With its deep-reaching roots, the hydrangea anchors itself firmly in the soil and absorbs trace elements as well as water. If the roots are spoiled by rot or are damaged too much by careless transplanting, the root system can no longer fulfill its important task.

Hydrangea roots do not tolerate waterlogging

The structure of the hydrangea root

The hydrangea is a flat-rooted plant, which means that the roots of the hydrangea do not reach very far into the ground. A special feature of the hydrangea root is its hard central stalk, which can often only be cut with a saw when propagated by division. The hydrangea develops many fine root branches around it, which are responsible for the supply of the plant. When transplanting the plant, care must be taken to damage the fine root system as little as possible in order to ensure that the plant grows well.

Waterlogging, the enemy of the root

If your hydrangea wilts despite being watered sufficiently, waterlogging could have damaged the roots. Root rot is caused by a fungus whose growth is encouraged by excess moisture. The roots die off. Above ground, you can recognize the infestation by the yellow, limp, drooping or withered leaves. The plant cares and only forms weak shoots and hardly any flowers.

prevent root rot

If the deeper layers of soil in your garden are heavily compacted, excess rain and irrigation water cannot seep away and builds up. The hydrangea is permanently in the water and there is a risk of root rot.

This can be remedied by a drainage layer of coarse sand or gravel, which is placed in the planting hole before the hydrangea is planted. Since the hydrangea has very specific substrate requirements, you should then fill the planting hole with special hydrangea or rhododendron soil. Avoid mixing this substrate with sand or gravel, as is often recommended. It then no longer stores enough moisture, which is important for the hydrangea to thrive.

Adhesive roots allow climbing hydrangeas to grow tall

Some hydrangeas are clinging root climbers. They form adhesive roots with which they can anchor themselves to facades or trees. If you take a closer look at a branch of the climbing hydrangea, you can see that the plant only forms these roots on the side that is averted from the light. When in contact with the soil, for example when a tendril falls and lies on the ground for a long time, the adhesive roots often transform into ground roots.

tips

Adherent roots can only be formed by young shoots. Branches that have already become lignified no longer develop adhesive roots. It is therefore important to additionally support large climbing hydrangeas with a scaffold.

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Vegetable garden