Naked walls, bare house walls and other unsightly corners in the garden can be beautifully greened with the help of a climbing hydrangea. Within a few years, a single small bush develops into a climbing plant up to 15 meters high and five meters wide, which not only allows gray concrete to disappear behind a dense green wall: the cream-white, sweet-smelling plate flowers also attract numerous insects, including butterflies in particular , on.

The climbing hydrangea likes it in the shade and appreciates a climbing aid when it is young

Table of Contents

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  1. origin and distribution
  2. use
  3. appearance and growth
  4. leaves
  5. flowers and flowering time
  6. toxicity
  7. Which location is suitable?
  8. floor
  9. Plant climbing hydrangeas correctly
  10. watering and fertilizing
  11. Pruning climbing hydrangeas correctly
  12. Propagating climbing hydrangeas
  13. hibernate
  14. diseases and pests
  15. species and varieties

    16. origin and distribution

    The lush growing climbing hydrangea (bot. Hydrangea petiolaris) is at home in the shady and humid cloud forests of Japan, Korea and Taiwan. However, the species from the hydrangea family (bot. Hydrangeaceae) has been planted in other parts of the world for many decades and is primarily used as a decorative green cover for facades, walls, fences or pergolas.

    use

    As the name suggests, the climbing hydrangea is a self-climbing climbing plant that is mainly used to green walls, walls, fences and pergolas. With this attitude, the strong green leaves and the very numerous cream-white plate flowers come into their own. Climbing hydrangeas work best when planted solitarily, especially since the species takes up a lot of space. Alternatively, a joint planting with the clematis (clematis) is possible, which requires similar growth and site conditions and whose colorful flowers provide a nice complement to the white and green colors of the climbing hydrangea.

    appearance and growth

    The climbing hydrangea develops its shoot-bearing adhesive roots exclusively on the side of its numerous shoots that is averted from the light, which can develop into thick branches over time. With the help of these climbing roots, the self-climber can grow to an average height of six to seven meters, but can grow up to 15 meters in favorable conditions. However, it will take a while until then, because with around 15 to 20 centimeters of new growth per year, the plant is one of the rather slow-growing species - however, the speed can be increased in a suitable location and with mild winters.

    In the first few years, the climbing hydrangea should be given a climbing aid in order to find a proper hold on walls, walls or fences. But be careful: Plastered surfaces and concrete walls, such as are common on house walls, can be severely damaged by penetrating adhesive roots. Therefore, the climbing frame should be installed at a distance of about ten centimeters from the wall. Massive stone walls, on the other hand, are not at risk.

    If there is no climbing opportunity, the species develops into a broad, hemispherical shrub up to two meters high. Typically, the red-brown bark peels off on older branches and twigs - so it is not, as is often assumed, a symptom of a disease or pest infestation.

    leaves

    The glossy green leaves of the climbing hydrangea are very similar to those of the related garden hydrangea: they have long stalks, are ovate to rounded in shape and can grow up to ten centimeters long. The species is deciduous, and the foliage of most varieties turns bright yellow in autumn. However, some newer varieties are now considered evergreen and retain their dense foliage even during the winter. This variety only sheds in the next spring before the new shoots.

    flowers and flowering time

    Don't be surprised if the climbing hydrangea you planted just a few months ago isn't ready to bloom yet: This behavior is completely normal, since the species only shows its flat, up to 25 centimeters wide panicles after it has been standing for at least five to eight years . These consist of the inconspicuous, fertile inner flowers and a crown of creamy white, sterile show flowers. The numerous, sweet-smelling flower plates appear between May and July and serve as valuable pasture for numerous insects - especially butterflies, bees and bumblebees. Subsequently, capsule fruits form.

    toxicity

    Like all hydrangeas, the climbing hydrangea is poisonous, especially for pets such as dogs, cats, small rodents and birds. Make sure that your darlings do not eat the plant, because the toxins it contains can cause stomach and intestinal problems as well as circulatory disorders. Small children are also at risk.

    Which location is suitable?

    The climbing hydrangea is the right plant for semi-shady to shady locations and is also perfect for greening north faces, for example. The forest plant does not tolerate direct sunlight, as this would burn both the leaves and the flowers. A wind-protected place is also important. In principle, it is also possible to keep them in a sufficiently large bucket on the balcony or terrace, but you should be careful with rented apartments: Here, the culture of self-climbing climbing plants is often prohibited, as the adhesive roots can cause damage to the plaster and wall.

    floor

    In addition to a partially shaded to shady place in the garden, the climbing hydrangea also needs fresh to moist soil with an acidic to neutral pH value. But be careful: although the plant feels comfortable on a fresh subsoil - which should basically be the wetter the lighter the climbing hydrangea is - but still does not tolerate waterlogging. Therefore, if possible, do not plant the species at the foot of a slope or in a depression - this is where the water accumulates and eventually causes rotting diseases. Also avoid calcareous soil - for example along the plastered wall of a house - as the plant does not tolerate lime.

    Plant climbing hydrangeas correctly

    The best time to plant the climbing hydrangea is a mild day between the end of March and the end of May. Submerge the dry root ball in a bucket of water, allowing the fine roots to soak up moisture. In the meantime, dig a generous planting hole that should be about twice as wide and deep as the root ball. Slightly loosen the side walls and the soil and mix the excavated soil with compost and/or rhododendron soil. Now plant the climbing hydrangea, water it well and then mulch the root area. The mulch layer prevents the soil from drying out and thus helps the plant to root.

    Although the climbing hydrangea develops self-adhesive climbing roots, with the help of which it - like ivy - climbs surfaces that are not too smooth, it still benefits from support in the form of a trellis or climbing aid when it is young. You can use this to steer the fresh shoots in the desired direction or keep the plant away from plastered or otherwise porous surfaces. The branches can be attached to a fence or a pergola with the help of flower wires.

    watering and fertilizing

    Climbing hydrangeas have a very high water requirement and should therefore be kept evenly moist - waterlogging, on the other hand, should be avoided, which is why planting on compacted soil should only be done with additional drainage. If the substrate is too dry, the plant will drop leaves and flowers. In spring, provide the plant with mature leaf compost and horn meal or shavings, if necessary (e.g. lack of growth or chlorosis) you can also fertilize with hydrangea or rhododendron fertilizer. However, fertilizing with the blue grain often used by gardeners is not advisable.

    Pruning climbing hydrangeas correctly

    Especially young specimens of the climbing hydrangea do not need pruning, as they grow very slowly anyway. However, you can cut back the shoots by about a third immediately after planting to achieve more branching. For older plants, it is best to proceed as follows:

    • Thin out if necessary
    • remove dried, dead and frozen branches at the base
    • cut them in the spring
    • otherwise cut the climbing hydrangea immediately after flowering
    • since the flowers of the following year are already formed in autumn
    • use sharp and clean secateurs or pruning shears
    • always cut just above a bud
    • Cuts in perennial wood are possible
    • Observe growth behavior and cut back if necessary
    • for example, when the plant threatens to overgrow windows

    If possible, plant the climbing hydrangea in such a way that the plant can spread according to its nature and does not have to limit its growth by means of frequent pruning.
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    Propagating climbing hydrangeas

    In early summer, climbing hydrangeas can be propagated very well by cuttings or lowering plants close to the ground (which are only cut from the mother plant after successful rooting), for which you only cut slightly woody, young and flowerless branches between June and July. Plant them individually in pots with potting soil and keep the substrate slightly moist. Alternatively, it can be propagated using so-called sticks, which are cut in winter.
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    hibernate

    Climbing hydrangeas are hardy and only need a light winter protection as freshly planted young plants, for example in the form of a cover with brushwood or jute.

    diseases and pests

    No plant is completely immune to diseases, including the otherwise very robust climbing hydrangea. Above all, mildew diseases cause it problems, and chlorosis quickly develops in locations with too high a pH value. When it comes to pests, aphids are the main ones.

    tips

    The climbing hydrangea can also be planted very well as a ground cover, but be careful: the plant takes every opportunity to grow tall.

    species and varieties

    There are a number of pretty cultivars of the Hydrangea petiolaris species, but these are particularly widespread in the UK. In this country, mainly the species is planted, with a bit of luck you can sometimes find such pretty varieties as:

    • 'Cordifolia': only up to three meters high growing dwarf form with creamy white flowers
    • 'Miranda': striking yellow-green variegated foliage, large, creamy-white flowers
    • 'Semiola': evergreen new breed with beautiful white flowers
    • 'Silver Lining': a low-growing variety with a maximum growth height of two meters and striking white-green variegated foliage, very well suited for container planting

    In addition to the climbing hydrangea Hydrangea petiolaris, the closely related and also quite similar-looking mock or split hydrangea (bot. Schizophragma hydrangeoides) is often planted in the garden.

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Vegetable garden