Bouquet hydrangea(Hydrangea paniculata) is an ornamental shrub with beautiful cone-shaped inflorescences, most often in white or shades of pink, decorating the plant from summer to autumn. In order for it to bloom profusely and long, it is necessary to provide appropriateconditions for growing bouquet hydrangeasand, what is especially important, propercutting bouquet hydrangeasLearn the secrets of beautifully flowering bouquet hydrangeas and choose the bestbouquet hydrangea varietiesfor your garden garden.
Bouquet hydrangea 'Grangif.webplora'
Bouquet hydrangea - what distinguishes it?
Hydrangea (Hydrangea) is a type of plant, usually short shrubs, the main decoration of which are beautiful, long-lasting inflorescences. Undoubtedly, the most commonly grown in gardens is the hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla). Its magnificent, multi-colored, spherical and usually very large inflorescences proudly present themselves on many rabbits in home gardens, allotments, as well as in park plantings and in urban greenery.
"Second violin playsbouquet hydrangea(Hydrangea paniculata), available in several interesting varieties, differing in size and color of inflorescences.The bouquet hydrangea is worth paying attention tonot only because of its magnificent, magnificent inflorescences, but also because of the high frost resistance of this species, which makes it suitable for cultivation in our climate.Most varieties of bouquet hydrangeascan grow in hardiness zone 5A, while for garden hydrangeas a warmer zone 6B is required. In terms of frost resistance, bouquet hydrangeas will cope with every corner of Poland
The basic difference between garden hydrangea and bouquet hydrangea, which is noticeable when we look at these plants, is their shape inflorescences. In garden hydrangeas they are spherical or slightly flattened, andin bouquet hydrangeas the inflorescences take the shape of a coneIn this species the panicles are creamy white, 15 - 20 cm long, made of fertile and sterile flowers, appear from the second half of summer to autumn (August-September), and therefore much later than the flowers of the garden hydrangea.The fertile flowers of the bouquet hydrangeaare usually quite inconspicuous and not very decorative, but it is on them that the seeds are formed. Sterile flowers do not have pistils and stamens, but are made of large, nicely presented petals. "
Bouquet hydrangea 'Pinky Winky'
In 5 years of cultivation, you can expect a bouquet hydrangea bush 1.8 m high and 1.5 m wide The target height is around 2.5 meters, although some shrubs can grow up to 4 meters. However, this does not mean that if we have a small garden, we have to give up growing bouquet hydrangeas. Fortunately, breeders also obtaineddwarf varieties of bouquet hydrangea , growing to just 1.5 meters tall, and even smaller: -)
Bouquet hydrangea - varieties
The most common cultivars in gardens, i.e.garden varieties of bouquet hydrangea , which are more ornamental than the typical form of the species.
Without a doubtmost a popular variety is the bouquet hydrangea 'Grandiflora'with very large conical white inflorescences (mostly made of sterile flowers), up to 30 cm long and 10 cm wide at the base. One of the most impressive specimens of this variety, which proves thatbouquet hydrangea 'Grandiflora' grows well in our climate , can be found in the arboretum in Lądek Zdrój.
There are alsovarieties of bouquet hydrangea with a different color of flowers , although in some of them only for some time, as the inflorescences bloom, they change color to other than white.
Here is10 frequently recommended varieties of bouquet hydrangeawhose flowers take on interesting colors:
- Bouquet hydrangea 'Brussels Lace'with openwork, lace inflorescences, composed of fertile beige-yellow flowers and pink-spotted sterile flowers with jagged petals. It blooms from mid-summer until the first frost, reaches about 1.5 m in height
- Bouquet hydrangea 'Everest'has elegant, dark green leaves, and its large white inflorescences turn pink over time. Inflorescences are large, up to 40 cm long. The plant grows up to 2 m tall and blooms from July to September.
- Bouquet hydrangea 'Limelight'has greenish-yellow inflorescences, which turn creamy white with time.The plant grows up to 3 m in height, and in groups it should be planted every 1.5 m. It blooms from August to October, decorating the garden in the fall. 'Limelight' is a frequently sought-after variety of bouquet hydrangea, which won the 2008 AGM HRS award in the UK
- Bouquet hydrangea 'Phantom'is another variety with AGM HRS distinction from 2008. It has stiff, erect shoots, growing up to 2.5 m in height. White flowers, gathered in large conical inflorescences (up to 30 cm long), slightly pink when they fade. The flowers of the 'Phantom' variety can be admired from August to October. The cut ones are perfect for drying! What else distinguishes the bouquet hydrangea 'Phantom' is quite high resistance and low cultivation requirements. Thanks to this, we will be able to grow it, even if we are not experienced gardeners
- Bouquet hydrangea 'Pink Diamond'creates very large conical flower panicles up to 30 cm long and 20 cm wide in their lower part, turning bright pink
- Bouquet hydrangea 'Polar Bear'creates branchy shrubs up to 1.5 m in height. It is recommended to plant plants every 1 m on unformed hedges. The leaves are ovate, dark green. Attractive inflorescences up to 30 cm long change color during the growing season. Initially, the flowers are lime green, then snow-white with a celadon top, to turn pink at the end of summer. Bouquet hydrangea 'Polar Bear' blooms from August to October.
- Bouquet hydrangea 'Unique'has even larger inflorescences, reaching up to 40 cm in length, and changing color from white to purple as they fade. The shrub reaches 2 to 3 m in height
- Bouquet hydrangea 'Pinky Winky'has pink inflorescences, and its shoots also change their color in autumn. This type of bouquet hydrangea blooms for quite a long time, because flowering begins in July and ends only in October. It grows up to 1.5 times the height
- Bouquet hydrangea 'Tardiva'has rough green leaves and creamy white inflorescences. It blooms from August to October. Reaches up to 3 m in height.
- Bouquet hydrangea 'Vanille Fraise'closes our list of recommended varieties. It is a relatively recently bred, beautiful variety of bouquet hydrangea awarded in 2006 with the Plantarium bronze medal in Booskop in the Netherlands. A plant with an upright habit, reaching up to 2 m in height. The flowers are initially creamy white, then pink, and finally turn red. It blooms from August to October.
A variety of bouquet hydrangea with slightly pink flowers
Fig. depositphotos.com
The above-mentioned varieties of bouquet hydrangea are plants with a height of 1.5 to even 3 m in height. For owners of small gardens, we recommenddwarf variety of bouquet hydrangea 'Dart's Little Dot'reaching only 1 m in height.Its shoots are thin but stiff, and the leaves are quite small. Flowers gathered in gable, almost spherical, white inflorescences that can be admired from August to October. If we plant several plants in a group, place 2-3 seedlings per 1 m².
Growing bouquet hydrangeas
Bouquet hydrangea requires a semi-shaded position( although it can cope with the sun) and sheltered from winds. It is worth planting against walls, under tall trees or near a hedge. It looks great as a solitaire. It can also be combined with tall grasses or perennials. Inflorescences are also suitable for cut flowers and for drying off.
The soil for the cultivation of bouquet hydrangeashould be fertile, fairly moist (in periods of drought remember to water it regularly), slightly acidic to acidic. In my garden, the plant grows very well in soil with a pH of 5.5. If the pH of the soil is too high, the leaves of the bouquet hydrangea are affected by chlorosis, which is manifested in the fact that it quickly begins to turn yellow, losing its natural green color.
Forfertilizing bouquet hydrangeasyou can use well-fermented compost or manure and multi-component mineral fertilizer, but low in calcium. You can buy special-purpose fertilizers for hydrangeas in garden stores. Fertilization of hydrangeas begins in spring and ends at the end of July so that the plant has time to go into winter dormancy.
Bouquet hydrangea is frost-resistantand does not require covering for winter. Only before frost sets in, at the base of the shoots, it is worth making a mound of bark, sawdust or humus soil (especially in the case of recently planted young plants).
Cutting bouquet hydrangea
Unlike the garden hydrangea that blooms on last year's shoots, the bouquet hydrangea blooms on this year's shoots. For this reason, the cutting of hydrangeas of this species looks completely different, as it should be radical and annual.Pruning of the bouquet hydrangea is carried out in early spring , at the end of March or the beginning of April.
Young plants are trimmed slightly differently than older shrubs.If we plant a new bouquet hydrangea in spring, cut all its shoots shortly after plantingIf we bought flowering plants and planted them in summer or autumn, trim their shoots next spring. Shorten the thicker and more robust shoots over the second pair of buds, and the thinner, slender and overlapping ones should be completely cut out (there will be no pretty flowers from them). Made in this waythe first cut of the young bouquet hydrangeawill spread and produce strong shoots, which then bloom nicely.
In the case of older plantsshoots of the bouquet hydrangea are cut over the 4th - 5th budFrom the remaining buds, the plant will develop new shoots that will crown the inflorescences. Only thicker shoots are left on the bush. The very thin ones should be cut out completely, because thin new shoots will also grow on them, topped with small inflorescences.
Every few yearsold bouquet hydrangea shrubs should be rejuvenatedby cutting out the oldest shoots right next to at the root neck.
How to become confident in pruning plants?
If you are unsure how to cut or simply afraid to do it, the fantastic book "Cutting School" will help you. Thanks to it, you will gain confidence in pruning plants and learn to cut plants so that they grow according to your expectations. After reading this book, your approach to pruning plants will probably change completely!
Bouquet hydrangea can be propagatedby herbaceous cuttings, collected in summer or by layering.
Propagation of bouquet hydrangea by cuttings
Shoots that have not bloomed and have not released flower buds are taken per seedling. Most of the leaves are removed from the piece of shoot taken for the seedling to limit moisture loss. We leave only the top 2 leaves, which are shortened to half.Cut the lower part of the shoot obliquely, which will make it easier for the seedling to take up water. The bouquet hydrangea cuttings prepared in this way are placed in a slightly acidic, not too dense substrate in a shaded place. They develop best at a temperature of about 15 ° C. The cuttings take about a month to take root, and you will notice it after they sprout new leaves.
Propagation of bouquet hydrangea by layering
To obtain a hydrangea layering in early spring, select a long shoot at the bottom of the mother plant and bend it gently to the ground. At the point of contact with the ground, a small hole is dug. The shoot bends into a depression and is covered with earth. This place must be pressed down with a pebble.After hibernation, the deposit can be carefully excavated and separated from the mother bush. The best obtained plant should be planted in a pot so that it has rooted well, and only in the next year should be planted in its target place in the ground.
