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Hydrangea Mini Penny is a bred hybrid with high frost resistance. The variety is remontant, with a long flowering period, inflorescences are formed in early summer on annual shoots, then on young ones. An ornamental shrub with a bright habit, popular in the south and in temperate climates.
Description of Hydrangea Mini Penny
Wild-growing types of hydrangea come from Asia. A beautiful plant was an essential attribute of the gardens of the Japanese emperors. After breeding climate-resistant varieties, the heat-loving culture spread throughout Europe. More than 50 varieties are grown in Our Country.
Blue varieties, which include Mini Penny, are especially popular. The plant is characterized by medium frost resistance. If the temperature of the regional climate drops below -180C in winter, it requires shelter. In warm climates, moisture-loving hydrangea needs regular watering.
Mini Penny is a remontant variety that blooms in July. It forms buds on last year’s stems, as the shoots of the current season grow, inflorescences of the second wave also appear on them. The plant until September is covered with bright blue balls.
Bright green leaves are harmoniously combined with pale blue inflorescences.
In regions with early winter, the culture does not have time to bloom completely.
Description of large-leaved hydrangea Mini Penny:
- grows in the form of a rounded bush. Height and diameter are within 1m;
- flowers are collected in large spherical inflorescences, abundantly covering the bush;
- the color depends on the composition of the soil and lighting, in the shade the color is lighter, if the reaction is alkaline – pinkish, on acidic soil – dark blue;
- the leaves are oblong with a pointed tip, large, bright green in summer, and brown in autumn, remain on the branches until winter.
Hydrangea Mini Penny in landscape design
The Mini Penny variety is used in ornamental gardening; with proper care, the plant blooms for a long time, attracting the eye with large inflorescences. Hydrangea is an unusual culture: blue, light and dark pink flowers can be located on one bush. The Mini Penny variety is used in almost all compositions, combining with any kind of plant.
Examples of landscaping a garden using Mini Penny Hydrangea:
- Planted en masse in the foreground of the building.
Hydrangea looks especially impressive on a well-groomed front lawn.
Grown in gardens to decorate the path.
Bushes growing on both sides of the path create the appearance of an alley
Use as a decor option near the benches in the garden.
Blue inflorescences are clearly visible against the background of conifers
Planted on the slopes in the garden to decorate the gazebo.
The garden is decorated on the contrast of varieties with different colors.
Hydrangea is used for tamping hedges from large-sized trees.
Densely growing bushes cover the errors of the lower part of the thuja crown
- Variety Mini Penny is suitable for creating hedges.
The flowering of the variety is abundant, the hedge is completely covered with blue balls
A bush of the correct rounded shape is used in a single landing for a lawn color accent.
Hydrangea is successfully combined with conifers and ornamental shrubs.
The plant serves as a good frame for the flower bed.
Blue hydrangea sets off a variety with pink flowers
A low plant suitable for growing in flower pots.
Portable flowerpots with hydrangea can decorate any corner of the garden, gazebo or open veranda
A composition of two varieties is complemented by ferns
Winter hardiness of large-leaved hydrangea Mini Penny
Growing hydrangea in an open area is possible only in the Crimea, Rostov region, Krasnodar and Stavropol regions. If the temperature in the region does not fall below -180C, the plant hibernates without shelter. In areas where the average is -230C, preparatory measures are required. In Siberia, you can grow Mini Penny only in containers; for the winter, the plant is removed from the site, because even with careful shelter, the hydrangea will not overwinter in the ground.
Planting and caring for Hydrangea Mini Penny
Hydrangea Mini Penny is a rather whimsical culture. To maintain a decorative form, the correct landing site and careful care are necessary.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
Variety Mini Penny is demanding on the composition of the soil. On slightly or medium acidic soil, it will bloom with blue inflorescences of a saturated shade. On neutral ground, the color will be lighter, and single dark pink inflorescences will appear on the bush. If the soil reaction is alkaline, the hydrangea will grow, but the flowers will turn pale pink with a yellowish tint, and Mini Penny will lose its varietal feature completely.
The plant is thermophilic, but does not tolerate prolonged exposure to the open sun. The place is chosen with periodic shading. A plot in a constant shade for hydrangea is not suitable, because it will not bloom.
The soil is chosen light, aerated, fertile. Hydrangea is characterized by low drought resistance, the basal circle should be constantly moist, but not wet. Lowlands, wetlands, places with closely spaced groundwater are not suitable. Under such conditions, the Mini Penny variety will die.
The strongly acidic composition is corrected with dolomite flour, alkaline soils are not desirable, but if there is no choice, then aluminum sulfate is added.
Rules of landing
The work is carried out in the spring, the sap flow of the culture is later, therefore, the optimal time is chosen when the earth warms up well and the threat of frost passes.
Sequence of work:
- Dig a hole about 0,5 m deep and the same diameter.
- The bottom is covered with expanded clay, creating a drainage cushion.
- Peat, compost, sand are mixed, superphosphate is added and poured into the recess.
- A seedling is acquired at the age of two with a closed root, if the material is grown independently, it is lowered into Kornevin.
- They put the plant in the center of the pit, cover it with soil, water it with plenty of water.
The plant is mulched. For hydrangeas, coniferous litter is used, it increases the level of acidity.
Mini Penny is planted in a flower pot along with an earthen clod
Watering and top dressing
It is impossible to fill the culture, the root may rot, and the plant will die. With a lack of moisture, hydrangea slows down growth, flowers and shoots dry. For an adult plant, 20 liters of water is enough for 4 days, the regime is oriented to the frequency of precipitation. The seedling is watered every evening with a small amount of water, provided that there is no rain for a long time and the weather is hot.
It is not necessary to fertilize the seedlings, because they have enough nutrition laid in the hole during planting. The next season is looked at by the intensity of flowering, if necessary, they are fed with organic matter. In the third year of growth, during the formation of leaves, “Agricola” is applied, during the flowering period they are fertilized with “Crystal”, and in the fall they are fed with organic matter.
Pruning hydrangea remontant large-leaved variety Mini Penny
The first formative pruning is carried out at the age of four. Leave 10-12 strong shoots, the rest are removed. In subsequent growing seasons, the tops of annual and young shoots are shortened, old branches (except for skeletal ones) are cut out completely, since they will not bloom. In the spring, they do sanitary cleaning, removing dry and frozen areas.
Preparation for winter
Hydrangea Mini Penny is being prepared for winter when the temperature drops to zero:
- Cut stems are collected to the center, pulled together with a rope to make a bunch.
- The root is spudded, the mound should be at least 15 cm.
- Cover with a thick layer of dry peat or straw.
- From above, arcs are set 15 cm above the stems.
- Stretch any covering material.
- The edges should lie on the ground. They are sprinkled with soil, a load is placed on top so that cold air or moisture does not get into the middle of the structure.
Reproduction
Hydrangea Mini Penny can be propagated in any way:
- In autumn, seeds are collected, planted in the ground, after the appearance of sprouts they dive into separate containers. For the summer they take out to an open area, put in partial shade. At the age of two, in the spring they are determined for a permanent place.
- The division of the bush. For this purpose, a hydrangea at least 4 years old is suitable. An adult plant does not respond well to this method of reproduction. The plot and the mother bush are sick.
- layering. They are made from the lower stem in the spring, and well covered in the fall. After the snow melts, rooted areas will be visible, they are cut and seated. The survival rate of such planting material is 60%.
The best, fastest and most productive way of propagation is cuttings. The material is harvested during pruning of the tops of annual stems. The cuttings are placed in the ground; in the south, this can be done on a plot in a greenhouse.
In a temperate climate, it is better to plant Mini Peni in a portable container and bring it into a room for the winter, where the temperature will not exceed +15 0C.
Diseases and pests
At high humidity, the plant is threatened by gray rot. The initial lesion is the root, then the fungal infection rises up the stem, destroying the plant.
Of the pests parasitize on the Mini Penny variety:
- shield;
- aphid;
- slugs.
Get rid of pests “Fitoverm”.
Conclusion
Hydrangea Mini Penny is a remontant variety with long flowering. A medium-sized bush with spherical inflorescences of blue or blue color is widely used in ornamental gardening. Suitable for outdoor cultivation. An ideal variety for containers and flower pots.
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