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Hydrangea Unique (Unique) is a large ornamental shrub, frost-resistant and moisture-loving, bred in Belgium in the middle of the last century. The variety is demanding on soil composition and sufficient sunlight.
Unique - a picturesque accent in any garden
Description of hydrangea Unique
Spreading deciduous shrub of paniculate hydrangea Unique is voluminous. Strong, hard shoots are densely leafy, spread up to 2.5-2.8 m in height and width, grow vertically, form a rounded or asymmetrical silhouette of the bush. The Unique variety is fast-growing, rising up to 20 cm in a year. The stems only sometimes droop under the weight of the largest 30-centimeter hydrangea inflorescences. The bark is brownish-reddish, pubescent on young shoots. On old trunks it is bare, slightly flaking.
In favorable conditions, the surface root system branches out wider than the crown, up to 3 m in diameter. This fact is taken into account when choosing a place for Unique hydrangea - spacious and without plants with creeping roots.
The shoots are covered with rough, dense leaves with jagged edges located oppositely, sometimes collected in whorls of 3. The length of the ovoid leaf blade is 9-14 cm, width 5-8 cm. The green color changes little in autumn.
Large inflorescences of Hydrangea paniculata Unique, wide-pyramidal in shape, with a rounded top, are formed on many shoots of the current year, with a width at the base of 20 cm and a height of up to 25-30 cm. The variety does not bear fruit, Unique flowers are only sterile, of 4 rounded petals that change color according to depending on the duration of flowering. They bloom pale greenish, then become milky white. In the fading phase they turn slightly pink or acquire a reddish tint.
The color of Unique hydrangea petals is influenced by:
- flowering period;
- lighting - in an area constantly exposed to the sun, the blush on the inflorescences appears faster, and when shaded the petals turn slightly green;
- soil composition - on soils with an acidic reaction, the color becomes more intense.
The flowering of the Unique variety lasts from the third decade of July to the beginning of October.
Flowering is accompanied by a pleasant and strong aroma
Hydrangea Unique in landscape design
Landscape designers have successfully used Hydrangea paniculata Unique, a picturesque, hardy and gas-resistant plant for urban landscaping. The crop is planted in parks and gardens, green corners of enterprises, in large containers in front of presentable buildings. The picturesque bush will become a real decoration of any gardening ensemble:
- a spectacular soloist on the lawn or voluminous flower bed;
- an element of tree and shrub compositions in combination with lilac, mock orange, spirea or varieties of plants with burgundy foliage - Norway maples, plums, beech;
- Tall, densely leafy Unique hydrangea bushes form beautiful hedges.
The Unique variety is an excellent component for long-distance tall mixborders
Winter hardiness of hydrangea Unique
Frost-resistant culture:
- the plant can withstand sub-zero temperatures down to 30 °C with protection from the north side;
- in open areas up to - 25 ° C;
- in a cozy corner, without gusts of wind, up to - 34 °C.
Adult bushes endure harsh winters without shelter, occasionally freezing, while young seedlings are covered for the first few years.
Planting and caring for hydrangea paniculata Unique
The correct choice of location, taking into account the composition of the soil and sufficient moisture, will ensure abundant flowering of Unique hydrangeas. It is also important to follow the care conditions and prepare the plant for winter.
Selection and preparation of a landing site
The Unic variety is placed in shaded areas in the afternoon, protected from sharp gusts of wind. Planting in direct sun, especially in the south, leads to rapid fading of flowers. The soil under the hydrangea should be:
- rich in humus;
- loose;
- with an acidic or slightly acidic reaction;
- well drained, without stagnant water, but damp, not arid.
Coniferous needles and soil from pine and spruce trees are added to calcareous soils.
On acidic soils the color is more intense
Landing rules
Bushes of the Unique variety develop better from 2-3-year-old seedlings and bloom in the summer. A sprout from a container is guaranteed to take root, and if the plant has bare roots, planting is carried out no later than 4-6 hours after purchase. The hydrangea is inspected to ensure there is no damage or signs of disease; the soil in the containers is clean and moist. It is best to plant the crop in spring, in the south in autumn. The necessary requirement is a distance to trees of at least 3-4 m.
Planting pits are prepared in 7-15 days, 60x80 cm in size, 40-50 cm deep or slightly larger in volume than the container:
- a drainage layer of broken brick or gravel is placed at the bottom;
- the substrate is prepared from equal parts of garden soil, humus, peat, sand;
- to enrich the substrate, add 2-3 tablespoons of urea and potassium sulfate, 3-4 tablespoons of superphosphate in the spring;
- In autumn, nitrogen fertilizers are not used.
After removal from the container, the tips of the roots are freed from the soil and straightened. The root ball is lightly stirred. Having placed the seedling on the substrate, straighten the roots and cover it with fertile soil. The root collar of paniculata hydrangea is not buried. After compacting the soil, water and mulch with compost or pine needles.
Watering and fertilizing
Unique seedlings are watered 1-2 times a week with 10-15 liters of water. Such watering accompanies the process of plant survival for 30-45 days. Adult hydrangea bushes are irrigated 5-7 times during the warm season. During drought, crown sprinkling is recommended.
After watering, if there is no mulch under the bushes, the soil is loosened no deeper than 5 cm. To disinfect the soil, the tree trunk circle is spilled with a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate 2-3 times during the summer.
The crop is fed in early spring and during the period of bud formation with humus and nitrogen preparations for growth.At the end of June, beginning of July and in August - potassium-phosphorus.
Pruning Unique hydrangea
In autumn, the inflorescences are cut off or left on the shoots, no more than one third. If Unique buds are preserved in the winter for decorative purposes, take into account that such a plant will produce scanty flowering the next season. The bush is pruned in early spring:
- remove damaged branches;
- shoots are shortened by two-thirds, to the first healthy, well-developed bud located on the outside of the bush;
- for good tillering, the trunks are cut to a third of the height of the shoot;
- Thickening branches are completely cut off.
After 7-10 years of development, hydrangeas are rejuvenated by shortening all shoots to the stump.
Inflorescences with reddish petals remain on the shoots all winter if they are not cut off
Preparing for winter
Young plants of the Unique variety are covered for the winter. After moisture-recharging irrigation, up to 30-40 liters of water, the tree trunk circle is mulched with humus, compost, and pine needles. You can install a frame that is covered with dense agrofibre. In harsh climates, the frame is filled with sawdust, dry leaves or pine needles, and mats of straw or reeds are installed on top. As a shelter option, the shoots are bent to the soil, laid on cardboard or dry wood, and covered with spruce branches or lutrasil on top. In the south, plants are only spudded, the seedlings are covered with agrofibre.
Reproduction of hydrangea Unique
The crop is propagated by cuttings, layering and dividing the bush. In the middle zone cuttings are taken in the first half of June:
- select a branch with 6 nodes;
- leaves are cut from the lower two buds;
- the remaining leaves are cut in half;
- place the cuttings in a loose and moist sandy substrate under a greenhouse;
- Rooting occurs in 30-40 days.
For layering, the outermost lateral shoots are dug in, secured to the ground with staples.Dividing the bush is possible on light soils, where hydrangea produces a lot of root shoots. The resulting seedlings are placed in a permanent place after a year.
Diseases and pests
The variety is susceptible to many fungal diseases, as well as attacks by small insects or mites. Plants are treated preventively in the spring with fungicides and insecticides. In case of illness, the bushes are sprayed with compounds 2-3 times, especially if there is any source of infection nearby.
Conclusion
Hydrangea Unique is a rather unpretentious crop, although it requires regular watering and planting in slightly acidic soil. The plant is suitable for the middle climate zone and will serve as a highly decorative element in any garden.
