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Each owner of a country house tries to decorate his landscape with lush flower beds or separately located ornamental plants. Of the variety of cultures, professional designers and just amateur gardeners often use hydrangea. This genus of flowering plants includes more than 70 different species and varieties. All of them differ in the shape of the bush and inflorescence, the color of the petals. Most types of hydrangea grow in the warm countries of Asia and South America, and only some of them are adapted to the conditions of Our Country. Hydrangea paniculata “Weems red” is among the adapted species. The plant of this variety is unpretentious and has a chic appearance, due to which it is widely popular. For those who are not yet familiar with Weems Red, we will try to provide the most detailed and up-to-date information about this plant in the article.
General information about the plant
The splendor of hydrangea has long amazed and delighted people. So, for the first time, the English botanist D. Banks, back in 1789, brought a magnificent hydrangea seedling from a trip to China. Due to its beauty, the plant quickly gained popularity. Starting in 1900, breeders took up the culture, and after 60 years the world saw about 100 different varieties of hydrangeas.
farmers today have a unique opportunity to grow excellent hydrangeas of 6 different types in their gardens. Among them, it is worth noting the ground cover, tree-like and petiole hydrangea. Hydrangea paniculata is especially revered by gardeners. It is a slender, lush and rather tall shrub that looks great in composition with other plants or as an independent landscape design unit.
For abundant flowering, the Weems red panicled plant requires certain conditions related to the composition of the soil and placement on the site. If certain requirements are not met, then you can not wait for flowering or destroy the seedling altogether.
Beauty Wim’s Red
Hydrangea paniculata “Weems red” was obtained by a German breeder several years ago and literally immediately gained recognition all over the world. This deciduous shrub blooms very long and profusely. The pyramidal inflorescences are large, up to 35 cm high. As the flowering progresses, the color of the “Weems red” buds changes: at the initial stage of dissolution, the paniculate buds are white in color, then it becomes pink and as a result, the buds acquire a rich burgundy color. Below you can see in the photo of the Weems red panicled hydrangea the color variety of inflorescences. Already faded buds also have a natural beauty. They are used by florists in the creation of their works.
The long flowering period of paniculate hydrangea falls on the period from July to September. In the conditions of warm autumn, “Weems red” can delight with its buds until October. This fact is an important advantage, due to which the variety is widely popular.
As a result of flowering, a box is formed on the shoots of the Weems red paniculate shrub. It is divided into several parts and contains many small seeds that can be used to breed a crop.
From the photo and description of the Weems Red hydrangea, it is easy to understand that its bushes are very lush, beautiful, leafy. The height and diameter of adult plants can reach 2 m. The annual growth of green shoots is 20-25 cm. Young bushes are not pruned for 3-4 years after planting. After the first age pruning, the shrub is recommended to be pruned annually.
The beauty and charm of hydrangeas are provided not only by flowers, but also by leaves. They are very dense, oppositely located. They are dark green in color with strong veins. The shape of the hydrangea leaves is ovoid.
The shoots of the paniculate plant are tough and resilient, may have sparse branching. The color of the skin on the shoots is brown-red, which gives them a decorative appearance. Under the weight of large buds, some shoots bend, as a result of which the bush acquires a spherical shape.
Choosing a place to grow
Panicled hydrangea is very moisture-loving. Its closely spaced branched roots are not able to get moisture from the depth on their own, so the plant needs regular and plentiful watering.
Hydrangea is thermophilic, but at the same time tolerant of a lack of sunlight. It can be grown in sunny and shady areas of the earth. Strong north winds can cause some harm to the plant, therefore, when choosing a place for planting, it is necessary to provide for the presence of a natural barrier on the north side.
Hydrangea paniculata “Weems red” is whimsical to the soil. For its cultivation, it is preferable to choose loose, fertile soil, with a high content of organic matter. Soil acidity can be high or neutral. The color of the buds, in particular, depends on this indicator:
- On acidic soils, the flowers are richly bright in color.
- On soils with neutral acidity, the buds become pale.
Paniculata hydrangea cannot grow safely on calcareous and sandy soils. This type of soil before planting the plant must be acidified to the optimum. Iron sulfate, colloidal sulfur, fresh manure and sphagnum moss can be used as an oxidizing agent.
Landing “Wims Red”
Hydrangea should be planted in early spring. It is recommended to prepare the soil for the plant in advance: 2-3 weeks before planting the seedling, soddy soil, peat, sand and foliage should be mixed in equal proportions. The landing pit should be at least 50 cm in diameter and 40-45 cm deep. The landing pit should be filled with prepared fertile soil.
In the process of planting, special attention should be removed to the root system of the plant:
- Pour fertile loose soil at the bottom of the planting pit, with a layer of 10 cm.
- Form a small mound in the center of the hole.
- Straighten the roots on the surface of the mound.
- Fill the hole with fertile soil so that the root neck remains above the ground.
- Compact the soil and water the hydrangea.
- Mulch the trunk circle with peat or straw.
The landing process is quite simple and straightforward. But for beginner gardeners, the following video lesson can also be useful, which perfectly demonstrates the process of planting a paniculate hydrangea seedling:
A good example and numerous comments will allow inexperienced farmers to avoid mistakes.
seedling care
Planting a hydrangea is quite simple, but caring for the culture requires special attention:
Plant feeding
Having planted the Weems red panicled hydrangea in early spring, at the end of May it will be necessary to think about feeding it. As fertilizers, it is recommended to use potassium sulfate or ammonium sulfate. These physiologically acidic fertilizers should be used until mid-summer. In the future, they must be replaced with superphosphate.
You can also fertilize “Weems red” with natural, organic top dressings, for example, manure infusion, a solution of bird droppings. In practice, the effectiveness of whey has been proven. When watering hydrangeas with whey, lactic acid bacteria are activated, which acidify the soil, contribute to the decomposition of organic matter, and generate heat. It has been proven that under the influence of milk whey, hydrangeas quickly grow greenery, bloom profusely and rarely get sick.
shrub pruning
Experts recommend pruning hydrangea bushes annually, starting at the age of 3 years. This helps to increase the abundance and duration of flowering, improve the health of the plant as a whole. At the stages of mature vegetation, pruning can be used with the removal of 2/3 of the shoot.
The bush should be cut in early spring before the buds appear or in the fall after the leaves have completely dropped. Cut shoots can be used to breed hydrangeas. Shrub cuttings take root well and are able to quickly form a lush paniculate bush.
Diseases and pests
Chlorosis is the most common disease of paniculate hydrangea. It occurs against the background of the alkaline environment of the soil. You can fight chlorosis with iron chelate. This highly effective microfertilizer is used once a week for foliar feeding. Paniculata hydrangea “Weems red” reacts to such treatment quickly, restoring the color of its leaves.
Hydrangea paniculata “Weems red” can be affected by various diseases and pests. Powdery mildew, anthracnose and other infectious, fungal diseases can harm the plant. Fungicides should be used to control them. Aphids, the Colorado potato beetle and spider mites are also not averse to feasting on the succulent leaves of the paniculate shrub. You can fight them with various special preparations, for example “Aktara”.
To control pests and diseases, regular attention should be paid to preventive treatments. Only in this case, it will be possible to preserve the beauty and health of the beautiful Weems red panicled hydrangea.
Shelter of seedlings for the winter
Hydrangea “Weems red”, in comparison with other varieties of culture, has a high level of frost resistance, however, when grown in the central and northern regions of Our Country, it is recommended to securely cover the plant to prevent freezing. So, in the period before the onset of frost, it is necessary to observe the regime of watering and loosening the soil. With the advent of cold weather, hydrangea should be covered with foliage, spruce branches, burlap.
You can talk a lot about the beautiful panicled hydrangea, but in order to truly enjoy its beauty, you need to grow a bush on your site, feel its alluring aroma and appreciate the stunning view of the flowers with your own eyes. We gave recommendations on how to properly plant a plant and how to care for it. Following our advice, everyone will be able to grow a beautiful panicled hydrangea in their garden.