Among the indisputable favorite plants decorating the front gardens and garden plots, hydrangea confidently takes first place. This shrub, numbering more than a dozen varieties, looks great both as a hedge and as an independent decorative element. Hydrangea trees with magnificent inflorescences in the form of spheres of snow-white, pale pink, bright blue colors look especially impressive.
Get to know better
Let's talk in more detail about what tree hydrangea is, planting and caring for it, and also discuss many other nuances. To begin with - the name, it was not given to the plant by chance. That was the name of the princess (Hortense), a Frenchwoman, the sister of one of the influential courtiers of Catherine II, the admiral of the Russian fleet Nassau-Siegen. The young woman was very fond of lush, airy,
elegant dresses made of the finest light fabrics, the very white, pink and blue shades that are inherent in the plant. They were very similar - an aristocratic girl and a tree of incomparable beauty. Therefore, when it came to how to name a wonderful shrub brought to Russia from China, for a long time naturalists did not have to rack their brains. Thanks to the botanist Philibert Commerson, hydrangea tree-like (planting and caring for the plant is quite simple) was called just that.
The same culture grows in Asian countries. Hydrangea has taken root perfectly in America, as well as in some areas of Russia and the Far East. In botany, the culture is called Hydrangea - "water-loving" (literally - "a vessel filled with water"). This is due to the shape of the seed bolls, and the plant’s special craving for moisture. There are such species as large-leaved hydrangea, potted, tree-like, climbing, panicled, and others. Each of them has its own characteristics and is magnificent in its own way.
Plant care
So, hydrangea is tree-like: planting and care imply the presence of the following factors. The soil for the tree needs acidic. If coniferous trees grow near you, you need to bring and add to the soil a layer of earth with coniferous humus. Another option is acidic fertilizers. The composition of the soil should be the same ratio of parts of sand, sheet soil, turf, ordinary land and peat. By the way, such shrubs are generally fond of such soil: heather, broom, rhododendron, and not only tree hydrangea. Landing and grooming are all very similar.
But back to our beauty. It is propagated for the most part by cuttings, gadflies - it is easier and simpler than dealing with seeds. Not only acidity and moisture are important to her. Still need enough sun, as the plant loves light and warmth. However, in diffuse partial shade this species feels great. The only thing that really carries the bush hard is frost. Therefore, in winter, hydrangea should be insulated by wrapping branches of fir, straw or burying trimmed rods in the snow. And in the hot season, tree hydrangea, the photo of which is presented here, needs a systematic watering.
Healthy processes with a good root system, flexible, with a green, not lignified skin, are suitable for cuttings. They land in pits 60 cm wide and about 50 cm deep. This is done in early spring before the movement of juices. Bushes form at the age of 4 years, gradually turning into trees a meter and a half high. In order for the tree hydrangea to bloom profusely, pruning is required every year. Flowering begins around mid-summer.
Coloring
As already mentioned, the "native" color of the hydrangea tree is white or pink. But blue can be obtained without problems. There is one trick for this: once every 2 weeks, water the plant with water mixed with
aluminum sulfate. Then white flowers have a rich azure hue - a striking sight!
Take care of your garden, let it make you happy at any time of the year!