Climbing Hydrangea

Design and InstallationGarden Caregarden TriviaIndoor plantsPlant Health CareUncategorized
Written By Peter Morris

Climbing Hydrangea

Hydrangea anomala “petiolaris” and Schizophragma hydrangeoides are both in the hydrangea family and many times called the same – climbing hydrangea.  Although, sometimes the schizogphragma is referred to as “false climbing hydrangea”.

H. anomala flower

Schizophragma flower

At Plant Specialists, we use both but for different spots in a garden.The petiolaris offers better coverage because of its long extending side branches with areal roots.  Zchizophragma tends to grow very flat and upright, which is better suited for a tall narrow space. The holdfasts (suckers) on their branches, allow them to scale structures without the use of a trellis.

Air roots

Both provide all of the beauty of a traditional hydrangea bush - but in a trailing habit good for covering walls or fences. They are native to wooded forests, streams and shaded mountain slopes of Japan, China and South Korea. Not well adapted to dry heat or desert regions. It has excellent frost tolerance, but tends to burn or scorch in full afternoon sun.

Flowers are a white lacy bloom cap and the lush green leaves are oval. The dried flower heads and reddish brown, peeling bark are attractive in winter too! They need to be established before they bloom as they flower only from old wood.

Climbing hydrangea plants grow very slowly and may take up to three to five years just to reach the flowering stage.Just be careful where you plant it, as all parts of hydrangeas are toxic to dogs and cats.

Perfect coverage !

Our Garden Care Team can get you the right climbing hydrangea of your dreams !

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PLANT SPECIALISTSGREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 53 YEARS !

   Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBAAll photographs used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

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