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Tree hydrangea 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 hydrangea are much more modest than those of large-leaved or paniculate. But the crop is winter-hardy, even if it freezes, it quickly recovers, and blooms on the current year’s growth. This, as well as the possibility of planting on neutral and slightly alkaline soils, makes it a favorite of owners of suburban areas and landscape designers.
Inflorescences do not exceed 15 cm in diameter
Variety of tree hydrangea varieties
Judging by the photos and descriptions, varieties of tree hydrangea do not have such striking beauty as large-leaved hydrangea, and are less popular than paniculata. But the flower will not go unnoticed even next to roses.
In Russia, this is the most popular type, as it has the greatest resistance to low temperatures. Many varieties overwinter in the middle zone without shelter.Frozen branches after pruning give good growth and bloom profusely.
Tree hydrangea lives up to 40 years. Blooms annually. Every season, from July to September, the bush is wrapped in a lacy cloud of large scutes. Even in a species plant they reach 15 cm. In varieties, the flower caps are sometimes simply amazing in size.
A 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 required; flowering occurs on young shoots.
Often the color of tree hydrangeas changes depending on the degree of opening of the buds. The closed petals usually have a greenish tint of varying intensities. When fully expanded, the main color appears. During wilting, pronounced light green or cream shades appear in the color.
The varieties do not yet differ in their rich color range. But pink has already joined the “native” white and lime colors. Perhaps blue or lilac varieties will appear soon.
Varieties appeared with inflorescences of pink shades
The color of the buds of tree hydrangea can be:
- white;
- lime;
- from salad to light green;
- all shades of pink.
Inflorescence-scutellum:
- hemispherical;
- globular;
- domed;
- in the shape of an almost flat circle.
The best varieties of tree hydrangea
All varieties are beautiful and in demand. It’s just that some are known more, while others are less known. Tree hydrangea is often planted in low hedges and borders. An adult bush will be an excellent tapeworm, fit into a landscape group or become a flowerbed decoration.
Anabel
Annabelle is an old variety that has still not lost its popularity. On the territory of Russia and neighboring countries it is definitely the most common. The height of the bush is about 1-1.5 m, up to 3 m wide. It grows quickly, the light green leaves remain decorative until frost.
Anabel's corymbs 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 wilting, the buds acquire a greenish tint.
For thin shoots, the shields are too heavy; without support they can bend all the way to the ground. Continuous flowering continues from late June to September.
The variety is unpretentious, winter-hardy, can grow in partial shade and in the sun. Undemanding to soil. Doesn't like transfers. In particularly harsh winters, annual shoots may freeze, but the bush recovers so quickly that flowering does not suffer.
Anabel is the most famous and sought after variety
Pink Annabelle
One of the varieties of tree hydrangea created on the basis of Anabel. The first cultivar with deep pink flowers. The scutes are large, up to 30 cm in diameter. The sterile flowers are tightly pressed to 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 mother variety, are strong. The weight of the flowers does not lie on the ground even in strong winds or during rainfall. The buds open from June to September. Pink Annabelle can withstand temperatures down to – 34 °C.
Pink Annabelle - the first variety with pink flowers
Hayes Starburst
Hydrangea is tree-like with double flowers, similar to stars, united in hemispherical shields with a diameter of up to 25 cm.The buds are green at first, white when fully opened, and after setting 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 without support, the leaves are velvety, light green. Hayes Starburst places high demands on soil fertility. Winter hardiness – up to – 35 °C. It grows well in partial shade, but the inflorescences become smaller.
Hayes Starburst - variety with double flowers
New varieties of tree hydrangea
Old varieties could boast only white and lime colors. Now pink has been added to them, which comes in different shades - from pale, almost transparent, to rich. The size of the inflorescences is becoming larger and the shape more varied.
Bella Anna
An impressive new variety with dark pink, almost crimson sparse semicircular inflorescences with a diameter of 25-35 cm. Petals with sharp tips.
Forms a bush no more than 120 cm high. Light green leaves change color to yellow in autumn. The shoots, under the weight of the inflorescences, bend to the ground without support.
The variety is frost-resistant even for tree hydrangea. Does not tolerate stagnation of 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
Candibelle Loliloup Bubblegum
The new variety with original coloring is a compact bush with a height of up to 1.3 m, a rounded crown and strong shoots. The corymbs are almost spherical, irregular in shape, with densely spaced, overlapping sterile flowers, first pale pink in color, then white.
Can be grown in pots or containers. Numerous flowers completely cover the bush and appear from June to September. A non-capricious hydrangea with medium growth vigor. To make the inflorescences larger, requires short pruning. Winter hardiness - zone 4.
Candibelle Loliloup Bubblegum - a new variety with original coloring
Candibella Marshmallow
A new low-growing variety of hydrangea. Forms a neat rounded bush 80 cm tall, with a crown diameter of up to 90 cm. The flowers are pink with a salmon tint, collected in hemispherical dense shields. The shoots are strong. Flowering is long-lasting, begins in June and ends by the end of September. Winter hardiness - zone 4.
Candibelle Marshmallow flowers are salmon pink
Golden Annabelle
Another improvement of the old famous variety. The bush grows to a height of 1.3 m and forms a rounded crown. The inflorescences are white, very large, openwork, up to 25 cm in diameter. Golden Anabel's leaves are decorated along the edge with a wide lettuce border. Frost resistance – up to – 35 °C.
Hydrangea Golden Anabel has original leaves with a golden-green border
Incrediball Blush
New large variety, very frost-resistant (zone 3). A bush with strong branches grows up to 1.5 m. The dark green leaves are heart-shaped and do not change color until they fall. The inflorescences are large, hemispherical. When blooming, the buds are pale pink with a silver tint, and from a distance they appear light violet. Over time, the petals darken.
Hydrangea Incrediball Blush is undemanding to lighting. For abundant regular flowering and the formation of especially large scutes before sap flow begins, short pruning is needed. Lasts a long time in bouquets. Used as a dried flower.
From a distance it seems that the Incredibol Blush hydrangea flowers have a lilac hue
Winter-hardy varieties of tree hydrangea
This is the most frost-resistant type of hydrangea. In zone V, all varieties overwinter without shelter. Most freeze slightly in IV only at minimum temperatures and quickly recover. Even in zone III, many varieties of tree hydrangea can be planted under cover. They probably won’t even become a one and a half meter tall tree there, but they will bloom.
Bounty
The Bounty variety forms into a strong bush up to 1 m high. The shoots do not lie down even after rain. Blooms from June to late October. The shields are lace, hemispherical. The flowers are light green before blooming, then white.
Grows in partial shade and in a well-lit place, if at noon the bush is protected from direct sunlight. This hydrangea is not picky about the composition of the soil, but requires abundant frequent watering. Winters in zone 3.
Bounty salad hydrangea buds that have begun to open
Strong Anabel
Another hydrangea derived from the old Anabel variety. More frost-resistant. The lacy, almost round corymbs are simply huge - about 30 cm in diameter. Large sterile flowers are first greenish, then white.
It is a bush 1.5 m high, 1.3 m in diameter. The shoots are erect, strong, with large oval leaves up to 15 cm long, which change color to yellow in autumn. Flowering - from July to September.
Hydrangea inflorescences Strong Anabel are very large
White Dome
The White Dome variety is distinguished 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 ones.
Hydrangea got its name because of the dome-shaped crown. The shoots are strong, thick, and 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, any variety of tree hydrangea can be planted near Moscow. They all spend the winter there very well. Even if the bush freezes due to a strong drop in temperature or due to icing, it will quickly recover in the spring and bloom in the same summer.
Grandiflora
The spectacular Grandiflora variety grows very quickly, even for a Tree Hydrangea. Forms a bush up to 2 m high, with a diameter of about 3 m. Convex shields 20 cm in size are first light green, then snow-white, at the end of flowering they acquire a creamy tint.
The variety is winter-hardy and grows better in good light. Does not tolerate drought. Lives in one place for 40 years. Doesn't like transfers.
Hydrangea Grandiflora has dome-shaped, irregularly shaped inflorescences
Lime Ricky
A very winter-hardy variety, suitable for planting in climate zone 3. It rarely freezes in the Moscow region. The shoots are cut short so that flowering is abundant and large scutes are formed.
Forms a neat bush with a height of 90 to 120 cm. The branches are strong, thick, and withstand bad weather well. The scutes are convex, dome-shaped, dense, and consist of sterile flowers with obovate petals. The color is lime at first, gradually becoming lighter. Flowering – July-September.
The variety grows well in any soil and is undemanding to lighting. The corymbs are often cut and used as dried flowers.
Hydrangea Lime Peaks grows well in the Moscow region
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 in the Moscow region it winters without shelter. Blooms from July to September.
The scutes are dome-shaped, about 20 cm in diameter. The flowers are white, greenish before blooming. The variety prefers acidic soils and is undemanding to lighting.
Hydrangea tree Sterilis is quite tall
Conclusion
Varieties of Tree Hydrangea are not as diverse as other species, but they form large openwork flower caps and can serve as a decoration for any garden. The advantages of the crop include frost resistance, low maintenance requirements, and the ability to grow on neutral and alkaline soils. Cut branches make excellent dried flowers.
