Panicled hydrangea, Hybrid Hydrangea, PeeGee Hydrangea, Panicle Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata
Family: Hydrangeaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Pink, White. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Late summer, Mid summer. Form: Vase.
Hydrangea paniculata is a deciduous Shrub growing to 4 m (13ft) by 4 m (13ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.
Height (m): 4
Where it is found
Bamboo scrub, open forests and by streams. Sparse forests or thickets in valleys or on mountain slopes or tops, at elevations of 300 - 2100 metres in China.
E. Asia - China, Japan.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
The flowers contain up to 4.06% rutin.
Rutin: often used as a food supplement.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The flowers contain up to 4.06% rutin. This makes them useful for reducing the incidence of recurrent haemorrhages associated with increased capillary fragility, particularly in hypertension. The flowers also contain 2.5% of a phenolic compound.
Blood tonic: Is this any different to a blood purifier?
Other
Rating:
The bark is used to make Japanese paper. Wood - hard, white, fine grained. Used for small items, nails, walking sticks etc.
Nails: A few woods are tough enough to be used in place of metal nails in certain circumstances.
Paper: Related to the entry for Fibre, these plants have been specifically mentioned for paper making.
Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.
How it is grown
Landscape Uses: Border, Massing, Specimen, Woodland garden. Tolerates most soil, thriving in a well-drained loamy soil, but resenting dryness at the roots. Tolerates boggy soils. Dislikes very alkaline soils. Does well on very acid soils with a pH around 4.5. The colour of the flowers reflects the pH of the soil the plant is growing in, the flowers are pink in a neutral to alkaline soil and blue in an acid soil. Succeeds in full sun or semi-shade, but if it is grown in a low rainfall area then it requires shade at the hottest part of the day. Plants are hardy to about -25°c when dormant but the young growth in spring can be killed by late frosts. A fast-growing plant. A number of cultivars have been selected for their ornamental value. Plants are very tolerant of pruning and can be cut back into old wood if required. This species is notably susceptible to honey fungus. Special Features: Not North American native, Suitable for cut flowers, Suitable for dried flowers, Blooms are very showy.
Propagating it: Seed - surface sow in a greenhouse in spring. Cover the pot with paper until the seed germinates. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 8cm long, July/August in a frame. Overwinter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring. Cuttings of mature wood in late autumn in a frame. Mound layering in spring. Takes 12 months. Leaf-bud cuttings of the current seasons growth in a frame.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Bog Garden;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 3-8
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist, wet