rare white stars of sterile flowers bloom on the tops of the shoots.

Hydrangea sargent in our climate is grown as an ordinary perennial, because every winter the shoots freeze completely, under the root, but in the spring they grow back and bloom annually. Perhaps this type of hydrangea should also be paid attention to when creating a Japanese or Chinese garden.

hydrangea rough, or rough, (Hydrangea aspera), bristly hydrangea (Hydrangea strigosa), hydrangea felt (Hydrangea villosa) with leaves narrowed to the base and bluish flowers are the closest relatives of the sargent hydrangea. In the same way as the sargent hydrangea, these types of hydrangeas in our climate can be grown as ordinary perennials. herbaceous plants. They grow well in open sunny places, and in partial shade.

All of these freezing types of hydrangeas will look best in mixed flower beds, including those with herbaceous perennials that mask them.

Hydrangea radiata (Hydrangea radiata) is an upright deciduous shrub with felt pubescence on the shoots. The leaves are dark green, serrated, semi-heart-shaped, light below, pubescent, with mesh venation. White shields-inflorescences of radiant hydrangea bloom in July.

Radiant hydrangea is sun-loving, but you need to monitor the moisture and fertility of the soil. Radiant hydrangea hibernates only with shelter for the winter, and even then it can freeze slightly, but it quickly recovers and blooms annually.

Hydrangea radiata looks good in group plantings on the lawn, it can also be successfully used for curb plantings along the path.

petiolate hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris) - liana, up to 25 meters in height, with small, green, glossy leaves and large, up to 25 centimeters, white scutes-inflorescences. Petiolate hydrangea can be used in vertical gardening of arbors, walls. It is quite winter-hardy, prefers partial shade.

General Hydrangea Care

Landing place

Hydrangeas prefer a bright place with diffused sunlight, so in the garden they are more suitable for partial shade - in the open sun, hydrangeas can feel good only with a thick layer of mulch. For freezing types of hydrangeas, you need to choose places protected from the north winds.

The soil

All types of hydrangeas prefer slightly or medium acid soils. They do not tolerate lime content in the soil at all. If you plant a hydrangea on calcareous soils, it will immediately develop leaf chlorosis.

In addition to high requirements for acidity, the soil for hydrangeas must be fertile and moist. Large-leaved hydrangea also requires high humidity air.

During the growing season, you need to monitor the soil: it should always be loose and free from weeds. Therefore, to reduce labor costs, apply soil mulching.

Watering

Watering, if there is no rain, should be regular, up to 2 buckets per week. Rain water is preferable, if not, then tap water you need to settle, you can put a bag of peat in a container with water to soften, acidify. It is better to water early in the morning or in the evening, after sunset.

top dressing

Top dressing in spring and early summer can be carried out with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, slurry. From mineral fertilizers in spring and in the first half of summer, it is desirable to use acidic fertilizers, such as ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate. At the end of summer and autumn - phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

To change the color of large-leaved hydrangea flowers, aluminum alum or iron salts can be used.

pruning

Some types of hydrangeas need annual pruning in early spring, in the bud stage. If pruning is not carried out, then the bushes will stretch in length until they break under their own weight. Until three to four years, hydrangea bushes do not form. As a result, adult hydrangea bushes formative pruning is carried out annually.

All types of hydrangeas, except paniculate and large-leaved, should be heavily pruned. It stimulates not only the intensive growth of shoots, but also the formation of large inflorescences. Strong pruning of last year's growth is carried out annually, in early spring, leaving only 1-3 internodes on the shoot. With light pruning, there will be many small inflorescences. But paniculate hydrangea, on the contrary, blooms better with light pruning. In large-leaved hydrangea, it is very important to preserve last year's shoots completely, because it is on them that shoots with inflorescences grow next year.

reproduction

Hydrangeas are propagated by dividing the bush better in spring, annual non-lignified green shoots, they are cut when they are still flexible. Hydrangea cuttings take root both in water and under a jar. But it is even easier to propagate hydrangeas by layering and root offspring.

Shelter for the winter

The frost resistance of hydrangeas is different. Non-hardy, freezing types of hydrangeas require shelter for the winter. The base of the bushes is sprinkled with dry sawdust, peat, humus, sand, covered with leaves or nonwoven fabric. In addition, the large-leaved hydrangea is still covered with a box, and on top - with a polyethylene film or roofing felt, so that melt water does not get inside the shelter, otherwise the shoots from high humidity may rot and there will be no flowering.

Information source: https://ru.wikipedia.org, http://dachadecor.ru
Image source: https://sorticulturist.wordpress.com, http://www.forestventure.com, http://punarinnanreviirilla.blogspot.ru, commons.wikimedia.org, www.canadaplants.ca, flickr.com: Kingsbrae Garden (3), Henryr10 (2), Nobuhiro Suhara (5), Luong Pham, Invincibelle Spirit (2), theroadhere, John Hagstrom (2), rachelgreenbelt (2), Danny Barron, dollywings [ Pat ], debra prinzing, The New York Botanical Garden, yokohamayomama, Jenny Walters, RPOP, sml106, Martien Uiterweerd, Robert Sarkisian, Roger Wasley Photography, Keishi Etoh, B. Bowen Carr, Kai Yan, Joseph Wong, Light Collector, Josiah Lau Photography, Vojtěch Zavadil (3), JAYKAY144, Paco Garin, gartenknorze (2), Bernhard Demes, Geo F-Winterspoon, fam_Angjer, HEN-Magonza, John Hagstrom (2), Jon. D. Anderson, Tom Potterfield (2), Chironius, chuck b., Jörg Kaspari, ScotiaWolf, Ueli, Hans Runge, Alistair, Hickory Hollow Nursery and Garden Center, Quinta de Corujas, Ingemar Tømmerås, Tim Wood, sandra blanks (2) , Jan Smith, Laura Ann