A stunningly beautiful plant, hydrangea, is grown in garden plots and is a bright accent in landscape compositions. Varieties of hydrangeas are diverse, so each grower can choose the right option for their own taste. And thanks to the achievements of modern selection, many varieties of plants are characterized by frost resistance, immunity to diseases and improved decorativeness.
General description of the bush
Despite the fact that hydrangea is sometimes cultivated by inexperienced gardeners like a tree, it is a bush. Botanical features:
- Egg-shaped leaves.
- The flowers are large, have 4 sepals resembling petals. The color can be anything from snow-white and blood-red to amazing blue, lilac, greenish.
- Some types of hydrangeas can be cultivated as trees.
- In nature, the height reaches 3 meters, but in gardens and personal plots, the height rarely exceeds 1.5 meters.
Panicled hydrangea is the most popular and unpretentious variety of flower
In the natural environment, a large number of different varieties of hydrangea are found in China, Japan, and other Asian states. The plant prefers light partial shade and a normal level of humidity - a dry climate is harmful to them.
Note! The most unpretentious is considered a tree-like hydrangea, capable of growing in the climate of the middle zone and characterized by high growth rates.
Brief description of the main types
The most popular perennial plant species in the world are paniculate, tree-like and garden hydrangeas. All of them are distinguished by good decorative characteristics, compact bushes, perfectly adapt to the climate of central Russia and even endure Russian winters.
Panicle
Latin name - H. Paniculatasieb. The natural habitat of this beautiful plant with soft pink lush inflorescences is Japan.
Botanical characteristics:
- The height of the bush is 1.5 meters, it has a neat rounded shape.
- Flowering is very lush and friendly.
- Flowers are collected in inflorescences-balls. The diameter of the inflorescence is up to 25 cm.
- First, the petals are white, with a slight greenish bloom, but gradually acquire an elegant pink color.
- A powerful root system, its diameter is much larger than the diameter of the crown. Therefore, when digging the soil, care must be taken so as not to harm the culture. The roots are very close to the surface of the earth.
In the wild, panicle hydrangea is often a small tree. It is found in China, Japan, as well as in the Far East. A popular variety of panicled flower is Dolly, unpretentious in care, but very attractive.
These plants belong to the early flowering.
Tree-like
You can also find the name in Latin H. arborescens l. The homeland of the variety is the North American continent. This is a small tree with a height not exceeding 1 meter. Leaves lancets - its decorative adornment. Lush flowering lasts for 3 months, covers the period from the second week of July to mid-October.
Tree hydrangea will be an excellent option for designing a garden plot
Many varieties are great for growing in the middle band, because they are frost-resistant.
Among florists, Anabel is especially fond of, the main wealth of which is the snow-white lush caps of inflorescences (diameter - 26 cm). In addition, Anabel is undemanding in maintenance, feels comfortable on neutral soils or soils with weak acidity.
Garden (large-leaved)
The variety is suitable for the climate of the Moscow region, characterized by long elegant flowering: almost all summer this amazing hydrangea will delight its owner with lush elegant caps of inflorescences. The plant is perennial, decorated with ovoid leaves.
Variety features:
- The diameter of the inflorescence is about 3 cm.
- Shrub height - 2 meters.
- Fruit - a box appears after flowering.
Note! The color of the petals depends on the acidity of the soil, it can be blue (neutral soil), purple (slightly acidic) or white (acidic). It is for this feature that hydrangea is called changeable.
An example of a variety is Endless Summer, with very large inflorescences. Frost-resistant variety, but very fond of moisture, with insufficient watering can die.
Petiole
This is an unusual hydrangea - not a bush, but a perennial liana, characterized by increased decorativeness. In the wild, its length can exceed 25 meters, however, at home it rarely grows to 3 meters.
With the help of aerial roots attached to the surface. It differs by pale rounded leaves. The flowers are greenish-white or pink, may be light lavender. Collected in an inflorescence with a diameter of 15-27 cm.
Flowering occurs in the second half of summer and ends with the advent of autumn frosts. The variety tolerates well the winters of the middle lane, but in the more northern latitudes it can freeze.
Despite its unpretentiousness, it is quite rare in areas. The reason is in an unusual form. For propagation, two methods are suitable - cuttings and seed.
Curly petiole hydrangea will help to tastefully design the appearance of country houses and gazebos
Grungy
Perennial shrub more than 2 meters high, leaves are thick, velvety to the touch, hence the name. Inflorescences are large, but flat, color options - white, lilac. The plant tolerates the vagaries of weather and frost, so it is actively cultivated in the middle zone.
Flowering continues from the last days of July to mid-September. For the growth of such hydrangeas, a plot in a bright, sun-drenched place with light penumbra is suitable. Mandatory protection from winds and groundwater. The soil needs light nutrient.
Dubolistnaya
A very elegant attractive plant, whose leaves are similar to oak, hence the name. The bush reaches a height of 1.5 meters.
Features:
- The leaf plates are large.
- Paniculate inflorescences.
Growing in the middle lane, it does not have time to bloom due to the specific climate. Therefore, it is grown only in greenhouses or greenhouses. Suitable for landing in warm latitudes with mild short winters.
Ash (gray)
Considering the types and varieties of hydrangea for Russian gardens, this species should be described. An unusual plant came from South Asia. The height of the bush is up to 1.5 meters, the leaves are deep green, in shape - lancets.
Inflorescences are lush, flowers are white or blue (fruitful) or blue and pink (asexual). The duration of flowering is from June to September. Reproduction is allowed only by cuttings.
Note! Ash grade will delight the eye with lush bloom until late autumn, so it is appreciated by gardeners.
The ash variety is not very decorative, but unpretentious in care
Sargent
This variety of hydrangea came from China. In good conditions, the bush extends up to 4 meters. The root system is powerful, the branches are thick, the bark is colored red and covered with villi. The leaves are elongated, saturated green, the flowers are light lilac (fruit-bearing) or snow-white (sterile). The fruit is a box and appears in early October.
This lilac hydrangea begins to bloom in mid-summer, from about the 10th of July. It is characterized by relative frost resistance, tolerates cold well up to −20 degrees. However, if a harsher winter is expected, then the bushes should be covered for the winter with lapnik, hay, straw or agrofiber.
Serrate
The variety of saw hydrangea is perfect for growing in the suburbs, although it requires mandatory shelter for the winter. Height up to 1.5 meters, emerald-colored lancets. Inflorescences are very decorative, lush, sky-blue flowers help create the completeness of any landscape idea.
Note! The serrated variety is very dependent on the acidity of the soil, which determines the color of the petals.
An example of a variety of serratus small-leaved hydrangea is Bluebird (Japan). The height of the bush is up to 1.3 meters, the leaves are oval, tiny, with denticles along the edges.
Radiant
Considering what hydrangeas are, you can not ignore this unusual decorative variety, called due to the non-standard shape of the flowers. However, the plant is not suitable for the middle zone of Russia and Siberia, because minus temperatures will become fatal for it.
The height of the bush is up to 2 meters, the leaves are elongated, they resemble a heart in shape, an inflorescence 11 cm in diameter, snow-white flowers.
Ground cover
The variety is highly decorative and can be used to beautifully design slopes. Ground hydrangea or Himalayan hydrangea is distinguished by rounded leaf blades decorated with denticles along the edges. The color of flowers varies from snow-white at the beginning of budding to pink and purple in the middle of the flowering period.
How to determine the type
To become an expert in hydrangea cultivation, it is important to understand the difference between the three most popular varieties - paniculate, tree-like and garden.
Thanks to the achievements of selection, saturated scarlet hydrangea flowers appeared
The common feature of these varieties is amazing decorativeness, lush flowering, a neat compact bush, and a powerful root system. Differences worth paying attention to:
- Color hydrangea - only garden. Her flowers can be raspberry, pink, blue, purple. Panicled and tree-like varieties of inflorescences are always snow-white.
- Paniculata inflorescence form is conical, hence the name. The rest resembles a rounded hat.
- Wintering in the middle lane and Moscow region will survive tree-like and paniculate, large-leafed can die.
Note! The flowers of garden hydrangea can change their color depending on the acidity of the soil, for all others, such changes do not occur.
Color variations
Hydrangea red (red) or raspberry, for example, Prima varieties will be a bright decoration of any garden site. The Goliath variety is distinguished by saturated pink inflorescences with a diameter of about 25 cm.
White flowers are the most popular, hybrid varieties are characterized by unpretentious care, immunity to diseases and frost resistance.
Variety Ramars is a decorative violet hydrangea. Alba is a beautiful woman with pale pink petals.
Green hydrangea is not particularly decorative, however, due to the unusual color of the petals, it looks very elegant.
Yellow hydrangea can be grown on flower beds, used as a component of landscape compositions, this plant also looks beautiful in a single planting thanks to elegant lush inflorescences resembling the sun descending from heaven to earth.
Burgundy hydrangea is a real aristocrat of the flower world. The easiest way to propagate this noble flower is cuttings. Can be used in cutting to make bouquets.
Amazing hydrangea flowers are good for composing original bouquets.
Overview of winter-hardy varieties for the middle lane and Moscow region
Annabelle is the most unpretentious variety of tree hydrangea with elegant white flowering. It tolerates frosts up to −23 degrees, but in order to maintain the decorativeness of the bush, it is recommended to cover it for the winter.
White-pink hydrangea Vanilla Frize will delight the flower grower's eye with cone-shaped inflorescences, in which white and pink petals make up a harmonious ensemble. The birthplace of the variety is France, it quickly gained popularity and became the repeated winner of flower shows.
Panicled Kiushi also known as Japanese hydrangea, is very revered in its historical homeland. It is actively used in the design of landscape compositions,
Limelight - a variety with green flowers, is actively used in landscaping. It is used to decorate front gardens, rockeries, this variety looks especially beautiful next to peonies, lilies and irises. Belongs to the panicled group. It is a winter-hardy hybrid species with very strong branches that do not break under the weight of massive inflorescences.
Modern varieties are not only unpretentious, but also very unusual
Airlie Sensation is a standard pink hydrangea, also known as Early Sensation. The shrub retains decorativeness even in October, the average height is up to 1.5 meters, the crown is very dense. The leaves of this hydrangea are ovoid. She feels great in the climate of the Moscow Region, but the conditions of Siberia are no longer suitable for the plant.
Endless Summer Original is a large-leaf garden variety that can survive Russian frosts without loss of decorativeness.
Variety Holiday - a very elegant tricolor hydrangea, also called tricolor (pink, sky blue and pale green petals). The leaves are also painted in three shades, so you can meet another name - variegated.
Note! You can achieve early flowering by covering the bush for the winter.
Unpretentious varieties for shady areas
There are several of them:
- Grandiflora is a non-capricious resistant plant with long flowering even when grown in a shady area.
- Altona - the height of the bush is 1.2 meters, the leaves are deep green, the flowers are pink or raspberry. It is allowed to grow in the shade, but it is necessary to shelter for the winter.
- The petiole variety Silver Lining reaches a length of 5 meters; decorative leaves are decorated with a white stripe at the edges.
- Petiolaris is a petiole variety that can grow up to 25 meters, but only in the wild. In gardens, rarely exceeds 2.5 meters.
- Cordifolia is a dwarf hydrangea with beautiful snow-white inflorescences and small leafy plates.
A low-growing royal hydrangea with white flowering is also able to decorate a mid-strip garden. The average height of the bush is up to 1 meter, it prefers to grow in shading, but on light soil with high-quality drainage.
Delicate flowers collected in an elegant inflorescence is the best decoration of any landscape composition
Novelties of the world of hydrangeas: hybrid varieties
Breeders make a lot of efforts to please fans of unique plants with novelties, for example, recently there was a multi-colored hydrangea combining a unique unusual color with unpretentious care. Samara Lydia - a plant with bright ruby inflorescences, ideal for landscape composition. The height of the compact bush is up to 1 meter, the width is about 1.2 meters. The leaves are deep green.
Bright red flowers of the Vims Red shrub will become a real decoration of any site. The variety is unpretentious in care and survives even severe frosts, resistant to diseases and major pests. The average height of the bush is 2 meters.
Note! Hybrid varieties, including early flowering ones, are moisture-loving, however, planting is not worth it, otherwise gray rot may develop.
Little Freyz compact panicle hydrangea with white and pink flowers. It is suitable for growing in a pot, since rarely rarely exceed 80 cm in height. Care for this undersized hydrangea is quite simple.
Skyfall is a hybrid variety of panicled variety with yellow-white petals and a conical shape of inflorescences. Landing in open ground in a place well lit by the sun is allowed.
Snow-white hydrangea Skyfall combines well with many beautifully flowering crops
Dwarf varieties
Small bushes are ideal for growing along curbs or in beautiful flowerpots. Bobo is a panicled winter-hardy variety of increased decorativeness, suitable for cultivation in the middle lane, cream flowers. Sunday Freise is a compact variety with strawberry inflorescences. Suitable for outdoor cultivation and use in landscape compositions.
Note! If the dwarf bush has wet black leaves, then, most likely, the irrigation technology is violated. The amount of irrigation should be reduced, otherwise the root system will rot.
These are some varieties of amazing decorative garden decoration, hydrangeas. In Japan, this amazing plant is very revered and called the Japanese rose. A huge number of varieties, flowers and varieties will help even the most demanding gardener to make the right choice.
