Hydrangea Great Star

Most growers use hydrangea as a decoration for their group plantings or as a single bush. It is not surprising, because the colorful flowering of these shrubs can be observed from the beginning of the summer season until the onset of frost.
Hydrangea Great Star - great star - is considered one of the most beloved and popular shrubs in our country. Translated from Latin, it means "a vessel with water", which speaks of the flower's love for water.

Briefly about panicle hydrangeas

Panicle hydrangea is a large perennial shrub native to East Asia. In natural conditions, it grows like a 10-meter tree, and cultivated and planted in gardens or city parks reaches a height of no more than 3 meters.

The root system, when it grows, becomes much larger than the crown in size. They are close to the surface of the earth, which makes it impossible to get moisture from the depths of the soil. The leaves are large in size, oval in shape and painted in bright green colors. Large inflorescences are similar in shape to panicles, which consist of two types of flowers. Those that are small in size bear fruit, they fall off very quickly, but form seeds in small capsules. Those that are large are sterile. They are located above small flowers and hold tightly and for a long time on elongated stalks. Their petals are slightly inclined towards the center of the flower.

Interesting to knowthat from treelike, large-leaved, petiolate, paniculate, serrate and curly hydrangea excellent honey plants are obtained.

Panicle hydrangea Great Star: variety description and characteristics

Panicle hydrangea Great Star: photo of the great star variety

The Great Star variety of panicle hydrangea has excellent frost resistance and strong immunity. It belongs to fast-growing trees, it can grow both in areas open to the sun and in partial shade, it blooms for a long time and can decorate the garden for many years.

The uniqueness of the Great Star hydrangea lies in its incredibly large sterile flowers, reaching 10 centimeters in diameter. Weightless, they flutter over small fruiting flowers holding on to thin stem-legs. One flower consists of four petals that resemble a propeller and curl slightly inward.

The correct name of the variety is Great star (big star), sometimes it is called Green Star, but this is wrong. The variety appeared in ancient times on the site of the famous garden, which belonged to Princess Greta Sturza. She was very fond of varieties of wonderful hydrangeas.

Hydrangea Grid Star - refers to fast-growing deciduous shrubs. It reaches a height of three meters, and a sprawling compact crown of semicircular shapes reaches one and a half meters in diameter.
Its shoots are powerful, strong, erect and colored in light brown shades.
The inflorescences of the Great Star hydrangea variety at 25 centimeters are in the shape of brooms. Flowering begins in mid-summer and ends only in September or even October. The leaves of a rich green color are large in size and look beautiful as a background for snow-white petals.

Hydrangea Great Star: growing a variety

Panicle hydrangea Great Star: photo of the variety

The Great Star great star panicle hydrangea needs the right place to grow it.The best option would be a slightly shaded area where the sun's rays do not touch the bushes in the middle of the day. In open sunny areas, the plant will feel less comfortable, and its flowers will become smaller.

It is important to know that dolomite flour, wood ash, chalk and lime cannot be added to the soil where hydrangea grows. The acidity of the soil should be at pH6.0

For the Great Star hydrangea variety, in order for it to develop well and bloom profusely, fertile, loamy, well-drained soil is suitable.
If the land on the site does not meet the requirements, then you can saturate it with the necessary elements yourself. This will require humus, peat, garden soil and sand. All of these ingredients are mixed in equal parts. In the case of clay soil, peat and sand must be added there. Before planting, 20 grams of urea, 30 grams of potassium sulfate and 150 grams of phosphate are added to the soil mixture. You can acidify the soil with henna.
When preparing planting holes, it is important to remember about the size of an adult plant and a wide root system, so they should not be made close. The distances depend on what role Great Star will play in the garden, it is planned to use it as a hedge, a free-standing plant or in flower beds.
The hole should be 50 centimeters wide and the depth should match the root system. During planting, it is important to monitor the root collar, it should remain at ground level.

Hydrangea Great Star: breeding varieties

Panicle hydrangea Great Star: photo of the variety

You can propagate the Great Star hydrangea by layering, cuttings and seeds.

The first option is the simplest, it is enough to choose the healthiest and strongest shoot and gently bend it to the ground. Then he is pinned with the ground and fixed with the help of some kind of load or pinned with a wire. After it is regularly watered and fed. These procedures can be carried out in conjunction with the mother plant. By the next seasons, the cuttings will take root and can be separated and transplanted to a previously prepared area.

If it is customary to grow Great Star hydrangeas using cuttings, then this can be done from spring to autumn, as the gardener wants.
Carrying out this procedure in the spring, it is necessary to cut off cuttings from last year's lignified shoots, when the buds begin to swell.
The presence of two internodes on the handle is a must. The stalk is cut at an acute angle, the top must remain flat.
Then the cuttings are dipped for several hours in preparations that stimulate root formation and are planted in a container with a previously prepared soil mixture from torus and sand to a depth of 5 centimeters. In order for the plant to take root well, it must be watered and placed in greenhouse conditions. After 30 days, the young seedling will take root and can be planted in the garden. Plants of the first year of life require protection for the period of winter cold.

It is important to remember that the shoots of the first year of life are not suitable for cuttings.

The seed method of propagation of panicle hydrangea is only suitable for planting at home. To grow the bushes in this way will take a lot of effort, time and patience. This is probably why this method is not popular among gardeners. It is also important to know that shrubs rarely grow from seeds that look like the mother plant.
Before sowing, you need to prepare a soil mixture, it should include sand, peat and soil. The seeds do not need to be buried, they must be scattered over the surface and lightly sprinkled with earth. After that, the container is covered with plastic wrap and removed to a place where the air temperature will not drop below 17 degrees. The film must be lifted periodically, allowing the plants to breathe.
The first shoots can be seen in 4 weeks.As soon as the first leaves appear, a pick is carried out during which only strong seedlings are selected and they are transplanted in separate containers.
Nitrogen-based fertilizers can sometimes be added as they grow.
Transplantation of Great Star panicle hydrangeas into the garden begins only two years later, but before that they must undergo a hardening procedure. To do this, it is necessary to take the containers outside and increase the time spent there every day.

Hydrangea Great Star: care

Panicle hydrangea Great Star: photo of the variety

All varieties of hydrangeas love moisture and the Great Star hydrangea is no exception. Watering should be done regularly and abundantly using at least two buckets per bush. Watering should be carried out twice a week, and in case of extreme heat and drought, their frequency should be increased.
Bushes of this species are not tolerant to drought as well as to sudden changes in moisture. Not giving a long time to drink and after using a lot of water when watering, can lead to the death of the bush.
Panicle hydrangea Great Star is a fast growing plant, which means a large intake of nutrients. Therefore, for good development and lush flowering, it must be regularly fed.
The first top dressing is applied at the beginning of spring, it is carried out with the help of nitrogen fertilizers, which are responsible for building up the green mass of the plant. Fertilizers can be made independently from phosphate and ammonium sulfate, in proportions of 30g. x 40 gr. per bush, or purchase the mixture from a specialty store or nursery and follow the directions in the instructions.
Zircon will be able to provide good support to the bushes if the foliage is treated with it throughout the season. It is used dissolved.

The next feeding is carried out during the period of bud formation. Potassium sulfate-40 gr is suitable here. and phosphate - 60 gr. Herbal infusions where nettle and dandelion are used are also well suited.

In summer and autumn, plants are fed with organic fertilizers such as manure, humus or compost. The humanism of potassium is also well suited in this case.

Throughout the entire growing period of the Great Star hydrangea in the garden, a layer of mulch must be applied to the trunk circle. Thus, you can retain moisture in the soil for a longer time, stop the development of weeds, and you can also minimize loosening. You can mulch with sawdust, pine needles or shavings. Planting ground cover plants near bushes can eliminate the need for this procedure.

It's important to know, that despite the powerful shoots, they can droop under the weight of flower caps after rain, so you should not choose places near paths and paths for large plants.

Hydrangea Great Star: pruning a variety

Pruning Great Star hydrangeas is done in early spring and mid-fall. During the autumn pruning of the Great Star hydrangea, all inflorescences that have faded are removed. Spring is carried out before the start of sap flow, and at this moment you can not only remove unnecessary branches, but also give the bush the shape of a tree.
Bushes younger than two years old are not pruned. In these years, you can decide what shape your bush should have.
If the natural form is left, then in the spring all branches that have damage, signs of disease, dried out or improperly growing are removed. Annual shoots are also pruned, but only up to 5 buds.

If a decision is made to form a Great Star hydrangea bush like a tree, then an even young shoot should be chosen. It is planted in a separate place and the trunk is formed over the course of three years. To do this, you need to pinch all the lateral shoots, which are cut into the ring in a year. This plant needs support, so you need to set a peg next to it and tie a hydrangea to it. Every year, the central trunk is shortened to a well-formed healthy bud, and this must be done until the tree grows to one and a half meters.Then you can begin to form the crown and skeletal branches. The tree will take 8 years to form. The Great Star panicle hydrangea is easy to form, as the best can do it.
Stamped hydrangea should be planted next to a fence, a wall that can provide good support, or a strong stake should be installed that can hold the plant during strong winds or heavy rains.

Diseases and pests: control methods

Hydrangea paniculata Great Star has a strong immunity, but a small amount of vitamins and trace elements, stagnation of water in the soil, frequent drought, changing to a sharp increase in moisture, violation of the rules of pruning, planting and care, can cause the development of fungal and viral diseases.

The most common disease of the Great Star hydrangea is chlorosis. It develops due to a lack of iron and other useful elements. When the disease comes, the rich green color of the leaves becomes pale and gradually they turn yellow. At the initial stage of the disease, it is necessary to spray the bush with preparations containing a complex of minerals. If the disease is started, then copper sulfate should be added to the soil.

In addition to chlorosis, you can face such diseases as:
White rot is a fungal disease that affects the root system, and later branches and leaves. You can recognize the disease by brown spots on foliage and branches. Phytosporin will help to cope with it. If the disease has an advanced form, then the plant is dug up and burned.
Gray rot is another fungal disease that affects the living tissue of the bush. It can be determined by the holes in the leaves and by their lethargy and wateriness. This disease can quickly affect all the plants in the garden, especially if it is rainy weather. Therefore, if detected, it is necessary to immediately treat the bush with fungicides, and cut off and burn the damaged areas.

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that can be triggered by a humid environment. You can identify it by the white oily spots that cover the leaves. If the disease has not yet started, then a solution must be made and the plant must be treated. For this, copper sulfate, laundry soap and water are mixed. If this is not enough, then a systemic fungicide should be used for treatment.

It is far from always possible to detect the disease at its initial stage, so it is worth taking preventive measures and treating the bushes with the help of fungicides and copper sulfate.

Hydrangea Great Star can be affected by snails, slugs, aphids, spider mites, rootworms. It is necessary to fight with them throughout the season.
If the plant has undergone an invasion of snails, they must be removed as soon as possible. This is done by hand, and also special preparations are laid out next to the bushes in order to destroy those that are hidden at the roots. These insects harm buds and leaves, so if found, you should act immediately.
Aphids suck the juices out of the plant. She settles on the inside of the sheet. Insecticides will help to cope with this pest.
The appearance of a spider mite on a bush can be recognized by a thin cobweb on the lower part of the leaf, which later die. Insecticidal preparations can help cope with it.
Gall nematode cannot be detected immediately. If it appears, the plant will have to be destroyed, since it will not be possible to get rid of the pest. It attacks the roots and the bush dies.
As a preventive measure, treatment with a bush using copper sulfate is carried out.

Hydrangea Great Star: reviews of gardeners

• Kristina Vladimirovna, Moscow region: “I grow the Great Star hydrangea exclusively to decorate my garden. Moreover, I grow this variety both in a group and individually. This hydrangea looks great in any composition. "
• Ekaterina Grigorievna, Rostov region: "The Great Star panicle hydrangea was planted by me along a small lake in my dacha. All neighbors and guests of my garden are delighted with how harmoniously this variety fit into the overall composition and decorated the pond."
• Tamara Viktorovna, Kurgan region: “Of course the Great Star hydrangea is very beautiful. However, in order to achieve this beautiful flowering, it is necessary to pay great attention to the care of the variety. I don't always have time for this. For example, you need to water the Great Star hydrangea very often and a lot. I'm thinking about planting other flowers that are more unpretentious to care for next year. "