Japanese pottery Schizophragma hydrangeoides is a little-known but very interesting climber with decorative leaves and flowers. It occurs naturally in the forests of Japan, where it climbs tree trunks or runs along the ground with its closely related climbing hydrangea.Due to the introduction of new varieties with attractive leaf color to the market, the Japanese vetch has been gaining popularity recently.Currently, it can be more and more often admired in home gardens, while a dozen or so years ago it was found only in botanical gardens, collectors' gardens or arboretums.
One of the newest and very interesting dishes is Burst of Light (a variety obtained in Japan, but named by Szczepan Marczyński), distinguished by marbled white and green leaves. In 2016, she won a gold medal at the Moscow Flowers Expo fair.It had its premiere in Poland during the Novelties Plant Competition at the 24th International Exhibition "Green is Life", to which it was entered by the Clematis Source Dobrych Pnączy Sp. z o.o. Sp. k.
The characteristic feature of the Japanese 'Burst of Light' is marbled, broadly oval, coarsely serrated leaves. The leaf blades are wide at the base, pointed at the end, 12 to 18 cm long. Numerous, small, white and green spots form an irregular mosaic. The plant is also decorated with tiny creamy-white flowers, slightly scented with honey, appearing at the turn of June and July.
They densely fill flat and large (up to 25 cm in diameter) plate-shaped inflorescences.Apart from fertile flowers, the attention is drawn to large (3-5 cm) white plots of sterile flowers, forming a wreath around the inflorescence. At the end of flowering, the plots of barren flowers have a greenish tinge.Climbers begin flowering in the second or third year after planting. Their fruits are inconspicuous, dry, ribbed bags with no decorative significance.
This variety can be grown next to tree trunks, on which it can climb, and as a ground cover plant. Perfectly illuminates shady corners of gardens.When planting young plants near walls or tree trunks, it's best to place their shoots on the ground and let them start climbing up the supports themselves.
Japanese cultivation
The 'Burst of Light' plant grows slowly, it grows no more than 0.5 m annually.Climbs the supports using adherent (adventitious) roots growing into bark bends, gaps in wood or the pores of blocks, bricks or plaster covering the walls of buildings. The climber reaches a maximum height of 6 m.If it does not find supports to climb, it will creep on the ground, acting as a ground cover plant. This dish prefers humus, moist, slightly acidic soils, in shady or semi-shaded places, and tolerates drought poorly. Good growth is favored by high air humidity.During the dormant period (in winter) it is frost-resistant, but in spring its young growths may be damaged by the May frosts.
