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One of the inexpensive, but very effective solutions in landscape design is the use of various types of hydrangeas as ornamental plants. Unlike the more expensive and complex roses or peonies in agricultural technology, this culture has a number of positive qualities. Hydrangea Magical Starlight is one example of such a relatively simple and inexpensive plant that can brighten up any garden.
Description Hydrangea Magic Starlight
Hydrangea paniculata Magic Starlight (aka Hydrangea paniculata magical starlight) is a typical representative of the Saxifrage family. This plant has a height of about 1,7 m, and it can be cultivated both in the form of a shrub and in the form of a tree. Hydrangea paniculata Magical Starlight is shown in the photo below:
A distinctive feature of this variety is an almost spherical crown, which, with minimal care, is able to maintain its shape for many years.
The bush does not fall apart and does not require any supports or garters. Young shoots are red, with age they become woody, turning brown. The leaves of the plant are large, green in color, have an elliptical shape and a rough structure.
Panicle-type inflorescences reach a size of 20 cm. The flowers leading into them are of two types: sterile and fertile. The last few more.
Sterile flowers are unevenly distributed in the inflorescence, they are larger than fertile ones and have a characteristic appearance: they consist of four elongated sepals
It is they who are especially decorative and have a star-shaped shape, from which the name of the variety came. Flowering is long, begins in mid-June and ends in the third decade of September.
Hydrangea Magical Starlight in landscape design
Due to its spectacular appearance, the Magical Starlight hydrangea is widely used in the design of personal plots. The plant is used as:
- A single object located at a significant distance from other cultures. You can use both shrub and standard form.
- Group plantings, as the central component of the flower bed.
- In the form of a hedge element.
- As part of a group planting of the same type of plants.
In any form, the Magical Starlight hydrangea will look spectacular due to the decorativeness of its inflorescences.
Winter hardiness of Hydrangea Magical Starlight
The plant tolerates harsh winters well. Hydrangea Magical Starlight belongs to the fifth zone of frost resistance. This means that wood and buds can withstand frosts of -29 ° C without shelter. It is believed that with age, resistance to cold increases. Bushes that are more than 10 years old are classified as the fourth frost resistance zone (-35 ° C).
Unlike other types of hydrangea, young specimens are also able to endure cold winters without additional shelter. The only part of the crop vulnerable to frost is its root system.
Planting and caring for hydrangea Magic Starlight
Growing this variety is not difficult. Hydrangea Magical Starlight is not capricious and does not require any special care. It is believed that this variety will be ideal for planting in the country, since the time spent on maintaining it in a healthy state is relatively small.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
You can use a plot with soil of any fertility, since the hydrangea Magic Starlight is not demanding on the quality of the soil. The only condition is the presence of the sun and the absence of cold wind. It is acceptable to grow the plant in partial shade.
Landing is carried out in pits 50 by 50 cm in size, 50-60 cm deep. A layer of drainage and fertile substrate is laid on the bottom. You can use manure or compost instead. The thickness of the fertile layer should be at least 15 cm.
Rules of landing
At the bottom of the pit, a mound is made on which a seedling is placed. Its height should be such that the root neck is slightly above ground level. The roots are spread along the slopes of the mound.
The pit is covered with soil, lightly tamped and watered.
Water consumption during planting is 10-20 liters per bush.
Watering and top dressing
Hydrangea Magical Starlight is watered once every two weeks, while up to 20 liters of water is poured under each bush. It is recommended in the first month of flowering to increase the frequency of watering up to once every 7-10 days.
Top dressing is applied four times per season:
- At the beginning of the season, before bud break. Use organic fertilizers: rotted manure or compost.
- With the beginning of budding. Top dressing is carried out with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
- after the start of flowering. The composition is similar to the previous one.
- Plants before overwintering. Apply complex fertilizer for hydrangeas.
All dressings are applied by the root method, they are combined with watering.
Hydrangea Pruning Magic Starlight
Pruning is carried out at the beginning of the season, it consists in shortening all shoots to such an extent that no more than 3 buds remain on them. To increase the density of the crown, pruning can be carried out not annually, but once every two years.
Rejuvenation of hydrangea bushes Magical Starlight is carried out once every 5-7 years. In this case, all branches are cut to the level of one kidney.
Preparation for winter
Hydrangea Magic Starlight does not need specific preparation for winter. Even the shoots of the current year are able to endure frosts down to -29 ° C without shelter. The only problem is the wintering of the root system of young plants, since it is located relatively close to the ground (at a depth of no more than 25 cm).
In order to preserve the roots of young specimens of Magical Starlight hydrangea, bushes should be spudded
Hilling height is about 50 cm. An alternative is to mulch the soil with sawdust or straw, its algorithm is described earlier.
Reproduction
To propagate Magical Starlight hydrangea, you can use any of the methods: seeds, layering or cuttings. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Seed propagation, like many ornamental garden crops, is rarely used. The reason lies, first of all, in the long periods of obtaining adult plants capable of flowering.
The most popular propagation is by cuttings. As such, young shoots of the current year, cut off at the end of autumn, are used. They must contain at least 6 buds. The cuttings are treated with a rooting agent and placed in water for several hours, after which they are planted in a loose substrate. Its base may be different (peat, leafy soil, etc.), but it always contains sand in an amount of 30% to 50% of the volume.
Until rooting, the cuttings must be placed in mini-greenhouses, wrapping the container with them in a plastic bag or covering it with a plastic bottle
The soil should be constantly moistened, not allowing it to dry out. Young hydrangeas of Magical Starlight need to be ventilated daily.
Rooting usually occurs in 3-4 months. After that, the greenhouses are removed, and the young plants are set in a warm and sunny place. Planting of sprouted and strengthened seedlings in open ground is carried out at the end of the next summer.
Diseases and pests
Diseases and pests of Magical Starlight hydrangea are standard for ornamental horticultural crops. Most often, the plant is affected by fungal infections, and also suffers from aphids, spider mites and gall nematodes.
The immune system of the hydrangea is quite strong, and diseases with pests rarely attack it. Nevertheless, preventive measures, traditionally carried out at the beginning of the season, will not be superfluous.
Protection against fungi involves the treatment of plant branches in early spring with copper sulphate or Bordeaux mixture. About a week after this treatment, the Magic Starlight hydrangea should be sprayed with insecticides. As such, it is recommended to use Actellik, Fitoverm and Fufanon.
Conclusion
Hydrangea Magical Starlight is one of the few ornamental plants that require little to no care. Relatively compact crowns of bushes and boles do not need pruning for a long time. The use of hydrangea Magical Starlight in landscape design is quite diverse, the plant can be used as a universal plant: from a component of flower beds to a hedge. The frost resistance of the variety is high, even young shoots are able to tolerate temperatures down to -29 ° C.
Hydrangea Magical Starlight Reviews
