Hairy hydrangea(Hydrangea aspera) is a species with an interesting structure of the inflorescence, consisting of external sterile flowers and internal fertile flowers. Suitable for planting in partially shaded areas. Meet the most interestingvarieties of hairy hydrangeaand see how it is grown. Here's how to makepruning and propagating hairy hydrangeain your own garden.
Hairy hydrangea - Hydrangea aspera
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What does a hairy hydrangea look like?
Hairy hydrangea , also known asmossy hydrangea , is a shrub reaching up to 4 m in height. It has thick, permanently densely hairy shoots and narrow egg-shaped leaves covered with a dense gray-white cutter on the underside.Leaves of shaggy hydrangeaare large, up to 30 cm long.The flowers of the hairy hydrangeaare gathered in flat inflorescences 10-30 cm wide. They consist of light lilac or light purple fertile inner flowers and white or lilac pink outer sterile flowers.Hairy hydrangea blooms from late July to mid-September
Hairy hydrangea - varieties
The varieties of hairy hydrangeadiffer in terms of growth force, leaf color and flower size. Below we present the only 2 varieties of hairy hydrangea that are found in Polish nurseries.
Hairy hydrangea 'Macrophylla'- has lacy inflorescences 15-30 cm in diameter, composed of dark purple fertile flowers surrounded by a circle of white pure sterile flowers.It blooms in the second half of summer. The leaves of this variety of downy hydrangea are bluish green and densely hairy on both sides. It grows up to 3m in height.
Hairy hydrangea 'Hot Chocolate'- grows up to 2.5m in height and has magnificent leaves, reaching 30cm in length. The lower side of the leaf blade is chocolate-colored and lasts the entire growing season, while the upper side changes color from reddish to greenish-violet to dark brown. The fertile flowers are bluish-purple, while the sterile flowers at the edges of the inflorescences are brighter, light pink.
Hairy hydrangea - Hydrangea aspera
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Hairy hydrangea - cultivation
Hairy hydrangea requires permeable, moderately moist and fertile soil, acid to neutral, to develop properly.The stand for growing hairy hydrangeashould be sheltered from winds and partially shaded.In the garden bed, acid-loving heather plants will be a good company for her.
In the cultivation of hairy hydrangea it is important to water it regularlyEspecially in summer when temperatures are high. The second important thing to remember is to provide winter protection against frost and wind, because this plant is not fully frost resistant (plant frost resistance zone 6B). Younger specimens of hydrangea are especially sensitive. Therefore, in the fall, before the onset of frosts, it is worth covering the hydrangeas with agrotextile and making a mound of peat at the foot of the bush.
For proper plant growth and abundant flowering, it is also extremely importantfertilizing hairy hydrangeaAt the beginning of the growing season, in March, we feed the plants with a multi-component mineral hydrangea fertilizer. Sincehairy hydrangea requires fertile and humus soils , we should also remember to use organic fertilizers. In spring, we sprinkle compost or granulated manure under the plant.
Hairy hydrangea - cut
Cutting hairy hydrangeais limited to removing weak, frost-damaged shoots and flowering inflorescences.Hairy hydrangea develops best when cutting is kept to a minimum.It does not tolerate intensive rejuvenating pruning. Only from time to time we remove single old shoots at the base or trim them at the height of a strong young shoot.
Hairy hydrangea - reproduction
Propagate hairy hydrangeaby herbaceous cuttings. We collect them in August, from one-year-old side shoots that are not blooming. The seedling should be about 15 cm long. Dip the cuttings in the rooting plant and plant them in a mixture of peat, sand and heather soil in a ratio of 1: 1: 1. Seedlings can be additionally covered with foil to better retain moisture.
In springthe seedlings of shaggy hydrangea are transplanted intopots with a diameter of 10cm with a mixture of humus soil and heather soil.If you want to get good-looking plants, it is worth transplanting the hydrangea several times until the diameter of the container reaches 15 cm. When the seedlings have 3 pairs of leaves, we pin the apical bud, which will stimulate them to branching. In spring, we plant them on the seedbed, and in autumn - to a permanent place.
MSc Eng. Joanna Białowąs
