Hydrangeas
History
Hydrangea’s history is really involving and romantic too since it was
born from a journey and a love story in the XVI century when a
naturalist, Philibert Commerson, discovered in China a model of this
beautiful plant not nominated yet.
With him, in this trip, there was also the sailor Louise Antoine de
Bougainville, who met Hortense who, according to some sources, was Lapute, an astronomer’s wife, or according to the others, she was La De Nassau, the Prince Nassau’s daughter. Even if she was not in love with him, Philibert decided to give the name of Hortense to this plant,
with the consequence of the introduction in Europe in the XIX century as the most appreciated plant moreover than the American’s plants…
However her botanical name “Hydrangea”, comes from the Greek
Hydra that means water and Angeon which is a vase or a recipe.
Plantation
The Hydrangea (which is the botanical name) it is not very difficul to
curate but it requires a lot of attention if you want a good
florescence and a luxuriant foliage which lasts in time.
At the beginning it is vital watering it especially in summer, then abound with water… Without drowning it, don’t forget!
The ideal exposure is in a halflight or sunny if you live in mountain and the temperatures are cool.
In the last years I have seen arranged gardens with umbrellas,
do-it yourself roofs and anything else in order to protect the hydrangea
from the sun. In conclusion, if you have not the shade, then create it!
The ideal ground should be acidic, but with an abundant watering and
everything else I do not think that it is so easy to follow certain
parameters, so if you really want to aspire to some specifics colors, keeping them alive, maybe choose some product for nursery which
contribute to regulate the substances without torment you.
In the end, as it concerns the pruning, it depends on what people
prefers to do: someone cut almost to the base independently of the state of the plant, others, instead, cut only the dead branches obviously starting from the previous gem. In my own experience, the following year
due to big pruning, the hydrangea will develop a gorgeous foliage but
not very beautiful flowers. For the latter always need a little more
time…
Variety
Hydrangea quercifolia:
with Americans origins, was introduced in Europe at the beginning of
the beginning of XVII century. Its height goes from 1 to 2 metres and requires less water than the
others species. Also the flowering is more tardive.
Hydrangea Macrophilla:
This variety is, with no doubts, the most spread even in the plantation in apartments and in vase. You can find it in a lot of shades of colors.
Hydrangea panicluata:
This variety and her subspecies, reach the height of 2 metres and
have the characteristics of having a late florescence which begins in July and ends when it is more cold.
Hydrangea climbing:
In this “version” the hydrangea can reach up to 25 metres!
It is perfect to wallpaper walls or to climb on trees, this variety has
the characteristic of not last a lot of time since flowers, in general,
less than a month die.
Hydrangea Sargentiana:
This variety reaches the height of 3 metres and has lilac and white flowers. Its leaves are dark-green covered with a stab down.
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