Advertising on the portal

Hydrangea Limelight: description and cultivation. Hydrangea paniculata limelight Spring care for lime hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata belongs to the list of the most ancient garden plants native to Japan. And the Limelight variety was developed relatively recently, but has already won high awards and prizes at exhibitions and forums for flower growers more than once. The extraordinary beauty and strength of the shoots is the key to the success of Limelight hydrangea.

Hydrangea paniculata Limelight

Botanist, physician and traveler Philibert Commerson, while studying Japan, stopped in front of a gorgeous bush. The local residents could not remember the name of the plant. The French scientist himself named the bush after his beloved girl - Hortense. The name was remembered and ingrained.


There are many varieties of this family. Hydrangea Limelight belongs to the paniculate species. Dutch breeders bred a shrub reaching up to two meters in height and with a crown diameter of up to 1.5-2 meters. The bush is extremely beautiful and is characterized by the bright green color (lime color) of the inflorescences at the very beginning of flowering. Later it acquires a soft lemon or white color. In autumn the inflorescences turn soft pink.

Dutch flower growers have solved the main problem of hydrangeas- the strength of the shoots, which can withstand the heavy weight of lush inflorescences. Limelight does not need supports or garters when flowering. Flowers delight with their appearance from July to September, sometimes in good weather conditions - until October.


The lush foliage has a lush green color and velvety texture, being a sharp contrast against the background of the inflorescences.

Important! Soils with a predominance of sand and limestone are absolutely unsuitable, even to the point of plant death.

Planting Basics

All hydrangeas are long-lived and have a shallow root system. The site for them is chosen taking into account a long stay. In case of transplantation, the root system is damaged.

The soil

The ideal soils for the Limelight variety are: chernozem with an acidic environment and high-quality fertilized loam.

The addition of ash, lime or chalk is not recommended; the plant may stop blooming or even die. Moreover, such fertilizing will be destructive even if these substances are applied close to the root system. But sawdust or coniferous soil, on the contrary, will contribute to the active growth of hydrangea.


Watering

Translated from Latin, hydrangea means “vessel of water.” The plant loves moisture and suffers from drought. It is advisable to plant young cuttings in the ground on a warm, humid day in the spring (late April, May), watering the soil abundantly not only after planting, but also before planting.

Important! During the dry period, it is strongly recommended to water the bushes with water from a watering can, imitating rain.

Lighting

Hydrangea Limelight is shade tolerant, little light is not an obstacle to growth and flowering. But still, in a bright, quiet place in the garden, the bush will reward you with lush, abundant inflorescences.

Care

Care consists of watering, after which the soil is slightly loosened and freshly cut grass is added (mulched). In autumn it is necessary to feed the bushes with complex fertilizers. In winter, adult plants do not require shelter, but young plants are spudded and the surrounding soil is sprinkled with a layer of foliage and peat.


A mandatory element of hydrangea care is pruning. In autumn, dried inflorescences are removed, in spring - shoots killed by frost. Last season's branches are shortened to 5 buds, shoots directed into the bush are removed (thinned out).

Flowering and fruit ripening period

Hydrangea paniculata blooms for the first time at the age of 4-5 years. Flowering begins in July and lasts until October. Abundant watering, good fertilizing, and high-quality care give lush, large and abundant inflorescences. Hydrangeas of this variety do not produce fruits. All inflorescences are sterile. Reproduction is usually carried out by dividing the bush.

Did you know? Breeders have grown a new smaller copy of the Limelight hydrangea. And they named it Little Lime. The beauty and charm remain, but this plant grows a little more than a meter.

Use in landscape design

Landscape projects involve both single shrubs and groups. Not so long ago, hydrangea was planted near benches, gazebos, and near the front entrance of country estates. Lilac and Limelight bushes are in harmony in the color scheme of the inflorescences.


Deciduous trees maple, birch, willow, located together with hydrangea, complement each other favorably, emphasizing the advantages of each. The combination of hydrangea and conifers remains a design classic. The bushes are so charming that designers consider it appropriate to use them in Japanese style.

Diseases

Diseases of hydrangeas are rare. The most common is called chlorosis. Develops due to lack of iron. It consists of disrupting the formation of chlorophyll in the leaves. The leaves turn yellow, become covered with brown spots, curl and fall off, and the inflorescences are subject to changes. The plant dies.


The fight for the plant is carried out by root feeding in the form of iron salts and the simplest complex fertilizers (as an example). Spraying leaves with special solutions is extremely effective.

Pests

The main pests of hydrangea, as well as other plants, are are .Chafer beetles arrive in May and intensively feed on succulent leaves and flowers. Later the larvae complete the feast. The plant withers and dries out for no apparent reason. No less dangerous are cutworms - omnivorous insects.

Few people know, but limelight hydrangea arrived from China to Europe back in 1789. In those days, it became the decoration of many palaces and greenhouses. Hydrangea bushes were used to decorate ballrooms and boudoirs of society ladies.
Gardeners have bred about a hundred species of different hydrangeas, which differ in color, leaf shape and inflorescence size. Hydrangea Paniculata requires careful care, but in return it will reward the owner with the generous beauty of its blooms.

Brief characteristics of hydrangea

Hydrangea Paniculata Limelight has a soft yellow color that turns into bright green with a hint of lime. Hence, this is where the name Limelight comes from. This plant can grow up to 3-4 meters in height and more than 2 meters in width. Its crown is lush and circular.

The stems of Hydrangea paniculata Limelight are very strong and can hold its inflorescences. The inflorescences themselves are large, densely hairy panicles, up to 20-25 cm long. The leaves are ovoid, pointed, approximately 12 cm long. The first flowering begins at the age of 4-5 years, it is honey-bearing. The flowering period of one bush is on average 1.5-2 months. The plant itself loves light, but blooms well in the shade. Hydrangea blooms multiply quickly if you follow specific instructions.

Planting and care

For paniculate hydrangea, it is especially important that when groundwater is high, planting is done in an elevated place.

The planting hole is filled with a soil mixture, and in order for the plant to be better absorbed, peat, sand, humus, superphosphate and potassium fertilizer are added to the mixture.

In spring, it is important to clear the hydrangea soil of old leaves and weeds. Two weeks before planting or two weeks after planting in the soil, pinch the cuttings, leaving one or two pairs of leaves on the plant.
Soil and planting are very important for growing Hydrangea, however, an equally important factor is pruning, since for each species it has different subtleties.

The peculiarity of pruning Hydrangea paniculata Limelight is that the shoots are only slightly shortened, except in cases of freezing after winter. Flowering pruning in Hydrangea paniculata Limelight is done to ensure annual and improved growth of young shoots for next year's flowering. Therefore, if there are a lot of faded shoots, they are cut out in the fall after flowering, improving the growth conditions of young ones. You also need to do annual pruning in the spring before sap flows to improve the reproduction process. If you do not do this before the growing season begins, you need to wait until the leaves bloom.

Watering paniculata hydrangea

For a high level of fertility, soil moisture should be maintained to a depth of 1.5 meters. The plant especially requires watering in the summer heat. Often, due to the large vegetation of the bush, more distant shoots and leaves do not receive enough light and nutrients. Therefore, they especially need frequent moisturizing.

When watering, the water should not be too cold. It is also harmful to water the buds in direct sunlight.

It is important to take into account that if the water stagnates, this can cause rotting of the roots, and liquid with chlorine can cause leaf disease - chlorosis.

In the summer, once every two weeks you need to feed the hydrangea with mineral fertilizers in the following proportions:

  • for 1 bucket of water - 30-35 g of ammonium nitrate;
  • for 1 bucket of water - 40 g of superphosphate;
  • for 1 bucket of water - 30 g of potassium sulfate.

It is important to water the plant abundantly until mid-August, and then reduce watering to a minimum. This helps reduce vegetative growth. It is important to remove root shoots and weak shoots.

Site selection

It is advisable to choose a planting site as far away from drafts as possible. It should also be taken into account that the plant lives quite a long time, therefore, the size of the area must correspond to the level of its growth. In addition, the diameter of the shrub's root largely exceeds the diameter of the crown of the plant itself.

If the plant is exposed to direct sunlight, the beauty of the color will begin to fade, so it is better to choose a place where the plant will receive shade.
In addition to its beauty, Hydrangea can also boast of its resistance to many external factors, which is a very important point for those who want to purchase this type of plant and at the same time get rid of unnecessary hassle.

Hydrangea Paniculata Limelight is resistant to severe frosts, which can exceed -25 degrees, as well as to various diseases. Hydrangea has strong stems, so the bush does not require garter.

Diseases and overcoming them

Although the plant has many benefits, there are also some disadvantages. Hydrangea paniculata is very difficult to tolerate limestone soils, and it is also harmed by a lack of iron. The next weakness is the acidity of the soil. If its level is too low, it provokes a slowdown in plant growth or even leads to extinction, in the case of a very severe deficiency. Fortunately, with the help of the fertilizers listed above, this can be easily avoided.
Diseases and their symptoms:

  • Leaf chlorosis (yellow leaves due to iron deficiency or too much lime in the soil).
  • Drying and browning of the tips of the leaves (the disease appears due to insufficient air or soil humidity or an overdose of mineral fertilizers).
  • Powdery mildew (leaf areas become grayish-white, eventually burgundy, and sometimes even become necrotic).
  • Hydrangea ringspot virus (deformation of flowers and leaves appears, venation is incorrect, if the spread of the disease is too strong, the plants do not bloom).

Hydrangea Limelight, belonging to the paniculate variety, is an unusually beautiful plant. This variety, obtained as a result of breeding work by Dutch specialists, is rightfully considered one of the best representatives of its species. Dutch flower growers have successfully solved the problem of insufficient strength of shoots of paniculate hydrangeas, so the Limelight variety can be successfully grown without using additional support for them. If all the rules are followed and careful care is taken, the Limelight hydrangea will become a real decoration of the summer garden.

    Show all

    Description of the plant

    Limelight paniculata hydrangea (hydrangea paniculata Limelight) is described as a shrub reaching two meters in height. Over the course of a year, with careful care, growth can reach 30 cm. The dark green, ovoid leaves have a velvety texture. The foliage grows very densely and almost completely hides the strong shoots with peeling bark. In autumn, the leaves turn purple, which makes this hydrangea variety even more attractive.

    This variety of paniculate hydrangea is called Limelight because of the characteristic coloring of the inflorescences. At the very beginning of flowering, the inflorescences are bright green, reminiscent of the color of lime. Then the color of the dense conical inflorescences lightens and acquires a soft lemon or pure white hue, and by the beginning of autumn the inflorescences become pinkish. Flowering of the Limelight variety begins in July and continues continuously until September. With proper care, the plant blooms very profusely. If grown in a place protected from drafts, this variety of shrubs will bloom until October.

    Selecting a location

    This variety is quite shade tolerant and will grow in partial shade or even in a heavily shaded area. But in order for the flowering of the shrub to be abundant and long-lasting, you need to choose a well-lit area for planting, protected from drafts. Since hydrangeas are long-lived, you need to choose a place for planting so as not to replant the plant for several years. This is due to the fact that the widely growing root system of the shrub is inevitably injured during transplantation and after that the crop suffers for a long time.

    The area where you plan to grow Limelight garden hydrangea must have fertile soil. The ideal option would be acidic black soil or thoroughly fertilized loam. Sandy or calcareous soils are not suitable for growing this plant; in such soil the shrub does not develop well and may die.

    Most often, young plants are planted at the end of April or at the beginning of May, when the weather is warm and there is sufficient rain. At this time it is already warm, but there is still no sweltering summer heat, and the seedlings are well acclimatized.

    Planting Limelight hydrangea

    For planting in open ground, you should select grown seedlings at the age of 2–3 years, then there is a high probability that flowering will occur this year. Landing is carried out as follows:

    1. 1. To do this, dig a hole with sides 50 cm and depth 35 cm.
    2. 2. The roots of the seedling are trimmed to fit the size of the hole.
    3. 3. The shoots are cut by a third. In this case, it is important to ensure that the remaining part has 2-3 live buds.
    4. 4. The seedling is placed in a prepared hole, placing the root collar at the same level with the soil surface.
    5. 5. The roots are covered with soil and watered abundantly after planting.
    6. 6. The tree trunk circle is carefully mulched with a thick layer of peat.

    If necessary, you can plant Limelight hydrangea in the fall, but only if the winters in the region are quite warm.

    Care

    Plants of this variety do not require complex care. It is only necessary to water the bush on time, feed it and regularly carry out sanitary pruning. The soil under the bush should be moist all the time, so watering should be regular, but not too abundant, so as not to flood the root system. If the summer is dry, it is necessary to water the entire bush from a watering can, simulating rain.

    With timely moderate watering, hydrangea forms lush inflorescences. If there is not enough moisture, the flowers will be small and ugly.

    An important part of care is timely feeding. Immediately after the snow melts, the first fertilizing is carried out using urea. The solution is prepared at the rate of 20 grams of fertilizer per 10 liters of water. Depending on its size, one bush will need from 20 to 30 liters of solution. This composition promotes active growth of shoots after winter dormancy.

    During the period of bud formation, the shrub is fed with complex mineral fertilizers, diluted and used according to the instructions on the package.

    Trimming

    Pruning is also an important step in caring for Limelight hydrangea. It is carried out in spring and autumn. After flowering ends, pruning is carried out, in which the plant is rid of drying inflorescences. This frees the bush from excess load.

    In the spring, pruning is carried out, the purpose of which is to form full-fledged bushes. It is carried out as early as possible, before the bush wakes up and sap flow begins. First, they get rid of shoots that have frozen over the winter, cutting them to a healthy place. Then last year’s branches are cut off, leaving 4–5 buds on each of them. Lastly, the crown is thinned out by cutting off all the shoots growing inward.

    Pruning hydrangeas in spring and autumn

    To rejuvenate old hydrangeas, spring pruning “to the stump” is used. To do this, cut off all shoots completely. Since the Limelight variety blooms on young shoots, the inflorescences will bloom this summer. From young hydrangeas that have not yet reached 2 years of age, it is necessary to cut off the inflorescences while still in the budding phase. This stimulates the development of shoots.

    Hydrangea Limelight on a trunk

    Standard hydrangea is very rare among gardeners. This is due to the fact that it takes about three years to form a standard. In fact, such a plant in the form of a small tree looks very attractive. To obtain this look, only one shoot is left. After a few years, the lower part is covered with a thick layer of bark and no longer produces lateral shoots. The development of new branches occurs only in the upper part. The result is a small tree with a lush crown.

Hydrangea paniculata Limelight is a large-leaved ornamental shrub belonging to a variety of deciduous plants. The diversity of its species allows hydrangea to be classified as both shrubs and trees. A characteristic feature of Limelight hydrangea is its numerous greenish-colored flowers, which are collected in large inflorescences in the form of panicles.

Hydrangea paniculata is about 2.5 m in length, Limelight hydrangea is 1-1.5 m, Little Lime hydrangea is about 1 m. These are the most common species. However, no matter how tall the plant is, its flowers are an essential and prominent part. In the middle of the bush the flowers are small, but fruitful, and at the edges they are large, bright, but fruitless. There are many color options: blue, pink, cream, white and mixed. In general, there are 35 types of hydrangea.

Hydrangea paniculata variety Limelight (Hydrangea Limelight) has a characteristic rounded crown. Grows flower mass and leaves quickly. The leaves are oblong and elongated, dark green in color and velvety to the touch. This type of hydrangea blooms in the summer, extending a little into September. Its inflorescences have a wide conical shape and consist of pale lemon flowers with a greenish tint. As they bloom, they change color, becoming pinkish.

Hydrangea loves a lot of light, but does not tolerate strong winds. It develops especially quickly in fertile soils with high humidity and acidity. Accordingly, during dry periods of summer it needs abundant watering. It endures winter with endurance. However, it is advisable to cover young shrubs until they acquire it. Planted alone or in a group, it grows well. Hydrangeas look best as decorations for front gardens, paths and parks.

Conditions for optimal growing

All hydrangeas tolerate shade extremely poorly, but at the same time they do not like direct, abundant sunlight. Hydrangea paniculata grows best in partial shade with good watering.

Hydrangea is quite picky about soil. In particular, it prefers fertile soil with the presence of substrates. If placed in alkaline soil, it will most likely develop chlorosis due to excess lime. In addition, ornamental shrubs need constant loosening. Highly dense and dry soil does not bring anything good for the development of inflorescences.

Limelight, as a rule, tolerates spring frosts steadfastly, but young, immature shoots may die. Therefore, it is best to cover part or all of the plant and protect it from the cold for the winter and early spring. In addition, experts recommend replanting the Limelight hydrangea in a container during winter and spring and storing it indoors until the weather warms up.

Use in landscape design

Hydrangea Limelight is one of the most noticeable plants in the garden. It can make a good decoration for a flower bed, and also a hedge. Sometimes hydrangea is used as vertical gardening (as a rule, this refers to petiole hydrangea).

In company with other ornamental shrubs, hydrangea also looks great. However, gardeners prefer to combine different types of hydrangeas together, achieving a vibrant color combination.

The Limelight shrub with its greenish tint will perfectly complement tree roses, clematis and irises.

Care and reproduction

Most of all, abundant sunbathing with poor watering harms the shrub. As soon as dry days arrive, hydrangea immediately begins to react by drying out the leaves. Therefore, the bush needs to be watered additionally. On ordinary days, 1 watering per month is sufficient, and during drought periods at least 1 time per week. At the same time, 1 plant can easily absorb up to 20 liters of water in 1 watering.

Mulching hydrangea is also an important procedure that care cannot do without. The mulch should consist of bark, wood chips, pine needles or ordinary last year's leaves. The purpose of mulching is to keep the soil moist as much as possible. In addition, using mulch you can stabilize the acid level in the soil.

In addition to mulching, hydrangea needs loosening of the tree trunk area. This procedure must be performed 3-4 times per season. The depth of loosening should not be more than 6 cm in depth.

The soil must also be supplied with organic fertilizers. Hydrangea prefers this type of care.

Paniculate hydrangea requires annual pruning. Since only in this case is the formation of inflorescences possible. The fact is that new flowers are formed only on the shoots of the current year. Pruning should be done in early spring (necessarily before mid-April), during the growing season. If pruning is done too late (late April or early May), the hydrangea may not bloom at all or its flowers will develop much worse.

A young plant should be trimmed carefully, without removing too many shoots. Be sure to trim off frozen areas, as they will not give any color. Old shrubs can be pruned back significantly. This is called anti-aging pruning. At the end of autumn, all faded inflorescences must be removed from the bush.

For the winter, hydrangea needs to be optimally covered. To begin with, it is hilled to a height of up to 20 cm. Peat is poured on top of the tree trunk area. All shoots above the shelter can be safely cut off. You can cover the hydrangea with either greenhouse film or ordinary lutrasil, rolled in 2 layers. After covering, it is important not to provoke rotting processes. Therefore, lutrasil is placed in the lower layer, so that it is closer to the bush.

It is best to propagate Limelight hydrangea by cuttings. However, hydrangea can also reproduce by division, layering and grafting. In rare cases, seeds are sown. The last option is the most unreliable and at the same time very labor-intensive. Hydrangea seeds are planted in late spring or early winter in a greenhouse. The seedlings are very weak and require constant feeding and weeding.

Cuttings and dividing hydrangeas is the easiest way to propagate them. They are carried out in spring or autumn. After planting the plant, water it abundantly. A plant planted in spring takes root only by the end of autumn.

Pests and diseases

The most common disease of hydrangea is chlorosis. In this case, its leaves turn yellow, the flowers become smaller, and the shoots become brittle. Another common disease is the so-called powdery mildew. This is when oily spots form on the leaves, turning yellow and increasing in size over time. Chlorosis occurs as a reaction to excess lime in the soil, and dew occurs as a consequence of excessive air humidity. In order to overcome chlorosis, experts recommend using root fertilizers in the form of iron salts. In addition, you can fertilize with ordinary complex fertilizers that balance the composition of the soil.

To combat them, you can use the following drugs: Actellik, Karbofos and Fitoverm. Slugs are best destroyed using the drug Meta.