Contents
Hydrangea broadleaf: varieties, care
Broad-leaved hydrangea is famous for its stunning flowering and is widely used in landscape design. Over the past few years, the plant has attracted not only gardeners, but also florists, as it looks great in flower arrangements and bouquets.
Description of the variety of broadleaf hydrangea
The broad-leaved hydrangea is also called large-leaved. The culture originates from Japan, from where it was brought to Europe. The shrub is very hygrophilous, but it does not tolerate frost well, therefore, it is possible to grow a plant without worries only in the southern regions. Gardeners and summer residents of the middle zone of our country will have to take care of additional insulation.
Broad-leaved hydrangea will be a wonderful decoration for any garden
Visually, the bush looks branched and massive, with large, bright ovoid leaves. The color of the foliage depends on the season, in summer it is green, in autumn it has a red pigment. The advantage of the variety is that the plant blooming in summer retains its inflorescences until next spring – it is due to this that the hydrangea is able to decorate a garden or plot almost all year round. The flowers are very large, collected in inflorescences, can be pink, white, blue. They are in perfect harmony with other horticultural crops.
Planting and caring for broadleaf hydrangea
In order to plant and successfully grow a variety in your area, it is important to listen to the recommendations of experienced florists:
- The shrub does not tolerate acidic soil. The ideal site for planting will be soil, which includes humus, sand and peat. As you breed, you will be able to control the acid level as it will be indicated by the color your shrub will bloom with. Pink inflorescences indicate low acidity, blue ones, on the contrary.
- The culture will not survive if it is planted next to large trees – large plants will deprive it of the required amount of moisture. The ideal place should be bright, while at the same time protected from direct sunlight.
- If you are placing seedlings outdoors, do not do so until mid-spring to avoid frost. The rule does not apply to inhabitants of warm climates.
- The bushes are planted in drained pits, the depth and diameter of which are 35-40 cm. After burying, the flower is watered and mulched.
Plant care is simple and consists in systematic watering and feeding. The water should be soft, preferably rain or settled, at room temperature. If natural precipitation does not fall, it is necessary to water each bush twice a week with a bucket of water. If it rains frequently, watering is reduced to 2 times a month.
Top dressing is done using fertilizers, which include potassium and ammonia. Slurry and mineral complexes are also useful.
Recommended phases are spring growth and flowering. For wintering, it is important to create a greenhouse effect or a greenhouse over the bushes.
If you follow all the rules described, the culture will delight the owners with healthy growth and lush, bright inflorescences. The main thing is to observe three rules: a sufficient amount of water, acidity control and shelter from the cold.