Hydrangea Candelight: variety description, reproduction, photo

Hydrangea paniculata Candlelight is a beautiful plant with an unusual color scheme of inflorescences. Winter hardy and sun tolerant. It is demanding on moisture and top dressing.

Variety Candelight does not like transplants, so the seat is selected for many years

Description of hydrangea paniculata Candelight

Hydrangea paniculata Candlelight (candle flame) is a new plant variety bred by Dutch breeders. Shrub up to 1,5 m high, while the stem height is about 60 cm. Spreading dense crown grows up to 2 m in diameter.

Deciduous hydrangea Candelight has an unusual color:

1. Serrated elliptical leaves are rich and dark green in color with noticeable venation.
2. The large conical inflorescences are greenish during the flowering period, changing to a golden hue by the middle of the season, becoming pink and reddish in autumn.

It is noteworthy that the inflorescences consist of large sterile flowers, as well as small fruit-bearing ones, on which miniature boxes with seeds ripen. Hydrangea blooms magnificently, beautifully. Given its color range, which earned the plant a silver medal at the 2013 show, Candelight is widely used for decorative purposes. Interestingly, with proper drying of individual branches, they are kept at home in an empty vase in the form of a beautiful decoration that will not crumble.

Hydrangea Candelight in landscape design

Plants of this species are spectacular, Candelight hydrangea is a shrub that can be grown on a bole, has an unusual color that changes during the flowering period. It is common among beginner gardeners and professionals, including in the society of designers.

Candelight hydrangea is beautiful in single compositions, as well as in combination with other plants, especially with evergreen perennial flora.

It is used almost everywhere, whether it is summer cottages, vegetable gardens, within the city – public parks, alleys and other places. Flower growers prefer the Candelight variety, because it produces beautiful live bouquets and compositions from dried hydrangea specimens.

Winter hardiness of hydrangea paniculata Candelight

Hydrangeas are famous for their frost resistance, and Candelight is no exception. It is also planted in the harsh Siberian climate, without using additional funds to cover the plant. Often this variety of hydrangea is heavily pruned, so there is no danger that snow will accumulate on the remaining inflorescences, under the weight of which the branches could suffer.

Young plants need to be protected from frost.

However, the first 2-3 years of life of a young representative of the Kandelight variety needs protection from severe frosts. Hydrangea is covered with coniferous spruce branches, ferns or several layers of special material (burlap, spunbond). Often, greenhouse conditions are created for the plant using polyethylene.

Planting and caring for hydrangea paniculata Candelight

The first few years after planting the Candelight variety hydrangea, it must be well looked after until it finally takes root. First of all, you need a suitable place for landing, because it will bloom for decades, and it is difficult to endure “moves”. Secondly, the Candelight variety requires abundant, timely watering, as well as good, regular seasonal feeding. Among other things, young representatives of the variety must be protected from frost by covering them with auxiliary materials for the dormant period.

Selection and preparation of the landing site

Choosing the right seat for the Candelight hydrangea is a very important step. The fact is that this variety is a long-liver; with proper care, the shrub blooms for at least 50 years.

We are talking about a place where there will be no sudden gusts of wind and excessive drafts. The Candelight variety is tolerant of the sun’s rays, but it would be more correct to plant it in partial shade. However, you should not plant hydrangeas under trees, because they can take the necessary moisture from the bush. You do not need to place it in a place with an excess of groundwater, it is better to ensure stable watering on your own or equip a drainage system. Therefore, an ideal place for planting a shrub is considered to be near a wall, fence, fence.

Rules of landing

Planting holes for Candelight hydrangeas are prepared in advance. The pit must be spacious. When planting several specimens, it is worth considering the distance between them, it should be at least 2,5 m. Immediately before the planting process, the place is watered abundantly so that the soil absorbs water well. The soil in the planting hole is mixed with a fertile composition (2), sand (1), peat (1) and humus (1). The first top dressing, consisting of potassium sulfate (25 g), superphosphate (65 g) and urea (25 g), should also be added there. It is worth waiting for the soil to settle.

Variety Candelight blooms for decades

Then the roots are straightened, the seedling is placed in the hole and dug in so that the root neck is barely above the surface of the soil. To crush the earth so that it comes into contact with the roots, water it abundantly, mulch the near-stem circle with needles, leaf humus or sour peat so that moisture does not evaporate. The first time after planting hydrangeas, you need to provide shade, protect from direct sunlight.

Watering and top dressing

During the flowering period, Candelight hydrangea requires additional feeding and proper watering. Like other species, she loves moisture, but does not tolerate its excess. It is important to provide the plant with moderate humidity, if necessary, create drainage.

Hydrangeas should be provided with fertile soil with an acidic environment, excluding an excess of alkali. Top dressing is carried out approximately four times:

1. In the spring, before flowering, organic matter (bird droppings, horse manure) is added to the soil.
2. During the period of bud formation, top dressing is made from a mixture of potassium sulfate (35 g), superphosphate (35 g), urea (25 g) in 10 liters of water per 1 m2;
3. The middle of summer is accompanied by complex mineral fertilizers of the soil according to the instructions.
4. In autumn, shortly before preparing the plant for wintering, the soil is fertilized with phosphorus-potassium preparations to increase frost resistance.

Pruning Hydrangea Candelight

Pruning is done before the so-called sap flow, shortly before the awakening of the hydrangea from wintering, at the end of March.

Young bushes form from 5-10 strong shoots. They are shortened to 5 kidneys. Old hydrangeas are rejuvenated by cutting shoots up to 7 cm from the soil surface.

Preparation for winter

Hydrangea Candelight adequately endures the winter cold, without needing additional frost protection. However, gardeners for their own peace of mind can mulch the soil under a mature plant, you can wrap it with burlap.

One has only to pay attention to the young representatives of the Candelight variety, up to 3 years old it is mulched and necessarily covered.

Closer to winter, the inflorescences turn red

Reproduction of hydrangea paniculata Candelight

Reproduction of hydrangea Candelight differs little from its other varieties. First of all, cuttings are noted. Gardeners recommend collecting material for future seedlings in the middle of summer, at noon, when the plant is filled with moisture and natural forces. New shoots are selected, cut closer to the lower bud 2 cm from it. The shoot is placed in water with the addition of a mixture for root growth. If there is foliage, cut it in half. Inflorescences are removed completely. After the roots have appeared, the cuttings are planted in separate containers with soil (2) and sand (1).

Flower growers prefer seedlings 3-5 years old, so do not rush to plant them in a permanent place. Gradually they are transferred to larger pots, without changing the growth conditions much, because the Candelight variety does not like “abrupt changes”. Seedlings can be sown in the ground, carefully care for young offspring, protected from cold and dryness. Landing on a permanent place of growth is carried out in the spring, so that the Candelight variety has time to adapt before winter.

Diseases and pests

Lack of care, as well as some pests, can affect the appearance of the plant. If the inflorescences of the Candlelight hydrangea quickly dry out, it means that insects, for example, aphids, which feed on the juices of the plant, are wound up, because of which it literally loses its vitality. Insects are usually killed with insecticides. Usually, the processing is carried out according to the instructions, it is only important to do it in the early morning or after sunset so that the hydrangea does not get sunburn.

In addition, drying out of the soil is dangerous, especially in this variety. You can water not only the ground, but also irrigate the bush itself.

Although the Candelight hydrangea is one of the most tolerant of the sun, brown spots may appear on the foliage, which means the plant is overheated, it needs more shade.

Conclusion

Hydrangea paniculata Candlelight is a shrub growing on a trunk, an ornamental plant that has conquered many flower growers. It is valued for its unusual color, as well as the ability to give any shape. Gardens, gardens, public places are decorated with Candelight hydrangea. It is also used by florists to create bouquets.

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