Hydrangea arborescens - Smooth hydrangea

Hydrangea arborescens, also known as a smooth hydrangea, belongs to the Hydrangeaceae. Originally native to North America, it has established herself as an ornamental plant worldwide due to its attractive inflorescences and maintenance. It can be found primarily in gardens, parks and urban green areas and is often cultivated in moderate climates due to its robust nature.

Morphology and appearance

Hydrangea arborescens is a deciduous shrub that can reach heights of 1 to 2 meters. It forms a bushy and round shape and is therefore suitable for the design of garden areas. The plant has smooth, upright stems that cancel and develop a pale brown bark in old age. The leaves are arranged, oval to heart -shaped and slightly serrated. They are about 10 to 20 cm long and dark green colored. In autumn they turn yellowish before they fall off.

A particularly distinctive feature of the smooth hydrangea are their inflorescences, which consist of many small single flowers and form density, round or flat umbels. The flowering period extends from June to September. The flower color varies from pure white to a light green tone, whereby the individual flowers are sterile and therefore do not form seeds. These striking flowers are the main reason why Hydrangea arborescens is so popular in gardens. One of the most popular varieties is the 'Annabelle', which forms particularly large and dense flower balls.

Distribution and habitat

Hydrangea arborescens is located in the eastern and central regions of the United States and occurs there in moist, shady forests and along river banks. The plant prefers locations with high humidity and cool soil temperatures and is ideally adapted to partially shady to shady places. In Europe and other regions with moderate climate, it has acclimatized well and grows easily on slightly acidic to neutral soils.

Since the plant does not tolerate extreme temperatures, moderate climate zones are ideal. Due to its high tolerance towards shadows and slightly calcareous soils, it is a versatile garden plant that is particularly suitable for locations where many other flower bushes would not thrive.

Care and cultivation

Hydrangea arborescens is a relatively easy -care plant that is used especially in gardens and parks. It prefers humus -rich, well -permeable soils and thrives particularly well on slightly acid to neutral soils. However, waterlogging should be avoided because this can damage the roots. A partially shaded to shady location is ideal because direct sunlight can lead to burns of the leaves, especially in hot weather.

A regular pruning in late winter or early spring helps to keep the plant healthy and compact. The pruning also promotes the formation of new flowers and ensures that the plant develops density and strong shoots. In particular, the 'Annabelle' variety can train particularly large flowers after the pruning, which makes it a popular choice for garden design.

Use and meaning

Because of its striking inflorescences, Hydrangea arborescens is primarily valued as an ornamental plant. It is planted in gardens and public green areas and is suitable for both solitary plantings as well as for group plantings and hedges. The 'Annabelle' variety is particularly popular with garden lovers because it stands out due to its large, white flower balls and offers a long heyday. In addition, the dried inflorescences in floristry are very popular and are often used in dry flower arrangements.

The smooth hydrangea also has an ecological importance, since it offers polligating insects such as bees and butterflies a source of food. Although the flowers are sterile, their striking appearance attract numerous pollinators that can also benefit from other plants.