For many years, gardeners in most Central European regions of Russia admired with envy the lush flowering bushes of garden hydrangea only in the southern regions and in European gardens. Not so long ago, thanks to the efforts and perseverance of breeders from different countries, large-leaved hydrangea appeared in Russian gardens, winter-hardy varieties of which are able to withstand our rather difficult climatic conditions and please with abundant flowering.
Dating story
Europeans owe their acquaintance with hydrangea to French travelers, who at the end of the 17th century, after circumnavigating the world, brought this plant from the island of Mauritius. The first version says that this beautiful flower was named after the sister of one of the expedition members, Prince Karl Heinrich of Nassau-Siegen - Princess Hortensia. There is also anotherversion: this plant was named in honor of his beloved Hortensia by a naturalist and naturalist from France, Philibert Commerson. There is also a completely prosaic version of the origin of the name: from the Latin word hortensis, which means "from the garden", as the bush was found in the gardens of the governor on the island of Mauritius.
Botanists called this plant large-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), but the old name was also retained in another name - garden hydrangea (Hydrangea hortensis). Hydragenia is a Greek word and consists of two parts: hydor - water and angeion - a vessel. Thus, it turned out that the name means "a vessel with water." Some researchers suggest that the plant received this name because of its seed pods, which are very similar to small jugs. According to others, it emphasizes the hydrangea's high need for water.
Botanical description
In nature, large-leaved hydrangea is a shrub whose height can reach 4 meters. In our northern conditions, the plant rarely exceeds two meters. This type of hydrangea is also called colored, since cultivated forms can have petals of white, pink and blue color, collected in inflorescences of a spherical and much more rarely flat thyroid shape with a diameter of up to 20 cm or more.
Relatively recently, the Avantgarde variety has appeared, the inflorescences of which can reach 30 cm in diameter. Flowers of this type of hydrangia are simple, semi-double and double. The flower petals of this plantusually have a simple rounded shape, but there are varieties in which the petals are fringed, corrugated and serrated. It is quite rare to see two-tone varieties such as Harlequin, Love you kiss or Ripple. In addition, large-leaved hydrangea (decorative flowers and shrubs) has:
- upright stems;
- leaves simple egg-shaped bright green;
- inflorescences of spherical or flat shape, formed at the ends of the shoots.
Flowering lasts from July to August. In each inflorescence, two types of flowers are possible:
- fruitful and small in the center;
- external - beautiful and decorative, but sterile.
How do you endure the cold?
It is worth noting that for a long time only large-leaved hydrangea was found in winter gardens and indoor floriculture.
Winter-hardy varieties of this plant, the appearance of which pleased gardeners in the late 80s of the last century, differ from each other not only in appearance, but also in the negative temperature they can withstand. So, varieties of North American selection calmly tolerate temperatures up to -15 0С, and those created by European breeders - up to -20 0С. Regardless of what developers or sellers say about the variety, in the conditions of the European part of our country, shrubs of this species are better to cover for the winter than to worry until spring, whether they will survive or not.
Variety resistance
As practice has shown, all winter-hardy varietieslarge-leaved hydrangeas can, of course, be conditionally divided into the following groups:
1. Flowering on last year's shoots: Mariesii Grandiflora (White Wave), Mariesii Perfecta (BlueWawe), Alpengluehn, Bouquet Rose, Red Baron (Schoene Bautznerin), Lilacina, Etoile Violette and more.
2. Ever flowering or remontant. Unlike the first group, they form inflorescences both on last year's and new shoots. These include such winter-hardy remontant large-leaved hydrangea varieties as Grant`s Choice, for example, as well as Twist-n-Shout, Pink Wonder, Hamburg, Passion.
When buying varieties of this group on the labels you will definitely find the inscriptions Persistence, Everyblooming or Re-blooming (RE).
Varieties and series
By the end of the 80s of the XX century, the first winter-hardy varieties of large-leaved hydrangea appeared in America, capable of growing and blooming in regions with icy winters and long, cold springs. One of the "first-born" remontant hydrangeas was the Endless Summer variety - Endless Summer. Somewhat later, the Early Sensation variety, more frost-resistant than Endless Summer, was introduced to the market.
Endless Summer Series
Endless summer is a large-leaved hydrangea. Winter-hardy varieties based on it were obtained with a variety of colors and made up the Endless Summer variety group:
- Twist-and-Shout;
- Blashing Bride;
- Original (Baimer);
- Bloom Star.
All varieties have voluminous and beautiful, round buds, except for Twist-and-Shout, which has a flat one.
Forever&Ever
Over time, based on the variety Early Sensation, the commercially successful Forever&Ever series was created, which includes varieties:
- Peppermint;
- Blue Heaven;
- Red Sensation;
- Pink/Blue (Early Sensation);
- White Ball.
On the labels, before the name of the variety, the series must be indicated, for example, Forever&Ever Red Sensation.
You&Me Series
Those who prefer terry large-leaved hydrangea, frost-resistant varieties can be found in the Japanese You&Me series:
- Together;
- Romance;
- Expression;
- Forever;
- Symphony;
- Eternity;
- Love - new pink 2015.
Hydrangea large-leaved: a review of new varieties
The number of remontant winter-hardy varieties of large-leaved hydrangea increases every year. Let's talk about some new products.
Endless Summer Bloom Star was created from the much-loved Endless Summer variety. This hydrangea blooms with large spherical inflorescences of blue or pink color, the diameter of which can reach 18 cm. Not only inflorescences are decorative, but also burgundy shoots.
Hovaria Hanabi Rose bloomslarge, flat inflorescences 18-25 cm in size. The flowers are double, light pink, but if the soil is acidified, they change color to blue.
You & Me Love is new this year with delicate pink and double flowers with creamy yellow inner petals. Color may vary depending on soil acidity.
Endless Summer Blushing Bride is a very interesting cultivar with a change in petal color. The buds of this hydrangea open into semi-double white flowers that gradually turn into a light pink "blush".
Avantgarde - the variety is not new, but still quite rare in our gardens. The huge size of spherical and dense inflorescences up to 30 cm in diameter is what distinguishes this large-leaved hydrangea from others. Winter-hardy varieties with such large "caps", and even represented by five colors - green, white, blue, lilac and pink - have not yet been created.
To cover or not?
Most gardeners, having read that in our conditions large-leaved hydrangea (frost-resistant varieties) do not need shelter for the winter, the discussion turned serious both on the Internet and on the pages of magazines. But practice, as is usually the case, put everything in its place.
If the gardener wants to enjoy flowering from the beginning of summer until frost, then, of course, it is worth covering. In the event that it pleases not very long andabundant flowering from mid-summer to autumn, then you can not cover. Many who bought large-leaved hydrangea seedlings are perplexed: "How is it that it is written that it hibernates without shelter, but experts say the opposite?" The fact is that the buds of last year that are not protected from negative winter temperatures will die, but new shoots, before forming inflorescences and blooming, must still grow. Therefore, before you purchase this truly beautiful plant, consider whether you can create the most favorable conditions for it.
How to properly prepare for winter?
In central Russia, large-leaved hydrangeas should be prepared for winter as early as September. The condition for a good wintering of the bush will be low humidity. In order to prevent moisture from getting on the plant, a frame is erected over it and covered with a film on top. Around the hydrangea, special furrows are dug to drain water and, accordingly, stop watering. In early October, faded inflorescences are removed, all foliage along with petioles. In the center of the bush, experts advise, it is best to pour garden soil or peat, you can mix it. The stems are tied and laid on low wooden shields, boxes or beams. From above, the entire structure is covered with several layers of covering material, such as lutrasil. The tips of the shoots can also be sprinkled with a peat-earth mixture or sawdust, after which the entire plant is covered with a dense plastic film.
A few practical tips
First, let's once again draw your attention to the fact that when choosing a particular variety, first of all, look at how much itadapted to our climatic conditions and resistant to diseases. You may need to know some of the features of growing large-leaved hydrangea in the garden:
- it is desirable to plant plants in loose soil, so that it wakes up faster in the spring;
- plant a plant on an elevated area, as it winters better with low humidity;
- before sheltering the bush for the winter, be sure to feed the earthy coma of hydrangeas with water and feed with potash and phosphorus fertilizers;
- do not rush to remove shelter in the spring, as this shrub is hard to tolerate spring return frosts, harder than winter frosts;
- after the spring cold has passed, do not immediately remove the spunbond or lutrasil covering the hydrangea, because the bright sun can burn the tender shoots.
