Sawn hydrangea , due to its extremely decorative inflorescences, is an effective decoration of any garden. Interestingly discolored flowers and leaves attract the eye until late autumn, and the availablevarieties of sawn hydrangeawith different growth strength allow you to choose the right plant, even for a small garden. Here are some tips ongrowing and cutting a flowering hydrangeaplanted in a garden, as well as the best ways toreproduceflowering hydrangea from your own cultivation.
Hydrangea serrata - Hydrangea serrata
Fig. depositphotos.com
Hydrangea flower - description and application
The Japanese Hydrangea(Hydrangea serrata) is a subspecies of the Hydrangea macrophylla, native to the mountainous regions of East and South Asia. The shape of the sawn hydrangea is quite loose, and the bushes are smaller than in other hydrangea species, but more branched.Lancet leaves with serrated edgestake various shades of green. They often turn red, burgundy and even golden in autumn.
In summer, large (8-10 cm in diameter), flat, loose inflorescences appear on the tops of the shootsflower-shaped hydrangea inflorescencesFlowers fertile, they become blue or white, and the barren flowers surrounding them - most often blue or pink - depending on the pH of the soil.Flowering hydrangea blooms from June until late autumn
Due to the lush foliagethe sawn hydrangea is an excellent backgroundfor such plants as: laurel, sea buckthorn, tawul, bergenia, camellia, cotoneaster, magnolia or viburnum.It also fits beautifully with conifers and shrubs with similar soil requirements. Azaleas, rhododendrons, garden ferns and funkies are therefore a good company.
Rustic,We will achieve a rural atmosphere by composing a sawn hydrangeawith mallow, purple foxglove, goldenrod, phlox, peonies, geraniums or
Potted hydrangea is perfectfor cut flowers. It can also be preserved by inserting individual inflorescences into paraffin. Thanks to this method, flowers retain their natural color, texture and shape.
Flowering hydrangea in a pot
Fig. Wolfgang Moroder, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Flowering hydrangea - varieties
There aremany varieties of sawn hydrangeaavailable in garden stores, which vary in height, flowering date, and color of flowers and leaves. 4 of them gained particular popularity among Polish gardeners:
Hydrangea 'Bluebird'- a shrub that grows up to 1 m high and wide, with an oval shape and light green leaves, which may become slightly red in some places. It blooms from July to September in pink or light blue (the color depends on the pH of the soil). This infinitely frost-resistant variety of sawn hydrangea that requires a quiet position is planted in the amount of 1 pc / m2.
Hydrangea 'Golden Sunlight'- a shrub growing to a height of 1.2 m with upright shoots and not very branching shoots. The leaves turn yellow at the beginning of the growing season, but turn green at the end of summer. It blooms in red and white (sterile flowers), pink and blue (fertile flowers). It blooms a bit earlier than the Bluebird variety, from June to August. The bushes are also a bit narrower, so at 1 m & 178; 1-2 pieces are planted.
Hydrangea serrata - Hydrangea serrata
Fig. depositphotos.com
Hydrangea 'Kurenai'- is an interesting variety of Japanese origin. It is only 0.8 m high, and the shrub's habit is quite compact. For this reason, this variety of sawn hydrangea is suitable not only for smaller gardens, but also for planting in containers and pots, in which it looks very nice. The barren flowers are pink with dark edges, while the fertile flowers are clearly lighter. Closer to autumn, the inflorescences turn maroon and therefore the shrub surprises with its colors throughout the flowering period. The variety tolerates frosts and strong sunlight quite well. In gardens per 1 m² we plant 1-2 plants.
Hydrangea toothed 'Preziosa'- growing up to 1.2 m in height, a variety with stiff, erect reddish-brown shoots. The leaves also tend to be red in color. Dark pink flowers can be seen from July to September. I recommend this variety because of its relatively good frost resistance and very abundant flowering.You can plant singly or in groups of 1-2 plants per 1 m².
Moreof flowering hydrangea varieties recommended for garden cultivationare presented in a practical table that will allow you to compare the features individual plants. Below the table you will find a link that will allow you to download thelist of sawn hydrangea varietiesin a printable version: -)
Download the printable version of the sawn hydrangea varieties list:
- Varieties of flowering hydrangea (PDF)
Flowering hydrangea - cultivation
Flowering hydrangea is a relatively difficult shrub to growand requires a lot of care. The position for this hydrangea should be semi-shaded, and only some varieties tolerate stronger sunlight. In full sun, leaves can get burned and flowers quickly lose their attractive appearance.That is why it is so important to choose the right place for this sensitive plant.
Neverthelessit is important to provide a suitable substrate, which should be moist, humus, well-drained and slightly acidic. reaction (pH 4.5-5.5). Before planting the plant in a permanent place, it is worth digging a large hole and filling it with acid peat mixed with the soil.
The color of the flowers depends on the pH of the soil.The inflorescences on acidic soil, with a pH of 4.5 - 5.0, will take a blue color. On the other hand, we can expect pink flowers when the shrubs grow in the substrate with a pH above 5.0. Onlywhite-flowered varieties do not change their color
Due to the lush foliage and abundant flowering, the shrubs suffer from a lack of water, especially during the flowering period. Therefore, it is recommended tothat you regularly water your hydrangea , preferably with soft water. It is also advisable to mulch the soil under the shrubs with pine bark, which reduces the evaporation of water from the substrate and helps to maintain adequate humidity.
If we wantthe hydrangea flowers to take on an intense blue color , remember to water the bushes with water with the addition of aluminum s alt, thanks to which the color will become more expressive.
Hydrangea serrata - Hydrangea serrata
Fig. depositphotos.com
Flowering hydrangea is relatively resistant to low temperatures(most varieties are included in the plant frost resistance zone 6A), however, it is rather not recommended to be grown in the regions of the country with the harshest climate.
Provide asheltered and warm stand for thesawn hydrangea, avoiding the eastern exhibition. It is also good to cover the plants with a cloth or agrotextile, protecting them against cold wind and drying out. You can also cover hydrangeas with mounds of coniferous bark or peat.
An important treatment in the cultivation of hydrangeas is fertilizationThese demanding plants need a large dose of nutrients.We feed the bushes 2-3 times a season using multi-component mineral fertilizers, preferably dedicated to flowering acidophilic plants or using a special hydrangea fertilizer. To achieve a sufficiently humus and fertile soil, it is worth regularly spreading a layer of granulated manure or compost around the plants.
Sawn hydrangea - cut
Flowering hydrangea does not respond well to pruning. Only sanitary cutting is recommended.Pruning of the flowering hydrangea is done in the spring , preferably in the period from March to April. We begin by removing the faded inflorescences that have been left for the winter. We cut the hydrangea at a distance of up to 10 cm below the base of the inflorescence. Then we remove frozen, sick and damaged shoots. Unlike other types of hydrangea,pruning of the flowering hydrangeacannot be done directly above the ground.Flowers appear on last year's shoots, therefore such a cut could lead to the lack of flowering of the plant.
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!
We can reproduce it in two ways when we grow a garden hydrangea as an amateur:
Propagation of sawn hydrangea by herbaceous apical cuttings- herbaceous cuttings take in June from this year's non-lignified shoot tips. The prepared seedling should be 10-15 cm long with at least two nodes.Remove the lower leaves and cut the upper leaves in half to reduce water evaporation, then place the cuttings in pots or boxes filled with acid peat soil.
Containers with sawn hydrangea seedlingsset in an inspection or in a slightly shaded room and water regularly with soft water. To maintain adequate humidity, it is worth covering the seedlings with foil, but remember to air the plants frequently to prevent fungal diseases. After approx. 2-3 weeks, the cuttings should take root. Do not plant them in the ground until spring.
Propagation of the sawn hydrangea by layering- in spring, one-year-old long shoots should be bent to the ground and attached to the bottom of the previously dug hole. Cover the bent part of the shoot with soil and fix the top to the stake. We will obtain new rooted cuttings after about 12 months. We cut them off from the mother plant and plant them in a pot, and then a permanent place.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
