Types and varieties
The most popular varieties of serrated hydrangea among domestic gardeners include:
- Bluebird;
- Koreana;
- Preciosa.
Bluebird
Hydrangea Bluebird was created by Japanese breeders. The name of the variety is translated into Russian as "blue bird". It belongs to the type of milky-serrated hydrangea. The plant is a branched shrub that grows up to 120 cm in height and up to one and a half meters in width.
If you read the description about the flower hydrangea finely sawed Bluebird, it will be impossible to confuse it with another variety. The shrub has oval leaves with small teeth of bright green color, petals of blue, deep blue or even purple shades.
Bluebird
Bluebird serrated hydrangea is characterized by superficial bedding of roots. The variety is quite winter hardy, but it is not suitable for cultivation in Siberia. Bluebird hydrangeas are able to withstand cold temperatures of at least -20 degrees.
The flowering period of the Bluebird serrated hydrangea is quite long. It lasts from July to September inclusive.
In the case of the Bluebird hydrangea, planting and care is carried out in the same way as other varieties of shrubs. More information on growing Bluebird hydrangeas with detailed descriptions can be found on numerous sites on the Internet.
Koreana
Hydrangea Koreana is one of the varieties of garden serrated hydrangeas. This is not too tall, spreading shrub, the main feature of which is the presence of beautiful variegated inflorescences in the form of a thyroid panicle, with a diameter of about 8 cm.
Hydrangea Koreana
The central fertile flowers are usually variegated white-pink or white-blue, the extreme ones (having no reproductive organs) are four-leafed one-color blue or pink.
The trunk of the shrub is branchy, very strong and covered with bark, behind numerous lush inflorescences and rich foliage, it is practically invisible.
Koreana has average winter hardiness. For growing in regions with a relatively harsh climate, the plant should be carefully insulated during the cold season. In snowy regions, it is highly recommended to cover the plant with snow over the insulation.
Preciosa
Hydrangea Preciosa is a fairly compact shrub that grows up to 1.5 meters. This variety is characterized by a very original color of inflorescences.
Hydrangea Preciosa
Sterile flowers begin to bloom yellowish-green, then turn pink and blue, towards autumn they acquire purple and burgundy hues. The foliage, which at the beginning of summer has a bright green color, by autumn changes color to burgundy red. The variety usually blooms from July to September.
The frost resistance of the Preciosa hydrangea is relatively low, but in the Moscow region and central Russia, the cultivation of this crop is carried out quite successfully, provided that the shrubbery is provided with additional shelter for the winter period.
Important! On acidic soils, all types of serrated hydrangea have flowers of richer colors.
Description
Hydrangea paniculata "Candlelight" is a perennial spreading shrub with a round, dense crown, which reaches a height of no more than 1.5 m. Candlelight shoots are strong, their upper part is painted in burgundy color with a slight purple tint. The foliage of the plant is dark green in color, it has an oblong shape, jagged edges and venation on the outer surface. Although the stems of this plant have increased strength, they can droop and break during the flowering period without support. To prevent this, experienced gardeners, when growing shrubs, observe a stem height of no more than 60 cm.
Bush inflorescences can consist of several types of flowers (small fruiting, large and sterile), they have a conical shape and a length of 30-35 cm.
Closer to autumn, the inflorescences become bright red. Hydrangea blooms from mid-summer to October. Unlike other varieties, Candlelight has one important feature - it can form inflorescences on the shoots of the current year.
The main advantages of the variety include high resistance to cold and disease. The shoots of the plant without shelter for the winter perfectly tolerate even a temperature of -35 C. In addition, the shrub is absolutely not demanding in care, which simplifies its cultivation. Often there are flowers that are centenarians, which successfully grow in one area for 50 or more years.
Diseases and pests
Hydrangea "Dolly" is a unique flower that is practically not affected by pests and does not suffer from diseases, which cannot but delight gardeners. Despite this feature, aphids or powdery mildew can spoil the appearance of the flower. To prevent these problems, it is necessary to regularly inspect the bushes and, when the first signs of the presence of parasites or disease appear, treat the bushes with special chemicals. In the fight against pests and diseases, folk remedies have also proven themselves well. The most popular are ash and garlic infusion.
Description
Panicle hydrangea "Vanilla Freise" ("Vanilla Freise") is a perennial plant that, under favorable conditions and competent care, can live up to 50 years. The name Vanille fraise comes from two French words: the first translates as "vanilla", and the second - "strawberry". It is the vanilla-strawberry shade that the inflorescences of the culture have. Moreover, they change color from creamy white to pale pink, and by the time the flowering period ends, the caps darken and become almost crimson, while their tops remain snow-white. Considering that the buds bloom at different times, the bush is striking in a variety of shades.
The variety was created in the French nursery Renault. Work on it was carried out from 1989 to 2003. The head of this institution, Eric Renaud, was involved in the development of "Vanilla Freyz", who received several awards for her at various exhibitions.
The variety impresses primarily with its beautiful, lush and long flowering. It starts in the first half of June (in some regions even at the end of May) and lasts until the end of September and the beginning of October.
Wide cone-shaped inflorescences with a sharp white top reach a length of 30 cm.The diameter of the entire crown varies from 1.5 to 2 meters. And the bush grows to a height of 200 cm.
The dark green leaves of an elongated oval shape have a rough surface with slight pubescence. Straight burgundy branches, with the appearance of a large number of blossoming buds on them, begin to bend slightly, turning the bush into a huge flowering sphere.
Preparing for winter
In anticipation of winter, a radical pruning of fresh hydrangea shoots is carried out to 5 buds. Then the near-stem circle of the plant is mulched with a thick layer of sawdust, needles and peat (30 cm). Some gardeners, when tying hydrangea branches, bend them down, but this can cause them to break. Therefore, it is better to install a frame of several pegs, fix coniferous spruce branches to them, and pull a lutrasil cloth or spunbond on top for protection. During the first wintering, the bushes must be well covered in order to protect them from wind and frost.
At the same time, the plant should not be allowed to grow, therefore, the film is not used, and the burlap is used with caution, leaving small gaps
Characteristic
Hydrangea "Diamantino" is a popular ornamental variety of hydrangeas, and also one of the largest among other members of the species. With proper care, it can grow up to 2 m, although it usually reaches a height of about 1.2-1.5 m, with a width of 1-1.2 m.During flowering, the plant looks especially lush due to the many inflorescences, and its foliage is almost invisible. The description of the variety includes the following features:
- the shape of the aerial part is most often rounded, but not spherical, but slightly elongated upward;
- the branches are straight and strong, thanks to their strength, the bush retains its beautiful shape; they acquire hardness due to lignification at the age of 2 years;
- leaves rough to the touch with a bright green outer and silvery-green inner side have a wide oval shape with a slightly pointed end;
- large inflorescences in the form of panicles are dense caps of different colors, their size is 20-25 cm;
- a feature of the shrub is the change in the color of the petals during the season; when blooming, it is a yellowish-golden hue, in the middle of the flowering period, the flowers turn white, and before flowering they turn pink.
Reproduction
There are several methods you can use to breed your garden blue hydrangea. The most popular is cuttings of bushes. If you are going to use this method, keep in mind that young blue hydrangea seedlings are best suited for this. Select side shoots on which several leaves and 2-4 flower buds have already formed. Start cutting cuttings early in the morning.
The resulting planting material must be placed in water so that the sprouts sprout roots. Be sure to remove the containers in a dark place for several days. Cuttings will begin to actively add in growth after you cut off the top and 1/3 of each leaf from them. It is recommended to use special means to stimulate the growth of rhizomes in garden plants.
Cuttings with mature roots should be planted in separate containers. Remember to cover them with plastic bottles to create a greenhouse effect. A signal that the sprouts can be transplanted will be the appearance of new foliage. This will happen in 30-35 days.
By dividing the bush
This propagation method is used when it is necessary to transplant flowers to another part of the garden. First of all, water the soil around the seedlings abundantly.
Then, carefully dig up the bushes. Be careful not to harm the hydrangea
Divide the seedlings into several equal parts and plant them in the garden. Do not forget to water the plants and feed them with mineral fertilizers.
Using layering
Hydrangea is bred and layered. This method is simple. You should start working as soon as the threat of spring frosts disappears. Dig shallow grooves around the bushes (3-4 cm). Examine the bush and select young side shoots that can be used to further breed the blue hydrangea.
Having made light cuts, bend them to the dug holes and carefully sprinkle with soil. Special staples will help to fix the plant in this position.
Over the summer, the layers will take root and with the arrival of autumn they can be planted. Blue hydrangea sprouts are transplanted to a permanent place in the garden after a year.
Seed propagation
This method is rarely used by gardeners. It is not suitable for propagation of hybrid varieties of hydrangeas. To grow seedlings from seeds, you will need a lot of time (1.5-2 years).
The material is sown without any preliminary preparation directly in a container with soil. After abundant watering, the boxes are covered with foil. From time to time, the seedlings are ventilated and examined for the presence of a fungal infection. Make sure that the sprouts do not suffer from a lack of moisture.
In open ground, it is allowed to transplant shoots that have reached a height of at least 35-45 cm. Such seedlings will have a strong root system, which will allow the bushes to quickly take root in a new place in the garden.
Possible diseases and problems
An unpretentious plant is not protected from insect attacks and the development of diseases. Most bush problems are associated with:
- annular spotting.This is a viral disease that affects not only garden flowers, but also raspberry bushes, gooseberries, and vineyards. The infection can be determined by dark dry spots on the foliage, which over time cover a large area and lead to its death. The reasons for the appearance of ring spot include contaminated land, poorly processed tools, and the transfer of the virus by insects. The disease does not respond to treatment. The shrub is uprooted and burned;
- powdery mildew, a common fungal infection. It affects most horticultural crops. You can determine the pathological process by the white dots that appear on the leaf plates. From the outside, they look like a plaque of cobwebs. The infection causes the leaves to curl and dry out. Fungus treatment consists in treating the bushes with fungicides, removing damaged areas. To avoid the transfer of infection to nearby crops, they are also sprayed with medicinal solutions;
Ring spot
- gray rot. This is a fungal infection that affects not only the green part of the plant, but also the cuttings that are responsible for the reproduction of shrubs. The fungus is identified by a grayish bloom on the leaf plates. Treatment consists in removing shoots and spraying hydrangeas and nearby crops with fungicides;
- chlorosis. According to clinical signs, the disease resembles burns on foliage from the sun. The leaves begin to discolor and turn yellow. The source of the problem is iron deficiency. To restore the bushes, top dressing is needed with this element in the composition.
Important! With most diseases, you will not have to chop the bush; it is enough to carry out the treatment with home or chemical means. Only neglected specimens will have to be destroyed, since they cannot be saved, and the infection can spread to nearby healthy crops
In addition to certain diseases, pests can attack the hydrangea:
- leaf aphids are a classic parasite of all household plots. Insects are localized on the green parts of plants and feed on their sap. Over time, the shrubs cease resistance, begin to dry out and turn black. If pests hit one of the parts of the bush, then ladybugs will help to cope with them. In other cases, chemical treatment will have to be carried out;
- spider mite. You can identify the parasite by the thin web, with which it braids the leaves and stems. Due to the invasion of small insects, the shrub does not have enough sunlight and nutrients, the hydrangea stops flowering. Treatment begins with mechanical removal of the parasite and spraying the bushes with insecticidal substances;
- snails and slugs are moderate pests. With the timely removal of parasites, shrubs can recover, if they ignore the treatment with special compounds, they can cause serious damage.
Experienced gardeners recommend that you regularly inspect plants in your backyard for the timely detection of fungal infections and insect pests. Preventive treatment, attracting birds to the garden (placing feeders and birdhouses around it) will prevent the problem, get rid of the need to treat the affected flowers.
Hydrangeas are long-lived, unpretentious plants that can decorate household plots with their flowers for several decades. Proper care of the shrub, timely pruning, watering and enriching the soil with fertilizers will help you get beautiful and healthy shrubs that can withstand many diseases and pests.
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