Oak Leaf Hydrangea - Hydrangea quercifolia - Growing tips for Oakleaf Hydrangea скачать в хорошем качестве

Oak Leaf Hydrangea - Hydrangea quercifolia - Growing tips for Oakleaf Hydrangea

One of my favorite native shrubs is the Oak-leaf Hydrangea, one of only two North American native species of Hydrangea. This lovely plant is in its glory from mid-summer on, starting with clusters (botanically referred to as ‘panicles’) of white flowers, which fade through pinkish purple to tan by the fall. Then in mid- to late October, the foliage changes to burgundy, orange, yellow and brilliant red. The leaves often stay on the plant for weeks and even months. One that I planted at my last home would keep its leaves well into the winter, maintaining the purplish color until they fell off. During the rest of winter, the plant shows its rather coarse nature, with its older stems exfoliating to a rich cinnamon-brown, and its younger brownish stems bearing a dense fuzz, called ‘pubescence’ by botanists whose prurience knows no bounds. The stems are stout and rather stiff looking, which is best served by a low evergreen background or perhaps sited to one side of the shrub border. In spring, the large leaf buds expand to metamorphose into medium-green Oak-shaped sometimes glossy leaves. Oak-leaf Hydrangea grows to about six or eight feet tall, with a similar spread. It does best in a location with well-drained soil and some afternoon shade. Wet soils will severely limit its happiness, and dry exposed locations will cause leaf scorch and more unhappiness. Think of it as an edge of woods plant, and you will find some peace of mind in locating a planting spot for this great medium sized shrub. Other than the caveat about wet feet and too much sun, there are no real problems associated with this plant, so it should be more widely planted. There is a long list of named cultivars and varieties of Oak-leaf Hydrangea, with every trait a variable in the equation, from size (PeeWee is, guess what, a smaller version) to flower structure (some are larger 14 inch elongated affairs and some are shorter and rounder), fall color (some named varieties show better more reliable fall color) and other interesting variations. They can be found in profusion at the better nurseries and even once in a while at the big-box stores, although I highly recommend purchasing them from a local nurseryman or woman. The genus Hydrangea includes about seventy-five species, ranging world wide, but with the most species diversity in eastern Asia, notably China, Japan and Korea. It belongs to the Hydrangea family, Hydrangaceae which is comprised of seventeen genera, although some botanists divide the family in two and separate out Philadelphus (Mock Orange) into its own family. The genus name derives from the Greek, hydra- for water and aggos for jar, referring to its cup-shaped fruits. The species name is Latin for “Oaklike leaves,” leaving nothing to the imagination. I would suggest Oak-leaf Hydrangeas for the shrub border, as mass plantings, in the woodland native garden and as an accent. The coarse winter aspect can be softened with other plantings, so don’t be scared off by that.