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Hydrangea Miss Saori is a new variety of large-leaved crop, bred by Japanese breeders in 2013. Gardening enthusiasts liked the novelty so much that the very next year it won the title “Plant of the Year” at the Royal Exhibition in Chelsea.
Description of large-leaved hydrangea Miss Saori
Despite the fact that the large-leaved hydrangea Miss Saori can reach quite impressive sizes, it looks very elegant. Its branching shoots, capable of growing up to 100 cm, form a neat spherical bush with very large (up to 30 cm in diameter) inflorescences of double flowers of a soft pink hue. The corolla of each flower is formed by two rows of petals with a sharp tip. A blurry dark red border along the edge of each petal gives the flowers a special sophistication and depth. Somewhat less often you can find a pale blue color of the corollas.
Hydrangea leaves Miss Saori are large, ovoid, glossy. In summer, they are dark green with a purple tint, and with the advent of autumn they acquire a noble burgundy color.
Hydrangea Miss Saori belongs to remontant varieties, that is, flower buds are laid on last year’s shoots. The flowering period is long, lasting from the second half of summer until almost mid-autumn.
Hydrangea Miss Saori in landscape design
This representative of the Hortensia family is able to become a real gem of the garden. In landscape design, globular plants create the illusion of increasing space, so even in small areas, the Miss Saori hydrangea will look advantageous.
Thanks to its classic shape, this flower will organically fit into the landscape of any style. It can be used for landscaping urban areas, parks and other recreational areas, as well as for decorating private gardens. Hydrangea of this variety can grow in single plantings or be a bright accent in group flower ensembles. Often it is combined with other varieties of shrubs. It is also suitable for growing in containers, while the quality of flowering does not deteriorate.
Miss Saori’s hydrangeas planted in ceramic vases and pots look very noble
Winter hardiness of hydrangea Miss Saori
A distinctive feature of the hydrangea of this variety is its winter hardiness – it can withstand temperatures as low as -26 ° C. Flower buds can suffer from recurrent frosts, so in the middle lane, and especially in the northern regions, the bushes need shelter for the winter.
Planting and caring for hydrangea Miss Saori
In order for the Miss Saori hydrangea to please the eye with a long and abundant flowering, it is necessary to choose the right landing site, ensuring proper care in the future.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
Hydrangea Miss Saori prefers partial shade or areas with diffused sunlight, protected from the winds. In the shade, it blooms later, and in the sun the flowers can become noticeably smaller. Soils for hydrangeas of this variety are fertile, loose, well retaining moisture, but not swampy, better with an acidic reaction. On calcareous and alkaline substrates, the flower loses its decorative effect.
Rules of landing
Hydrangea Miss Saori is planted in early spring, when night temperatures reach positive values. Plants are placed at a distance of at least 150 cm from each other.
Planting hydrangea Miss Saori involves the following sequence of actions:
- dig planting holes 40 cm deep, about 30 cm long and wide;
- the soil is mixed with sand and humus, nutrients are added;
- the pit is well watered;
- when placing a bush, the root neck is left above the soil surface;
- the pit is covered with the resulting nutrient mixture;
- the plant is watered abundantly;
- near-stem circles are mulched with sawdust or needles.
Watering and top dressing
Timely regular watering is one of the main conditions for maintaining the excellent decorative qualities of the Miss Saori hydrangea. This is a moisture-loving plant, so you need to water it as the topsoil dries, but so that the water does not stagnate at the roots. Mulched bushes require less moisture. It is best to use settled water for irrigation.
Fertilization is carried out three times per season:
- in spring, at the beginning of the active growth phase;
- in the middle of summer, in the phase of bud formation;
- in the last weeks of summer, before preparing plantings for winter.
As an organic fertilizer, it is best to use highly diluted manure. In addition, hydrangea needs potash and phosphate fertilizers. Top dressing with nitrogen compounds can be carried out only until mid-summer, so as not to stimulate the vegetation before the plant goes dormant.
Hydrangea pruning Miss Saori
In order for the hydrangea to bloom luxuriantly and profusely, branches without flower buds should be cut, leaving only one lower bud, from which a new flowering shoot will appear next season.
To preserve the decorative effect, after flowering is completed, dry inflorescences must be removed.
Preparation for winter
Shelter is a prerequisite for growing this shrub in areas with cold winters. In the conditions of the middle lane, it is enough to mulch the near-trunk circle and cover the ground with spruce branches. In the northern regions, the bushes are additionally cleaned under a special covering material.
If the hydrangea grows in a container, for the winter it is transferred to a room with a temperature of + 3-5 ° C, for example, in the basement. From time to time, an earthen ball is watered.
Reproduction
You can get new Miss Saori hydrangea plants from seeds or vegetatively – cuttings or layering.
When seed propagation, sowing of planting material is carried out in March immediately in open ground. Seeds do not need stratification.
One of the most popular propagation methods is rooting cuttings from the mother bush. In the spring, shallow trenches are dug under the adult specimen and oblique cuts are made on the underside of the shoots to stimulate the formation of roots. Then they are bent down, fixed in the trench with wire staples and sprinkled with a mixture of fertile soil and peat. Water regularly throughout the season. In order to prevent the earth from drying out, it is recommended to cover the layering with a film. Rooted shoots are separated from the mother bush next spring and transplanted to a permanent place.
Hydrangea Miss Saori can be propagated by cuttings. In mid-summer, cut young green shoots the size of a pencil and remove all leaves (except the top pair). The lower cut is treated with a root stimulator and planted at an angle of 45 ° in a mixture consisting of earth, river sand and peat. It is most convenient to root the cuttings in boxes under the film to ensure high humidity.
Diseases and pests
Most often, hydrangea diseases are caused by the wrong choice of location and lack of proper plant care. With a lack of nutrients in the soil, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, drying out or waterlogging of the substrate, the leaves of the shrub begin to dry and fall off, brown spots may appear on them, and the inflorescences become smaller and deformed. These problems can be solved by eliminating adverse environmental factors.
A great danger to the shrub is fungal diseases – gray rot, peronosporosis, powdery mildew, septoria. Plants can be cured with an aqueous solution of soap and copper sulfate or fungicides.
The most dangerous ring spot, which is not treatable. The hydrangea infected with this viral disease dies. Affected plants should be immediately removed and burned to prevent the spread of pathogens to healthy plantings.
Ring spot is characterized by the appearance on the leaves of round spots with dead cells.
Often carriers of diseases are insects – aphids, spider mites and gall nematodes. At the first sign of an invasion of these pests, plants should be treated with insecticides.
To protect the hydrangea from rot, it is recommended to shed the seedlings of the first year of planting with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. As a preventive measure for fungal diseases, the bushes are treated with a Bordeaux mixture before winter.
Conclusion
Hydrangea Miss Saori is a new interesting variety that amateur gardeners have already appreciated. This ornamental shrub is especially attractive due to large lush inflorescences with an unusual color, and the frost resistance of this variety, which is a record among hydrangeas, guarantees the safety of the plant in cold winters.
Reviews of hydrangea large-leaved Miss Saori
