Ash Hydrangea

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Ash hydrangea (lat. Hydrangea cinerea) - beautiful ornamental shrub; a representative of the genus Hortensia of the Hortensia family. The second name is gray hydrangea. The native land of the species is North America, or rather its southeastern part. In Russia, it is found less often than other species, despite the fact that it is very decorative throughout the season and is distinguished by long flowering.

Characteristics of culture

Ash hydrangea is a deciduous upright shrub up to 2 m high with a spreading crown and young pubescent shoots. The leaves are broadly ovate or elliptical, pointed, with a cordate or rounded base, serrate along the edge, up to 15 cm long. From the outside they are bright green, from the back - grayish (due to tomentose pubescence). The flowers are white, collected in corymbose inflorescences, reaching a diameter of 10-15 cm. The flowering of ash hydrangea is abundant and long, usually from July to September.

The fruits of the species under consideration are nondescript dry capsules, ripen in October. Winter hardiness of ash hydrangea, or average gray, in the conditions of Moscow and the Moscow region can be used for landscaping parks and gardens. In severe winters, plants freeze slightly, but subsequently recover quickly. Currently on the garden market there is a variety of ashen hydrangea, referred to as Sterilis (Sterilis). The variety is characterized by inflorescences consisting of sterile (sterile) flowers and reaching a diameter of 10-15 cm.

Inflorescences with shoots of hydrangea ash, or gray are suitable for drawing up winter bouquets. Plants also look good in uncut free-growing hedges. Shrubs go well with conifers and other ornamental crops. Great in single landings. The species under consideration is propagated by cuttings, and the cuttings are easily rooted even without treatment with growth stimulants. Reproduction by layering and dividing the bush is possible, these methods also give good results. Ash puts forward special conditions for growing the larynx, this applies to both the soil composition and location.

The subtleties of growing and pruning

Ash hydrangea prefers well fertilized, moist, slightly acidic or acidic, loose, drained soils. It is not friendly with heavy, compacted, calcareous, clayey, waterlogged and dry substrates. Tolerant of neutral soils, but with the condition of preliminary acidification with fallen needles or peat, but not lime. It is important to maintain the acidity at the level of 5, 5, this figure is optimal for plants. The location for the ash hydrangea is preferably semi-shaded, you can plant a crop near the fence or wall of the house, in any case, the shrubs will look spectacular.

The main procedure for caring for ash hydrangea is pruning. Without it, the shrubs take on a neglected look, are affected by diseases and pests and spoil the picture of the garden. In addition, the quality and abundance of flowering is significantly reduced. It is necessary to prune in early spring, this is probably the main requirement for the procedure. In the summer, pruning is not recommended, since the flowering growths will not have time to develop. They start pruning with the beginning of the swelling of growth buds, it is at this moment that the location of new shoots is noticeable. Immediately after pruning, mineral and organic fertilizers are applied under the bushes, which will contribute to the formation of healthy growth.

The first pruning is to form the strongest skeletal branches and remove damaged shoots. The gains are shortened by 1/3. Pruning for the second year implies shortening last year's gains. Pruning in subsequent years is similar. Ashy hydrangea needs thinning and rejuvenating pruning. The second involves pruning on a "stump". After any pruning, the plants need feeding, otherwise the new shoots will be too weak and thin, and the shrub itself will look flawed, which should not be allowed.