Hydrangea serrata
Hydrangea
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Hydrangeaceae
- Genus
- Hydrangea
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- deciduous
- Woodiness
- woody
- Height
- 2 m
- Spread
- 1 m
- Fertility
- Bees
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees
Uses
Edible uses
Young leaves and shoots - cooked[2]. These leaves do not become sweet like those of sspp thunbergii or amagiana or those of H. macrophylla[5].
- Plant part
- Leaves
Material uses
Can be grown as a low hedge[9], it is quite wind tolerant.
Ecology and functions
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - Japan.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 6+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- very acid, acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerances
- high wind
- Wind
- Yes
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
Seed - surface sow in a greenhouse in spring[4]. Cover the pot with paper until the seed germinates[11]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 8cm long, July/August in a frame. Overwinter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring[11]. Cuttings of mature wood in late autumn in a frame[8]. Mound layering in spring. Takes 12 months[11]. Leaf-bud cuttings of the current seasons growth in a frame[8].
Cultivation
Tolerates most soil[8], thriving in a well-drained loamy soil[1], but resenting dryness at the roots[3][8]. Succeeds in full sun or semi-shade[8], but if it is grown in a low rainfall area then it requires shade at the hottest part of the day[3]. Does well on very acid soils with a pH around 4.5[8]. Tolerates alkaline soils, but it may become chlorotic on shallow soils over chalk[8]. The colour of the flowers reflects the pH of the soil the plant is growing in, the flowers are pink in a neutral to alkaline soil and blue in an acid soil[8]. Plants are hardy to about -25°c when dormant but the young growth in spring can be killed by late frosts. A very ornamental plant, there are many named varieties[6]. Considerable difficulties exist in the nomenclature for this species and H. microphylla. They are treated here in accordance with \"Bean's Manual of Trees and Shrubs\", though many botanists view H. serrata as no more than a sub-species of H. macrophylla. This species is notably susceptible to honey fungus[8].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009
Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.
Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30258-2
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Shepherd. F.W. Hedges and Screens. Royal Horticultural Society. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0900629649
Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00
Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00