Hydrangea paniculate: decoration of any garden!

Hortensia - amazing in beauty and variety of plant species, belong to the family of hydrangea, numbering up to 100 species. Most species - shrubs from 1 to 3 meters in height, the rest - low trees and lianas, climbing to a height of 20-30 meters. Hydrangeas exist both deciduous and evergreen, but species cultivated in the temperate zone refer to deciduous ones. Cultivated plants because of beautiful large inflorescences as decorative, in gardens, on mixborders, in containers and tubs, which can be brought into the house for winter and in the spring taken out to the street.

One of the most popular hydrangeas in the garden culture is, among others, the hydrangea panicle. This is an exceptionally beautiful ornamental shrub with large (30 cm in length and 20 cm in width) inflorescences of pyramidal form, densely covering the plant. Blossoms very abundantly, from early summer to September. At the beginning of flowering greenish, they gradually turn pink, turning in autumn into a reddish color. In the pink color stage hydrangeas can be cut to make dry bouquets. To do this, the cut plants are dried by inflorescing down inflorescences in cool rooms for about 2 weeks, after which the flowers can be stored for several years without changing the shape and color.

Hortensia paniculate can more than a decade grow in the same place, growing into beautiful lush bushes. Shadow-tolerant, but it grows better and develops in open places, with sufficient sunlight. The plant is moisture-loving, painfully tolerates the drying of the soil and does not like calcareous soils. A good hydrangea bloom can be obtained with timely and correct pruning. Strong shoots are cut off, leaving on each 4-8 well developing kidneys, interfering with each other, and also weak and small shoots completely removed.

The hydrangea blooms multiply by layers, cuttings, and occasionally by seeds. The seeds of the plant are very small, they germinate unevenly and will blossom only for 3-4 years. Plants grown from cuttings, not frost-hardy, so the first winter they are better kept in cold rooms, in pots. The second winter the plant can winter in the ground, however, at this time it must be insulated. In spring, the bushes are cut, leaving 6-8 buds on the shoots, from which summer there are strong shoots blooming at the ends. In the third winter the hydrangea panicle can winter without shelter: it becomes cold-resistant and does not freeze. Fast growth, unpretentiousness and frost resistance make this type of hydrangea a favorite among the rest.

One of the most beautiful types of panicle hydrangeas is hydrangea panicle Vanilla Freize, Is a low (up to 2 meters) shrub, with a crown in the adult state up to 1.5 m, abundantly blooming large pink inflorescences. Inflorescence is very similar to a horn of strawberry ice cream with whipped cream. At the beginning of flowering the flower is all white, with time the bottom is painted in crimson color, and the top remains white. Leaves in Vanilla Freyz are dark green, ovate, rough, without pronounced autumn color. For abundant flowering requires a spring pruning of 2/3. Demanding to the moisture and fertility of the soil. Perfectly suitable for both group and single planting. The most beautiful flowers in the summer.

Another decorative form of hydrangeas is hydrangea panicle Sanday Freize. The crown is widely spread, the height of the bush is up to 2 meters. Flowers are inflorescences-panicles, reaching a length of 30 cm, from the beginning of flowering white, with time - pink. The plant needs fertile and moist soil, it feels best on acidic soils. Annual spring pruning is recommended before the beginning of vegetation. Light-loving, but it grows well in the penumbra. Winter-resistant (withstands frost to -25 ° C).

Hydrangeas can be affected by gray rot, false mildew, hydrangea virus and various fungal diseases that cause stains on the leaves. Of pests for plants of this species are the danger of spider mites, weevils, arthropods and aphids. Problems with pests and diseases greatly reduce the ornamentality of the plant, weaken the flowering and can lead to its death, so it is important to monitor the condition of your pets and take the necessary measures in a timely manner.