Hydrangea is a colorful flower, unpretentious in care and pleasing to the eyes with multifaceted colors. From a distance, its inflorescences resemble small but very lush flower clouds. For its tendency to change color, this garden beauty is called a chameleon flower.
The Japanese for this same property more poetically call the beautiful plant a fashionista, changing clothes according to her mood. Hydrangea was introduced to Europe in the mid-18th century and was originally called the Japanese rose - in its homeland and that bewitching beauty in which it is not inferior to the flower queen.
Species diversity
There are many varieties of this plant in the world, most of which grow in Japan and China. Fluffy spherical or paniculate inflorescences are most often white, but there are varieties with a wider color spectrum. Large leaf hydrangea impresses with a range of colors from cream and pink to red.
The color is significantly affected by pH. With alkaline soil, hydrangea blooms impress with pink or lilac colors. Neutral pH promotes the appearance of white or creamy flowers. With acidic soil, blue and blue hydrangea appears. By changing the acidity of the soil, you can get the desired shade.
Below are the main types and their varieties with photos and names that are most common in gardens and impress with an incredible kaleidoscope of colors.
Panicle
It grows in the form of tall trees and extensive shrubs up to 2-5 m high. It belongs to winter-hardy varieties and is often used to decorate gardens. With timely pruning, the bushes can be given any desired shape, which made these hydrangeas in landscape design true leaders among their "relatives".
There are dozens of varieties and many hybrids that allow you to admire the most amazing shades. Here are the most popular among them.
Bobo
This is an early hybrid variety obtained by Belgian breeders. The height of the bushes reaches 70 cm. Bobo blooms in May with pink flowers that look beautiful against the background of numerous emerald leaves.
Vanilla Freyz
This shrub attracts with dense pyramidal bicolor inflorescences. The top is white and the bottom is light pink, which makes the buds look like an ice cream cone.
Vims red
Shrub is one of the frost-resistant varieties. Among others, it is most attractive due to the original color of the petals. When flowering, they change color from white to red and maroon.
Grandiflora
This beautiful variety is late flowering and grows mainly in the southern regions. A special attractiveness is given to him by changing the shades of flowers several times during the flowering season. Initially, the buds are white. When dissolved, they acquire a cream shade, and in the end they become red-greenish. Even with the capriciousness of growing, panicled Grandiflora is especially loved by gardeners.
Diamond rouge
Impressive with colorful blooms with changing petals from snow-white to pink colors. Emerald leaves also add decorative elements to it, which, with the onset of autumn, acquire orange hues.
Pinky Winky (Pinke Winke)
This is a very beautiful variety, pleasing with two-color flowering from mid-summer to autumn. The cone-shaped inflorescences are white at the top, and purple at the bottom. In the autumn season, the leaves turn yellow.
Pink diamond
This variety has gained particular popularity among gardeners because of the height of the bushes, reaching 2 m. They are suitable for planting in a large garden area. The panicled Diamond blooms with beautiful creamy flowers, which subsequently turn pink and red.
Sunday Freise
The bushes of this variety of panicled hydrangeas are distinguished by a spreading crown, which is difficult to give a certain shape. But they are still popular among gardeners because of the special beauty of inflorescences. Panicled Fries can change color from pale emerald to pale pink.
Silver Dollar
One of the few varieties of hydrangeas that pleases the eyes with pale yellow paints. But, blooming, the buds change color, eventually becoming almost white or silver-pink. Oval-shaped bright green leaves also give the plant a special appeal.
Panicled Phantom
This variety belongs to the most late-flowering, delighting with its colorful gentle lilac flowering from late August to October. A beautiful lush shrub with a spreading crown at Phantom can reach a height of 2 m.
Frize Melba
This relatively young hybrid variety was first introduced to gardeners in 2014. But due to its unpretentiousness in care and lush inflorescences, it quickly became popular. Bushes grow slowly, but can reach 2 meters. Freyz impresses with interesting transformations in the shades of flowers. First, they have a milky hue, which turns into light pink, and then - wine red. Sometimes flowers of various colors are present on one inflorescence, which gives the plant a bewitching-beautiful look.
Limelight
Shrubs reach up to 2 m and bloom in large white inflorescences, which at first have a greenish tint. When grown in the shade, they never turn white.
Kiushu
A shrub up to 2 m tall blooms with beautiful white flowers with a pleasant aroma. Attracts long flowering until October.
Magical fire
This variety attracts many with its multi-colored gamut of inflorescences. In most cases, flowers of fiery red tones, which gave the varietal name.
Magic Sweet Summer
This beautiful decorative variety has reddish shoots and blooms greenish-white, and subsequently pink flowers from July to September.
Polar bear
Large flowers received such an interesting name not only for their snow-white color, as in the coat of this polar animal, but also for their excellent resistance to frost. This blooming hydrangea pleases the eyes with enchanting magnificent inflorescences.
Airlie sensation
This unpretentious and cold-resistant vast shrub resembles a miniature lilac, which won the special sympathy of gardeners. Its magnificent flowering is especially long. The flowers are initially creamy, then acquire a pink hue, and then become burgundy.
Tree-like
This species is especially popular among gardeners and is most often used in landscape design. It grows by large shrubs 1-3 m high. Only blooming buds have a light green hue, but when opened, they become cream or snow-white.
Among the most popular varieties are Grandiflora and Annabel, which bloom in large inflorescences with snow-white flowers. Invizible Spirit, the flowers of which are painted in delicate pink shades, is no less in demand.
Bella Anna
This beautiful decorative hydrangea blooms with beautiful bright pink flowers, which acquire a rich raspberry shade as they bloom.
Incredible
The variety represents shrubs with particularly lush white inflorescences. But in Russia, this capricious beauty is rarely grown.
Large leaf
The second name of this variety is garden, since it is most common in gardens. The color of its leaves is highly dependent on the pH of the soil. Especially popular are the varieties Endless Summer and Renata Steinger, which bloom in acidic soil with blue and blue flowers. The French poet Montesquieu was so fascinated by blue hydrangeas that he called them “verses of the magical worlds” in verse.
Nikko Blue
Winter-hardy variety that is grown both in the garden and in the pot. Large spherical inflorescences are attractive due to the wide range of colors: from snow-white color to azure shades. At neutral pH, the lightest petals appear.
Miss Saori
The variety is the most resistant to cold, but unlike most others, it does not respond to changes in soil acidity. Matte white flowers with a pink border are already distinguished by the greatest attractiveness and delight the eye with beautiful flowering all summer.
Endless summer
The variety attracts gardeners with its increased resistance to cold and repeated flowering. Every 6 weeks, the bushes completely discard the old flowers and produce new buds. Their color may be pink or blue. It blooms all summer, until the end of September.
Romance pink
Large pink flowers look especially attractive. The variety is hardy, but its one minus is a short opportunity to admire the blooming beauty. Petals fade quickly.
Tugese
Compact bushes delight incredibly colorful flowering. Terry flowers of different colors (for example, pink and yellow) can perfectly coexist on one bush. A riot of colors makes it look like a real firework.
Dubolistnaya
This species pleases with lush flowering and the most decoratively attractive leaves. Bushes can reach up to 2 m. But they are not frost-resistant, so they need to be insulated for the winter. Blossom in June-July, first with white flowers, which subsequently acquire a purple hue.
Petiole
This hydrangea, like a liana, wraps around trees, so it is also called climbing or climbing. Its length can reach 25 m. In Russia, it is found only in the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. It blooms usually with white or pink inflorescences.
Luxurious bouquets of "Japanese roses"
Hydrangeas are universal flowers that do not have a pungent odor and look beautiful in any composition. It is customary to give bouquets of them as a sign of expressing sincere and cordial feelings. The Japanese believe that these flowers carry joy and harmony and can protect a young family from grief and misfortune. Therefore, hydrangea is especially relevant in wedding decor and bridal bouquets.
In the photo: a basket of peonies and hydrangeas
The most charming look peonies and hydrangeas in one lush composition with the same color scheme. Original combinations are obtained along with tulips, orchids and lilies. A bouquet of roses in combination with a snow-white beauty from Japan looks truly luxurious.
Pink hydrangeas harmoniously coexist with hyacinths and roses. Bouquets are obtained truly romantic, able to express all the sincerity of the tender feelings of the donor. Interesting lush compositions with a unique aroma are obtained when combined with lavender and hosta leaves.
Of these flowers, they often make up a wedding bouquet for the bride. Hydrangeas of blue, pink and pastel shades that create the image of a romantic dreamer are most in demand for such solemn occasions.
Delicate colors give the lush bouquet the illusion of airy lightness. But snow-white compositions that can be supplemented with peonies or lilies of a similar color are still considered classics. The bride with them will be especially beautiful.
Decisive and courageous ladies, you can choose a bouquet of purple-lilac colors, diluting it with flowers of beige tones. Such compositions will be most appropriate for an autumn wedding.
A bit about history and symbolism
According to one legend, on Buddha’s birthday, petals of beautiful flowers spilled from the sky, which the Japanese called “audzisay”. That is how the name of hydrangea sounds in Japanese. She received the European name in honor of the beloved French naturalist. He saw a beautiful plant in one of the Asian countries and was fascinated by its beauty as well as the courage of his beloved, who went with him on a world expedition.
The Latin translation of the name "hydrangea" means "a container of water", which emphasizes a special love of moisture.
Painting by Marie Pavlova
The symbolism of this plant is attributed to the most different. But in any case, hydrangea with the beauty of its flowering leaves no one indifferent. She is depicted in painting and chanted in verse. She is changeable as a true lady, so it is not surprising that in many paintings she is portrayed next to beautiful women.
Her beauty can be both cold and tender-sensual. Even her twig in a vase in a still life can look different and cause various associations and emotions.
artist: Robert McGinnis
When hydrangea blooms, it seems that inflorescences with balls soar above the ground. “In one inflorescence - pallor instead, the blue in the green frame exults ...” - Rilke noted the poetic change in the color of her petals.
Even after seeing beautiful photos of hydrangea, you can understand that this flower does not need a special presentation and can easily conquer the hearts of gardeners and connoisseurs of beauty.
Posted by skywriter13