Daily Archives: 07/15/2015

nice to meet you, hydrangea involucrata

Every one in a while I become completely enamored with a plant, or a group of plants, In the past few years I have all but become obsessed with the genus hydrangea. Until recently I did not have enough shadier areas and soil moisture is always a concern, so I stuck with the paniculatas like ‘Limelight’ and grandiflora, and  for 4 years have been doing a blooming experiment moving around an ‘Endless Summer’ and ‘Penny Mac’. I also have two old macrophyllas, ‘Nikko Blue’ and an unnamed lace cap that have been here since the garden originated and will only bloom if the weather is  conducive.

But lately I have been adding hydrangeas  in wherever I can eek out space, or even evicting other plants in some cases (gasp)!

I have posted on my faves and the ones I have found to reliably bloom in colder climates, and now am branching out to try other species that are listed as hardy to higher zones but may in fact be hardy here…only time will tell!

The first I am going to tell you  about is hydrangea involucrata. The species in native to Japan and Tawaiin and is often called bracted hydrangea.  it is a close relative of h. aspera  but it stays much smaller …3-4 ft where aspera can get 10-12 ft.

The flower buds are really fascinating as they are involucral ( the word comes from the Latin for wrapper) and consist of a rosette or whorl of bracts that surround the flower cluster which  remains enveloped or wrapped  until bursting open to slowly reveal the opening flowers. I think they look like wee little eggs.DSC_0009 DSC_0004 DSC_0005

The cultivar I planted this year is called ‘Yokudanka’ which  blooms in a undefined color, sort of pinkish-green tinged cream with soft yellow at the centers.  They sort of remind me colorwise  of the flowers on hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowflake’.The leaves are bristly which makes it a great rabbit resistant choice .DSC_0019

So far I have discovered a few things about it. It does not appreciate being let dry out, so I have a few leaves that are brown around the edges, and it’s leaves have remained bright yellowish green even though I thought they may fade to a deeper  green as the season elapsed. I am committing myself to watering it better, and have taken a few cuttings to overwinter indoors in case it does not survive the winter.

Next on my list is h.involucrata ‘Blue Bunny’,  which flowers blue on acidic soil and is said to bloom on new wood so if it dies back I still should get flowers.  You can get one here  It is listed as hardy  to z6, but in  a sheltered spot I am hoping it will do well.

This is pure speculation, but I think these hydrangeas bloom very late here (  end of July into October) because of the die back and consequently the  necessary time to re-grow , which makes them great additions to the late season garden. Mine is blooming now because it was green house grown so had an earlier start , and boy am I am happy to have it! Fingers crossed I can get it to overwinter , but even if I don’t I will grow it in a container forever and ever, it is a really cool plant!