Hydrangea petiolate - curly liana

Hydrangea petiolate - a woody lianate shrub from a family of hydrangeaids. The native land of the plant is the Southern Kuriles, the Japanese Islands, Sakhalin Island and the Korean Peninsula. Deforestation and forest fires lead to a rapid reduction in the number of petiolated hydrangeas in nature, so in the Sakhalin region it is listed in the Red Book.

The trunk of this original climbing vine, reaching a thickness of 8 cm, rises in the trees with the help of air sucker roots formed on its red-brown shoots. Climb up it is capable of any support, even on a steep wall: the roots-suckers cling to virtually any surface. In the mild climate hydrangea petiolate can grow to 15-20 m in height.

In the first years of life, the liana grows slowly, giving strength to the build-up of its root system. At this time, it must be tied to the support. When planting, it should be borne in mind that the hydrangea prefers warm sheltered from the wind. It exerts significant shading, but it blossoms abundantly only in the lighted areas. Bloom begins, usually, in five years. Flowers are pinkish-white, the leaves are dark green, broad-ovoid, glossy. Winter-hardy, but in open, windswept places the plant freezes, so it should be planted in sheltered places.

Hortensia petiolate prefers loose fertile and moist soil. The soil should preferably be mulched with chips, leaves, needles or bark so that the earth retains moisture better. It is recommended to introduce organic fertilizers into the soil and 2-3 times a season to loosen the soil in the near-well zone. In order to achieve abundant flowering, bushes should be cut off annually before the beginning of vegetation. Regular spring pruning (before buds blossomed) will contribute not only to abundant, but also long flowering. With belated pruning, the plant sparsely blooms and develops poorly. In autumn, discolored faded inflorescences.

Hydrangea petiolate Miranda Has an uneven Yellow-cream border on the edges of the leaves. It grows best on fertile, moist soil, in light shade. In bright sun, the leaves can burn. It normally develops in full shade, but it does not bloom. If the plant does not provide support, it perfectly crawls on the ground and can serve as a beautiful soil cover plant. In this condition, the plant hibernates much better than in the vertical. The first years, increasing the root system, Miranda grows slowly. The variety is also characterized by a smaller flowering than some other species.

Hortensia oaky - a decorative shrub growing to 2 meters, with rough, large leaves, similar to oak. In autumn, the leaves are painted in reddish-bronze or purple and burgundy hues. Blossoms from the middle of summer, the inflorescence is magnificent, the flowers are white, collected in cone-like inflorescences up to 10-20 cm long. When white is discolored, it becomes purple. The best hydrangea is an oaky plant developed on semi-shaded areas. It grows quickly, it differs by the demand for the composition and degree of moistening of the soil. In winter, in the European part of Russia, sometimes it freezes.

Hydrangeas for active growth require regular watering (once a week) and fertilizing. A full mineral fertilizer is applied in the spring, when the leaves bloom. The second feeding is carried out with the appearance of buds. Most plant species do not need winter shelter. Pruning is carried out in early spring: remove weak and diseased branches and shorten shoots in order to give the crown the desired shape. Propagate the plant with layers, green cuttings and bush division.

Plants are used in mixborders, single or group plantings. Hydrangea petiolate It is suitable for vertical landscaping and is valued as a liana, capable of decorating fences, poles and buildings, climbing their walls. Sometimes it is grown in the form of a ground cover plant and then it forms beautiful dense flowering carpets.

The juice of the plant when exposed to the skin can cause irritation, and getting into the body - an easy digestive disorder, so when working with hydrangeas, you should be careful.