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Hydrangea arborescens is a species belonging to the genus Hydrangiaceae. It is a shrub up to 3 m high with white flat corymbose inflorescences. Varieties of tree-like hydrangea are much more modest than those of large-leaved or paniculate. But the culture is winter-hardy, even if it freezes, it quickly recovers, and blooms on the growth of the current year. This, as well as the possibility of planting on neutral and slightly alkaline soils, makes it a favorite of the owners of suburban areas and landscape designers.
Inflorescences do not exceed a diameter of 15 cm
A variety of varieties of tree hydrangea
Judging by the photos and descriptions, tree hydrangea varieties do not have such a catchy beauty as large-leaved ones, and are less popular than paniculate ones. But the flower will not go unnoticed even next to roses.
In Our Country, this is the most popular species, as it has the greatest resistance to low temperatures. Many varieties without shelter winter in the Middle lane. Frozen branches after pruning give good growth and bloom profusely.
Tree hydrangea lives up to 40 years. Blooms annually. Each season, the bush from July to September is wrapped in a lacy cloud of large corymbs. Even in a species plant, they reach 15 cm. In varieties, flower caps are sometimes simply amazing in size.
The tree hydrangea bush can grow up to 3 m or be quite compact. In small gardens, size is easily controlled by pruning. Moreover, there is no need to be afraid to remove an extra branch or shorten it more than it should be, flowering occurs on young shoots.
Often in a tree hydrangea, the color changes depending on the degree of opening of the buds. Closed petals usually have a greenish tint of varying intensity. When fully opened, the main color appears. During wilting, pronounced salad or cream shades appear in the color.
So far, the varieties do not differ in a rich color range. But pink has already joined the “native” white and lime color. Perhaps blue or lilac varieties will appear soon.
Varieties appeared with inflorescences of pink shades
The color of the buds of a tree hydrangea can be:
- white;
- lime;
- from salad to light green;
- all shades of pink.
Inflorescence-shield:
- hemispherical;
- globular;
- domed;
- in the form of an almost flat circle.
The best varieties of hydrangea tree
All varieties are beautiful and in demand. It’s just that some are more famous, while others are less known. Hydrangea arborescens is often planted in low hedges and borders. An adult bush will be an excellent tapeworm, fit into a landscape group or become a flower bed decoration.
Anabel
Annabelle is an old variety that still has not lost popularity. On the territory of Our Country and neighboring countries – definitely the most common. The height of the bush is about 1-1,5 m, up to 3 m wide. It grows quickly, light green leaves remain decorative until frost.
Anabel’s shields are hemispherical, up to 25 cm in diameter. They consist of many white sterile flowers, loosely adjacent to each other and forming a surface similar to lace. Before withering, the buds acquire a greenish tint.
For thin shoots, the shields are too heavy; without support, they can lean to the very ground. Continuous flowering lasts from late June to September.
The variety is unpretentious, winter-hardy, can grow in partial shade and in the sun. It is undemanding to the ground. Doesn’t like transplants. In particularly severe winters, annual shoots may freeze slightly, but the bush recovers so quickly that flowering does not suffer.
Anabel – the most famous and sought-after variety
Pink Anabel
One of the varieties of tree-like hydrangea, created on the basis of Anabel. The first cultivar with rich pink flowers. Shields are large, up to 30 cm in diameter. Sterile flowers are tightly pressed against each other and collected in an irregularly shaped hemisphere.
The height of the bush is about 1,2 m, the width is up to 1,5 m. The shoots, unlike the parent variety, are strong. Under the weight of the flowers, they do not lie down on the ground even with a strong wind or during a downpour. The buds open from June to September. Pink Anabel withstands temperatures up to -34 °C.
Pink Anabel – the first variety with pink flowers
Hayes Starburst
Hydrangea tree-like with double flowers, similar to asterisks, united in hemispherical shields with a diameter of up to 25 cm. The buds are first lettuce, when fully opened they are white, after tying they again acquire a greenish tint. Flowering – from June to frost.
The bush is 1-1,2 m high, up to 1,5 m in diameter. The shoots are thin, lie down without support, the leaves are velvety, light green. Hayes Starburst makes high demands on soil fertility. Winter hardiness – up to – 35 ° С. It grows well in partial shade, but the inflorescences become smaller.
Hayes Starburst – a variety with double flowers
New varieties of tree hydrangea
Old varieties could boast only white and lime color. Now pink has been added to them, which is represented by different shades – from pale, almost transparent, to saturated. The size of the inflorescences is getting larger, and the shape is becoming more diverse.
Bella Anna
Impressive new variety with dark pink, almost crimson, sparse semicircular inflorescences 25-35 cm in diameter. Petals with sharp tips.
Forms a bush no more than 120 cm high. Light green leaves change color to yellow in autumn. Shoots under the weight of inflorescences without support lean to the ground.
The variety is frost-resistant even for tree-like hydrangea. Does not tolerate stagnant water in the root area. To increase the size and number of Bella Anna hydrangea flowers, shoots are shortened to 10 cm in early spring.
Bella Anna – a new variety with dark pink flowers
Candybelle Lollipop Bubblegum
A new variety with original coloring, is a compact shrub with a height of up to 1,3 m, a rounded crown and strong shoots. The corymbs are almost spherical, irregularly shaped, with tightly spaced, overlapping sterile flowers, first pale pink, then white.
Can be grown in pots or containers. Numerous flowers completely cover the bush and appear from June to September. Non-capricious hydrangea with an average growth force. To make the inflorescences larger, it requires short pruning. Winter hardiness – zone 4.
Candibelle Loliloop Bubblegum – a new variety with an original color
Candybelle Marshmallow
A new undersized variety of hydrangea. It forms a neat rounded bush 80 cm tall, with a crown diameter of up to 90 cm. The flowers are pink with a salmon hue, collected in hemispherical dense shields. Shoots are strong. Flowering – long, begins in June, ends by the end of September. Winter hardiness – zone 4.
Candibelle marshmallow flowers salmon pink
Golden Annabelle
Another improvement of the old famous variety. The bush grows to a height of 1,3 m, forms a rounded crown. The inflorescences are white, openwork, very large, up to 25 cm in diameter. At Golden Anabel, the leaves are decorated along the edge with a wide lettuce border. Frost resistance – up to – 35 ° С.
Hydrangea Golden Anabel has original leaves with a golden-green border
Incredibol Blash
A new large variety, very hardy (zone 3). A bush with strong branches grows up to 1,5 m. Dark green leaves are heart-shaped, do not change color until falling off. Inflorescences are large, hemispherical. When blooming, the buds are pale pink with a silvery tint, from afar they seem to be light violet. Over time, the petals darken.
Hydrangea Incrediball Blush is undemanding to lighting. For abundant regular flowering, the formation of especially large shields, a short pruning is needed before the start of sap flow. Long standing in bouquets. Used as a dried flower.
From afar, it seems that the flowers of the hydrangea Incredibol Blush have a lilac hue.
Winter-hardy varieties of hydrangea tree
This is the most frost-resistant type of hydrangea. In zone V, all varieties overwinter without shelter. Most freeze in IV only at minimum temperatures and recover quickly. Even in zone III, many varieties of arboreal hydrangea can be planted under cover. Probably, there they will not even become a one and a half meter tree, but they will bloom.
Bounty
The Bounty variety is formed into a strong bush up to 1 m high. Shoots do not lie down even after rain. Blooms from June to late October. Lacy shields, hemispherical. The flowers are lettuce before blooming, then white.
It grows in partial shade and in a well-lit place, if at noon the bush is protected from direct sunlight. This hydrangea is picky about the composition of the soil, but requires abundant frequent watering. Winters in zone 3.
Lettuce hydrangea buds that have begun to open
Strong Anabel
Another hydrangea obtained from the old Anabel variety. More cold hardy. Lacy, almost round shields are simply huge – about 30 cm in diameter. Large barren flowers are first greenish, then white.
It is a shrub 1,5 m high, 1,3 m in diameter. The shoots are erect, strong, with large oval leaves up to 15 cm long, changing color to yellow in autumn. Flowering is from July to September.
Hydrangea inflorescences Strong Anabel very large
White Dome
The White Dome cultivar is characterized by dark green leaves and flat corymbs, in which large white sterile flowers are located only at the edges. In the center are creamy or salad fertile.
Hydrangea got its name because of the domed shape of the crown. Shoots are strong, thick, do not need support. Bush 80-120 cm high. Winters in zone 3.
In the White Dome variety, large barren flowers only frame the shield
Varieties for the Moscow region
Actually, near Moscow, you can plant any of the varieties of tree-like hydrangea. They all winter well there. Even if the bush freezes with a strong drop in temperature or due to icing, it will quickly recover in the spring and bloom in the same summer.
Grandiflora
The showy Grandiflora grows very fast even for a Tree Hydrangea. Forms a bush up to 2 m high, about 3 m in diameter. Convex shields 20 cm in size are first light green, then snow-white, at the end of flowering they become creamy.
The variety is winter-hardy, grows better in good light. Does not tolerate drought. Lived in one place for 40 years. Doesn’t like transplants.
Hydrangea Grandiflora has irregularly shaped inflorescences
Lime Rickey
A very winter-hardy variety, suitable for planting in climatic zone 3. It rarely freezes in the Moscow region. The shoots are cut short so that the flowering is plentiful, and the shields form large.
It forms a neat bush with a height of 90 to 120 cm. The branches are strong, thick, and withstand bad weather well. The corymbs are convex, dome-shaped, dense, consisting of barren flowers with obovate petals. Coloring at first lime, gradually brightens. Flowering – July-September.
The variety grows well on any soil, undemanding to lighting. The corymbs are often cut and used as dried flowers.
Hydrangea Lime Peaks grows well in the suburbs
Sterilis
A fast-growing hydrangea 1,5-1,8 m high with a crown diameter of up to 2,3 m. Not as frost-resistant as many varieties, but winters without shelter in the Moscow region. Blooms from July to September.
The corymbs are domed, about 20 cm in diameter. The flowers are white, greenish before blooming. Prefers a variety of acidic soils, undemanding to lighting.
Hydrangea arborescens Sterilis quite high
Conclusion
Varieties of Tree Hydrangea are not as diverse as those of other species, but they form large openwork flower caps and can serve as a decoration for any garden. Frost resistance, undemanding care, the ability to grow on neutral and alkaline soils should be added to the advantages of the culture. The cut branches make excellent dried flowers.
