Hydrangea paniculata Limelight

Hydrangea Limelight is a real living bouquet that blooms most of the summer and early autumn. Care is easy. Judging by the impressive landscape in the photo, Limelight paniculata hydrangea is highly valued in landscape design due to its picturesqueness.

History of breeding

Arriving from Japan in the XNUMXth century, paniculate hydrangea, or hydrangia, as its name is pronounced in Latin, quickly took root in the gardens of Europe. In the last century, Dutch breeders brought out a real treasure in the family of flowering shrubs – Limelight hydrangea with strong shoots that confidently hold lush inflorescences. The variety was awarded prizes at various flower exhibitions.

Description of hydrangea Limelight

The super-hardy and vigorous variety of panicled hydrangea Limelight is impressive in size with a shoot length of up to 2-2,5 m. In diameter, an adult plant reaches the same figures. Over the summer, shoots grow up to 25-30 cm, forming a rounded dense crown. A feature of the Limelight hydrangea is its superficial root system, which can spread much wider than the circumference of the crown. Upright shoots of a brown shade, with a small edge. They are strong and able to hold huge caps of Limelight panicled hydrangea inflorescences, at a height of 2 m, without bending. Limelight panicled hydrangia bushes do not need props.

Medium-sized oval-shaped leaves with a pointed tip and a finely serrated border. Dark green leaf blades serve as a contrasting background for the original greenish-white Limelight panicle hydrangea inflorescences. By autumn, the leaves acquire a less saturated shade, then turn yellow.

The color of Limelight panicled hydrangia inflorescences also change color, which bloom pale green in July and remain decorative until October. They are wide pyramidal in shape, up to 30 cm, dense, consist of many sterile flowers. If the bush grows more in the shade, its panicles will be greenish until September. In the sun, the Limelight panicled flowers are white, but from mid-August they turn pink. At the same time, remaining fresh and beautiful in appearance without a hint of wilting, as seen in the autumn photo of Limelight hydrangeas.

Important! It is believed that hydrangeas develop well only in partial shade.

But the panicled cultivar Limelight blooms profusely in full sun if its shallow roots are mulched and not allowed to dry out.

Hydrangea paniculata is grown in the south and in the regions of the middle zone of the country. In the near-trunk circle of an adult plant, hosts and shade-loving ground covers are planted: saxifrage, stonecrop. In the northern regions, the Limelight panicled variety is grown in greenhouses.

Frost resistance, drought resistance

Panicled hydrangea withstands frosts down to -29 ° C. It is necessary to take care of a cozy place, protected from the north wind and drafts. Then the plant will not be afraid of autumn temperature changes, and flowering will continue until October. Young bushes of the Limelight variety suffer from frost, they must be covered. As adults, if the winters are snowless.

Hydrangea Limelight is moisture-loving, which is reflected in its Latin name, which comes from the Greek language (hydor – water). Watered regularly. In the southern regions, if the plant is in the sun, the soil is mulched with a thick layer of grass. So the roots, which are located very close to the surface, protect from drying out until the next watering. In drought conditions, Limelight hydrangea plants lose their splendor. Flowers become small.

Disease and pest resistance

The Limelight variety is not susceptible to diseases; with proper agricultural technology, it is little affected by pests. A threat can arise to very young plants from slugs. If there are many gastropods, they eat the leaves, and the hydrangea may die. Before planting Limelight exotic, the area is carefully cleaned so that the slugs have nowhere to hide. In greenhouses, the plant can be attacked by mites and aphids, against which pesticides are used.

How to propagate hydrangeas

Cuttings are the most convenient way to propagate hydrangia paniculata Limelight. Cuttings are selected lignified during spring pruning or green in summer:

you need to take fragments that show 2 nodes;
cut obliquely from below, directly under the kidney;
from above, the branch can be cut straight, retreating a few centimeters from the kidney;
the substrate for rooting is prepared in equal parts of sand and peat;
the cuttings are placed in a mini-greenhouse, treated with root formation stimulants;
when planting, the lower kidney is deepened;
watered with warm water.

Panicled hydrangea cuttings take root in 30-40 days. Plants bloom in 2-3 years of development.

Planting and caring for Limelight hydrangea

It is necessary to choose the right time and place for the Limelight panicled variety.

Recommended dates

The best time for planting hydrangeas is spring, the last decade of April or the first of May. Seedlings in containers are transferred to the site and later. Planted in the south in September.

Choosing the right place

According to the description, Limelight hydrangea is a shade-tolerant, but also light-loving shrub. It will grow well and bloom luxuriantly in an open area. The main requirement is protection from the north wind. For a paniculate variety, a substrate with low acidity is selected, within a pH range of 4-5,5. It is prepared in advance and laid in a pit, since such soil content is far from being in all areas.

Important! Due to the sprawling superficial root system of Limelight panicled hydrangea, it is not recommended to transplant it.

The plant is better to be constantly in one place.

Selection and preparation of planting material

Limelight panicled seedlings are purchased at gardening centers in containers. They make sure that they are swollen, and the kidneys and trunk are without damage. If there are already leaves, their plates should be unaffected by pests. Before planting, the pot with the seedling is placed in a large container with water in order to easily remove the clod of earth without damaging the delicate roots of the paniculate hydrangea.

Planting Panicled Hydrangea Limelight

For the Limelight variety, a hole is laid with a diameter of 50 and a depth of 35 cm:

below – a drainage layer;
a substrate of humus, peat, garden soil and mixtures for conifers;
the Limelight seedling is placed so that the root collar is at ground level;
the near-trunk circle is slightly compacted, watered and mulched on alkaline lands with peat, sawdust from conifers or needles.

Hydrangea Aftercare

There is not much work with the Limelight bush.

Watering

The soil must be moist. The soil under panicle hydrangea does not dry out. Sprinkling is applied in the evening.

Additional fertilizing

The Limelight variety is fertilized with special complex preparations: Green World, Pokon, Fertica, Valagro, diluted according to the instructions. Feed three times during the season.

Mulching and loosening the soil

Loosen the soil around the trunk after watering. In times of drought, mulch is laid out from grass, bark or perlite. Be sure to mulch Limelight hydrangea growing in open space.

Trimming

The inflorescences of the variety are created on new shoots, so pruning is necessary for abundant flowering, which is what attracts Limelight hydrangea in garden design. In autumn, wilted flowers are removed, and in early spring, the shoots are shortened by ²/₃, forming a bush.

Preparation for winter

In October, the Limelight variety is well watered. Then a wide near-trunk circle is mulched with peat and humus, later spud. Remove broken branches if preparing a shelter for the winter.

Shrub shelter for the winter

In areas of the middle climatic zone, Limelight hydrangea is covered with dense spunbond or burlap. After that, snow is thrown to the bush.

Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention

Hydrangea Limelight is disease resistant. Sometimes the leaves turn yellow due to chlorosis, which develops in alkaline soil. The trunk circle is acidified with iron sulfate, citric acid, and mulched with pine needles. To protect the plant from leaf spot and powdery mildew, they are prevented with fungicides Horus, Maxim, Skor.

Spider mites are treated with acaricides. Against aphids and bedbugs, which also suck the juice from the leaves, they are sprayed with Fitoverm or Match, Engio, Aktara insecticides.

Attention! Hydrangea blooms profusely if the requirements are met: slightly acidic and moderately moist soil, warm, partial shade.

Hydrangea Limelight in landscape design

Beautiful hydrangea paniculate Limelight in landscape design in different versions:

near the entrance;
like a soloist on the lawn;
hedge to separate garden areas;
shrub mixborder element;
bright accent among conifers.

A popular version of Limelight hydrangea on a trunk in the form of a spectacular tree.

Conclusion

Hydrangea Limelight will add a charming zest to the garden. Little trouble with her. The organization of drip irrigation, through which top dressing is also fed, will facilitate the care of a magnificent exotic.

Reviews

Yulia Viktorovna Davydova, 56 years old, Tula region

Old hydrangeas are still preserved in the country house, but they cannot be compared with the elegant modern Limelight. Planted in the central flower bed, surrounded by the most exquisite lilies. For some time they bloom together and create an unforgettable effect. Fortunately, all 5 years after planting, the variety did not suffer from anything. Was free of pests. The soil was laid forest, and I feed it during budding and flowering with the usual series of phosphorus-potassium agent “Ava”, which I also use in the garden.

Svetlana Vasilievna Bykova, 34, Zlynka

The Limelight variety has been growing for me for the 2nd year. I was worried that the panicled beauty would successfully winter. I built a wire frame for it, surrounded it with a net from rodents, took the densest agrotextile. There were no frost holes, both winters passed without problems. It bloomed profusely, and I bought a seedling with blooming buds. But I removed everything so that the original variety got stronger. Grows in the yard, protected from the wind. I hope to multiply in order to plant more near the entrance to the garden, where lilacs bloom in June.