Features of reproduction of paniculate hydrangeas

Hydrangea paniculata is a flowering plant of the Hydrangea family. Under natural conditions, it grows in Japan, China, Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands in the Primorsky and Amur Territories.

General information and description

Due to its high decorative qualities, panicle hydrangea has long settled in the gardens and parks of those countries whose climate allows it to be grown.

Hydrangea paniculata in garden culture is low, about 1.5-2 meters shrub with straight shoots. The leaves are opposite, long - up to 12 cm in length. The inflorescences are large, 20-25 cm in diameter, have a spherical, hemispherical, corymbose or pyramidal shape.

The color of the flowers is white at the beginning of flowering, but eventually becomes pink or light lilac. Often the color of hydrangea flowers depends on the type of soil on which it is grown.

Panicled hydrangea flowers of two types - small fetal and larger, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, barren. Fruiting flowers quickly fade, and in their place small boxes with seeds are formed, sometimes they are collected for propagation. The flowers are infertile until the end of the flowering period. Panicled hydrangea begins to bloom 3 or 4 years after planting.

The roots of the plant spread horizontally - they lie shallow, but go beyond the diameter of the crown, therefore, when caring for the plant, the soil around the roots is loosened to a depth of no more than 5 cm, so as not to hurt the root system.

How to grow a plant?

Hydrangea paniculata easily endures all the hardships that fall to its lot in the garden or in the park, but with careful care it will bloom more abundantly and longer than wild species that grow without any care.

For planting hydrangeas in the garden, it is better to choose a slightly shaded place so that the sun's rays do not fall on it throughout the day. Under the influence of ultraviolet light, hydrangea leaves and flowers quickly lose their decorative effect.

But if you plant hydrangeas in the shade of large fruit trees, they will take most of the moisture and nutrients. In this case, hydrangeas will have to be fed more often, and fertilizers will have to be selected taking into account the needs of fruit trees.

Hydrangea paniculata in winter can withstand temperatures down to -25 degrees, if a harsh winter is expected, in autumn the plant needs to be prepared for winter - cover the roots with leaves or straw, and wrap the branches with agrofiber.

Sometimes plants are prepared for winter in a more serious way - they make a frame of boards around the plant, bend the branches to the ground and cover them with peat, straw, leaves and other covering material. From above, the frame is covered with boards or film, in winter it is additionally insulated with snow. Remove the cover in the spring, when the threat of severe frosts has passed. Such care is especially necessary for young plants, because their frost resistance increases with age.

Hydrangea paniculata loves moisture, so watering is the most important point in caring for it. In summer, especially in hot weather, the plant is watered 3-4 times a week, in large portions - 3-4 buckets per bush.

The plant cannot be sprayed from a hose, because of this the flowers deteriorate, they try to pour water under the bush. To prevent moisture from evaporating too quickly, the soil above the roots can be mulched with peat, which will be an additional source of nutrients.

Hydrangea care in the garden is impossible without the use of fertilizers. However, organic matter and nitrogenous fertilizers can only be applied in spring, at the beginning of the growing season. Otherwise, the plant will increase its green mass, and it will not have the strength to bloom.

In summer, hydrangea can be fed with diluted slurry, but also, in moderation - if the inflorescences are too large, thin branches can break under their weight. For safety net, you can make a low fence that will support branches with inflorescences.

Panicle hydrangea pruning is done in autumn and spring. In autumn, old inflorescences are removed, otherwise, under the weight of snow, they will become heavy and the branches will not withstand their weight. Spring pruning is sanitary - at this time, frozen shoots are removed, and healthy ones are shortened for better branching. They leave 3-4 kidneys.

Old hydrangea bushes can be rejuvenated by completely cutting off old branches. After rejuvenation, a new plant will bloom in 1-2 years.

Hydrangea pruning is carried out from the age of three or four, that is, from the time of flowering. Young, non-flowering bushes do not need to be pruned.

Growing a new plant

Panicled hydrangea is propagated in three ways - cuttings, air layering and seeds.

For propagation by cuttings, they are cut off during the swelling of the kidneys, so they will take root faster. The cuttings should have two internodes, the bottom cut is made at an angle of 45 degrees, the top cut should be straight.

The lower part of the cutting is deepened by 3-4 cm into a container with a moist soil mixture of sand and peat, the container is placed in a warm, bright place, if necessary, covered with a film, creating a mini-greenhouse.

Caring for the cuttings consists in watering and airing, after rooting they are planted in open ground. As a rule, transplanting cuttings to a permanent place occurs 1-2 months after rooting. For the winter, young plants must be covered from frost.

Reproduction of hydrangea paniculata by air layering is the easiest method. To do this, choose the strongest and healthiest shoot, carefully, so as not to damage, bend to the ground, dig in a shallow hole. To secure the shoot, you can use a heavy stone, brick or metal hairpin.

The place of contact of the shoot with the ground is regularly watered, there is no need to feed it separately. When propagated by layering, the young plant can be separated from the parent base and transplanted to a permanent place after a year.

Propagation by seeds at home is not always justified, it is a long and complex process, the result of which is difficult to predict, since new plants may have different characteristics from the parent bush.

Seeds are sown in autumn in a shallow container. The soil mixture for planting is prepared from peat, leafy soil and sand. Seeds do not need to be buried deep, they are very small and may not germinate. It will be enough to scatter them on the surface of moistened soil and compact a little.

The container with crops is covered with a transparent material, which is removed every day for airing and watering. The air temperature above the soil should be within 20 degrees.

Shoots will appear only after 1-1.5 months, after which the cover is removed for the day, setting only in the evening.

Seedlings dive twice, transplant them into separate pots or plastic cups. In winter, they are kept in a greenhouse or in a room, at a temperature of 20-25 degrees. Care for them during this period consists in watering and occasional fertilizing with nitrogen. Before planting in open ground, and this happens 1.5-2.5 years after sowing, young plants are hardened, taking them outside during the day, first for several hours, and then leaving them overnight.

Seedlings are planted in pre-prepared pits with an interval of 1.3-1.6 meters so that they do not interfere with each other when growing.