The best varieties of hydrangea for the Moscow region

It is not for nothing that hydrangea bears the title of one of the most beautiful flowers in the whole world. This amazing plant really has something to love for: it fascinates with its external qualities, changes its color over time, is not very whimsical to care for, and also boasts amazing cold resistance. In addition, hydrangeas are distinguished by a huge number of varieties that are bred specifically for certain regions. In this article we will talk about which varieties to choose for growing in the Moscow region, and why exactly they are best suited.

The most cold-resistant varieties of hydrangea

In fact, hydrangea is itself a very cold-resistant plant. It can withstand terrifying temperatures compared to other colors. However, there are also special cold-resistant varieties that can survive frost up to forty degrees below zero. Well, for our region, such winter hardiness is just what you need.

The varieties that are not at all afraid of the cold include:

• Almost all existing varieties of paniculate and tree-like hydrangeas. Due to their varietal characteristics, they are amazingly tolerant of low temperatures.

 

• The second grade, which is especially well suited for our harsh winters - Blue bird... If it is thoroughly covered with snow or, if you provide it with a film covering, this variety will be able to delight you with its flowering every year, regardless of the weather conditions.

 

• An interesting fact: despite the seeming non-obviousness, the serrated hydrangea (any of its varieties) is much better suited for growing in the Moscow region than the large-leaved one.

 

There are, however, varieties that do not tolerate cold at all. Such varieties are in no way suitable for growing in the Moscow region: it is better for them to prefer one of those indicated above.

 

Perhaps the most fearful of the cold hydrangea species - all oak-leaved varieties. Even though they are extremely effective, they have nothing to do in the Moscow region.

Another variety that is completely undesirable to grow in this region is petiole hydrangea. Perhaps she will be able to successfully winter under a special shelter, but she will definitely have to forget about beautiful inflorescences.

Treelike hydrangea for the Moscow region

Perhaps the tree hydrangea is one of the most beloved ornamental plants of thousands of gardeners. Visit any garden large enough and you will surely find a hydrangea blooming proudly in one of the most prominent places.

In order for any variety of tree hydrangea to bloom magnificently and brightly, it is necessary to take care of high-quality pruning of its old and damaged shoots when autumn comes. Aged peduncles should also be removed.

The first and, perhaps, the favorite variety of all gardeners is hydrangea. Annabelle... Its peculiarity is very large inflorescences.

• When they just bloom, the inflorescences acquire a snow-white hue, however, over time, closer to the end of the flowering season, the flowers turn green.

 

• The bush grows very successfully: there is practically no doubt that if you saw a shoot, it will become a full-fledged peduncle in the future.

 

• It was to be expected that such a beautiful flower would be very delicate and fragile, so the stems will most likely have to make supports.

 

• Most often, one Annabelle hydrangea bush reaches one and a half meters in height.

Having become incredibly popular over the past few years, the variety Incrediballis also incredibly good for the Moscow region. In addition, its inflorescences are even larger than those of the Annabelle hydrangea.

 

• In addition, compared to the previous cultivar, Incrediball stems are especially strong, which allows them to often do without support at all.

 

• Thanks to the wonders of selection, the inflorescences of this variety always take on an unnatural, almost perfectly spherical shape, which makes the Incrediball hydrangeas even more beautiful.

 

• More often than not, however, the strain will not want to tell you all of its secrets right away. Unfortunately, you have to wait a year or two before the Incrediball hydrangea appears in front of you in all its glory.

 

• Bushes of this variety most often stop growing, reaching a height of 1.2 meters.

Among the tree-like hydrangeas that are ideal for growing in the Moscow region, one can also single out one special variety with double flowers - Hayes Starburst.

• The inflorescences of this variety are flat, but their peculiarity is that the flowers formed in them are double.

 

• The shade of these flowers can be described as a cross between light green and snow-white, however, unfortunately, they are much inferior in size to varieties with a less atypical flower shape.

 

• The bushes reach a height of 1.2 meters.

 

This variety is truly unusual. You can even say that he is very much an amateur, however, in fact, his unusual flowers can be to the taste of many, if you do not pay attention to the fact that his flowering is somewhat less abundant than that of other varieties. Collectors will also appreciate Hayes Starburst.

But here's the grade Invincibelle Spirit Is the complete opposite of Hayes Starburst. He is beautiful, lush, and he definitely should find a place in absolutely any garden. In addition, it differs from all the varieties listed above with its rich bright pink hue.

• This variety is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and great efficiency. It will not be difficult even for beginner gardeners to keep an eye on him, but the result exceeds all expectations.

 

• At the very beginning of flowering, this variety is distinguished by the blood red color of its flowers. Over time, of course, they fade, but even their pink tint leaves a delightful impression. However, one of the unpleasant disadvantages of the variety is that the bushes cannot boast of not width, but height. On average, they stop growing when they reach a height of 1 meter.

 

• Each shoot of Invincibelle Spirit eventually turns into a flower stalk. Ordinary inflorescences are round, but the petals of this variety are distinguished by their incredible subtlety and tenderness. It is thanks to these qualities that the inflorescence looks so delicate during flowering.

 

The best place to plant the Invincibelle Spirit variety is a light partial shade, in which the flowers will not lose their delightful red hue for a long time. However, this variety also needs support, since it tolerates rain very badly: the mass laid on the stem by the dew remaining after it can break off the stem. To protect the plant during the winter season, you will have to tie its branches and shoots. Otherwise, they may crack

The last of this category of varieties - Pink annabelle... In all its qualities, it is very similar to the previous one, but there is one striking difference between them: Invincibelle Spirit has a much thicker stem, which makes it more preferable.

Panicle hydrangea for the Moscow region

Paniculate hydrangeas more than anyone else amaze the novice gardener with a huge variety of varieties, in which it is quite possible to get lost. However, thanks to our article, you can easily figure out which variety suits you, and which one you want to see as a decoration for your site. Each of the varieties we have proposed has at least two mirror-like clones, which are simply pointless to mention. Therefore, we will only discuss the main ones.

The first such variety is Vanille Fraise. He is truly loved by all professional gardeners, because he is rightfully considered the best in his category. If you can't choose what kind of hydrangea to plant in your garden, and you can choose only one variety, you won't have to think long.

• The huge advantage of this variety is its stunning size. In its tenth year of life, the hydrangea acquires a whopping 2 meters in height and the same amount in width.These incredible parameters are also reinforced by the lush bloom of Vanille Fraise, as its bush looks like a real cloud in high season.

 

• The beginning of flowering of the bush is the beginning - mid-July. From that moment on, it will bloom right up to the onset of frost, after the arrival of which the flowers will no longer be so pleasing to the eye: they will acquire a nondescript and even unpleasant brownish tint. It is during this period of flowering that the bush is thoroughly pruned.

 

• The inflorescences of this variety are incredibly long, and in their shape they are similar to real unicorn horns. This effect is further reinforced by the fact that over time, from white at the beginning of flowering, they are repainted into hot pink (from bottom to top). The result is an incredibly eye-pleasing gradient.

 

• The place for planting is absolutely not important: the variety is winter-hardy and can grow both in the shade and in direct sunlight. The main thing is that in the corner allotted to the bush there is enough space for him.

 

A special and unique variety of panicle hydrangea is Wim's Red. What is its peculiarity - you ask. And it lies in its stem: throughout the season they do not change their color at all, remaining burgundy from root to inflorescence.

• The inflorescences themselves have an ordinary shape: they are flat, somewhat like saucers. Flowers are located at the edges of the inflorescence. They are quite dense and also, it should be noted, very large.

 

• The Wim's Red variety can rightfully be called a chameleon among hydrangeas, because when flowering is just beginning, it has a white color. After a month and a half, the color changes, turning into bright pink, and by the end of the flowering period the inflorescence acquires an incredibly rich crimson hue. This transformation is truly mesmerizing, and it would be extremely interesting to watch it in fast motion.

 

• The only thing that can scare a gardener away from buying seedlings of this variety is its miniature size. Even by ten years after disembarkation, Wim's Red does not grow taller than seventy centimeters. However, in reality, this is not such a big problem, given all the benefits of this amazing strain.

 

The next variety in our selection is Grandiflora... In fact, he is the progenitor of all existing varieties of panicle hydrangea, bred by breeding.

• This variety is very unpretentious: even a person who plants his first plant will be able to take good care of it. Plus, Grandiflora has incredible winter hardiness.

 

• Inflorescences, as is the case with many other varieties, by the end of the flowering period change their shade to bright pink. At the beginning of flowering, the Grandiflora variety boasts snow-white elongated inflorescences.

 

• The variety is extremely similar to Vanille Fraise, however, since Grandiflora is a lower stage in the evolution of hydrangeas, it is significantly inferior to its competitor in all qualities. However, if you approach the care of Grandiflora with sufficient diligence and care, you can achieve complete indistinguishability between the two varieties.

 

Daimond rouge Is our next candidate for the future shrub that takes pride of place in your garden. It differs from the rest in that it has perhaps the most intense red hue that can only be found in hydrangeas.

• Just two weeks after the flowers bloom, they will take on a stunning bright crimson hue that no other hydrangea variety can boast.

 

• The height of the bush rarely exceeds one meter.

 

• Unlike many other varieties, Daimond Rouge has very strong stems, which allows it to grow successfully and efficiently without support and without a garter.

 

The next variety that may interest those who are eager to grow a hydrangea hedge on their site is Levana... It is distinguished by its incredible height, which can hardly be surpassed by any other variety.

• As already mentioned, the Levana bush is very tall. However, how high? On average, by the age of ten, it reaches an incredible three meters in height.

 

• From the inflorescences themselves, gigantism also blows.They are very long and are completed with very large, dense flowers. Such inflorescences look quite impressive.

 

• The only drawback that can be highlighted when looking at Levana is how long it takes to grow. And it grows, believe me, for a very long time. So you have to prepare yourself for the fact that for many years nothing next to the planted Levana shrub will be allowed.

 

The next variety is Kyushu. He is the twin brother of the previous variety, but they have one striking difference. Kyushu does not grow to such an incredible size and stops growing at 2.5 meters. Which one suits you best is solely your decision.

A distinctive light green shade has a stunning variety called Limelight... It certainly cannot be confused with any other.

 

• It would be best to plant a Limelight bush in partial shade, since only in such conditions will it be painted in its characteristic shade.

 

• The bush can grow to an impressive two meters in height, however, unlike the previous two varieties, Limelight grows very quickly and will not keep you waiting for the first lime green flowers to appear.

 

• However, under some conditions, the inflorescences may not turn green. There are incredibly many factors that can contribute to this: weather, lighting, soil, and so on, but, nevertheless, this happens extremely rarely, so you should not panic.

 

There is also a variety that for some reason is considered a miniature copy of Limelight. It's called Little Lime, and no, it has absolutely nothing to do with the previous variety. Except, of course, their greenish coloration.

 

• The name of the variety is not for nothing translated as Tiny Lime, because its bushes are really miniature - only half a meter in height and width. Moreover, even without cutting, they eventually acquire the correct ball shape.

 

• Little Lime can also be classified as a chameleon variety, because throughout the flowering, its flowers constantly change their color. When the inflorescence is just blooming, they take on a creamy shade. After that, orange edges appear on the sides of the petals, gradually turning pink. The inflorescences themselves eventually become lime, until, at the end of the flowering period, the inflorescences do not fade.

 

• In fact, this is one of a very small number of varieties that have a border on the petals. Therefore, if you love collecting rare specimens of plants, Little Lime is a variety created especially for you.

 

• Sometimes the contrast between the color of the inflorescence and the color of its border is less noticeable than it was described, but this cannot be predicted in any way, and you should not be upset: you are not to blame for this.

The next variety bears a perky name. Pinky winky, it should be noted that it suits him perfectly. It differs from all other varieties of Pinky Winky in a peculiar irregular shape of the inflorescence that looks very unusual.

 

• This robust man does not need a garter - his stems are strong enough to withstand any weather conditions. The height of the bush most often reaches one and a half meters.

 

• The inflorescences are cone-shaped and have rather large flowers that do not form a single structure. They look as if they were accidentally scattered over the inflorescence.

 

• At the beginning of flowering, Pinky Winky takes on a white hue, but later turns into a pink color corresponding to its name. Only the very top remains unpainted throughout the entire flowering, which makes the inflorescences, given their conical shape, look like the tips of white pencils.

 

To some extent, this variety can be called not only playful and chaotic, but also brutal.

Another extraordinary variety - Great Star. To get it, in fact, is not so easy, because it is quite rare, which automatically makes it a solid decoration for any garden.

• The bush is quite large: with good care, it may well reach two meters or even more. The inflorescences are distinguished by their unusual shape: we would describe them as hemispheres. Large white flowers are located at the edges of the inflorescences.

 

• However, it is not this that attracts the most attention, but the shape of the flowers. They are somewhat similar to propellers, which is what makes Great Star so unique.

 

• Each flower contains four petals, and their tips are curled upward.

Unlike most varieties, which turn white only during the beginning of flowering, the Phantom takes it for weight in the coming season.

 

Like the previous one, the variety Phantom reaches a height of about two meters.

 

The inflorescences are quite large, and the flowers on them are dotted very, very densely, which makes them look like cotton candy.

 

Phantom hydrangea is ideal as a backdrop for deep red roses. They will complement each other wonderfully.

If your site does not differ in scale, you can purchase seedlings of the miniature Bobo variety.

 

• Like the previous variety called Phantom, Bobo has snow-white inflorescences.

 

• In height, this modest shrub does not even reach a meter, and therefore is perfect for filling empty space in the garden.

 

• In addition, from hydrangeas Bobo begins to bloom almost the very first.

 

Large-leaved hydrangea for the Moscow region

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, large-leaved hydrangeas are not the best choice for the Moscow region. Their resistance to cold is significantly inferior to the above varieties.

However, varieties such as, for example, Endless summer the bride, it is quite possible to grow in the suburbs due to their resistance to cold. They also have a wide variety of inflorescence colors.

The variety Endless Summer The Bride itself is distinguished by spherical inflorescences that form by themselves. Their color is white, but not snow-white, like most hydrangeas, but washed white.

 

• The bush grows to a height of one meter. Very rarely - up to 1.2 meters.

 

• However, when caring for such a plant, you need to be extremely careful and careful, because in order to bloom, it must live in warmth all winter.

However, Endless Summer The Bride has a nicer relative whose name is Endless Summer The Original. In fact, it is undisputedly the best large-leaved hydrangea to grow in our harsh climate.

 

• If, of course, you follow the plant very closely in winter, it will be distinguished by its unpretentiousness and rather rapid flowering.

 

• If the shrub is grown on acidic soil, the flowers will delight you with a rich pink color. However, the inflorescence may turn out to be dimmer than you expected. It is simply impossible to take into account all factors.

 

• If the soil is neutral, the plant behaves in a very interesting way. Some of the flowers are still painted in pink, and some in lilac.

 

• The Endless Summer The Original bush eventually takes on the shape of a ball, and in height, like Endless Summer The Bride, it reaches no more than 1.2 meters.

There are also a number of varieties from the series Twist and shout... Unlike Endless Summer varieties, they cope slightly worse with frost, however, even a small difference of a couple of degrees turns out to be noticeable when grown in the suburbs.

 

• However, the varieties remain very popular as they have the same interesting coloration as Endless Summer.

It is also worth taking varieties in mind. Bavaria and Red ace... They, like the previous two, attract attention with their two-color. Bavaria has flowers in white and blue, while Red Ace has flowers in white and red.

 

• Both of the aforementioned varieties are rather undersized, and do not reach more than half a meter in height.

 

• Nevertheless, as beautiful as these varieties are, growing them in our climate is a real torture that is definitely not worth the result. Moreover, given that the result will not be achieved in every season.

Exactly the same characteristics as the previous varieties are found in Alpengluhen... However, he also has differences.

 

• Its highlight is a rich dark red hue that many other hydrangeas can envy.

 

• However, this is compensated by the extremely reluctant flowering in our climatic conditions.

 

If the winter was mild, and the frosts did not crush the ground with frenzied force, then the Expression variety will be able to please you with its lush and bright flowering.

 

• In any case, no matter what winter is, only a couple of the strongest shoots will survive even under cover.

 

• The variety blooms very luxuriantly compared to the rest. Its inflorescences are even called "caps".

 

• As it grows, the bush takes on the shape of a ball, the diameter of which is approximately one meter.

 

If you are in doubt about how well a particular strain will survive the winter, take a look at its shoots. If their tips are characterized by colors close to brown or burgundy, then, most likely, it will be very difficult for him to overwinter.

Such varieties include, for example, Mirai.

 

• Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to get it to bloom, given our winters.

 

• Nevertheless, if in some incomprehensible way it still bloomed with you, you will be pleasantly surprised by the red and white coloring of the inflorescences.

 

Also, incredibly beautiful varieties that are unlikely to be grown near Moscow include Zerro pink.

 

• Its shoots are very thick compared to previous varieties, which means it doesn't need a garter.

 

• The inflorescence is in the shape of a saucer, dotted with very beautiful white and pink flowers.

 

The newest varieties of hydrangea

One of the best recently bred hydrangea varieties is White dome... It belongs to tree-like varieties, and corresponds to their standard description for all except inflorescences.

• The inflorescences of the White Dome variety have the shape of a cap. Most of them are pink in color, but white flowers can also be found along the edges.

 

• During the peak flowering period, the inflorescences of this variety look like neat lace cushions.

 

Also an extremely worthy and well-appreciated variety of many professional breeders is the serrated hydrangea. Intermedia... Its flowers are very unusual and in recent years they have won many competitions, both between different varieties of hydrangeas and between all flowers.

 

The shape of the inflorescences can be described as a hemisphere. Along its edges are flowers of incredible beauty, painted in purple tones.

 

• The variety has tremendous frost resistance. It can withstand cold temperatures as low as 29 degrees below zero.

 

• However, it is necessary to cover it for the winter.

Also in our selection, we decided to include the first variety of veriegatny hydrangea called Golden Annabelle.

 

• The first thing you notice when looking at a bush of this variety is its yellow-green foliage. The inflorescences of this variety are creamy white. Unlike most varieties of hydrangea, inflorescences are less common on this one, and they themselves are smaller.

 

• This is the main factor repelling gardeners from Golden Annabelle. However, for collectors, this variety, due to its uniqueness, is a real find.

The next variety is the ideological successor to the beloved Limelight variety. His name is Lime Rickey.

 

• The inflorescences, like those of Limelight, have a bright green color, which appears in partial shade.

 

• The shoots of this variety are quite strong and do not need support.

And the last variety presented by us - Fraise Melba. As you might guess, it was inspired by Vanille Fraise.

 

• The only striking difference from the original is that the shoots are much larger. This, perhaps, influenced the fact that the tone of the inflorescences became richer.

 

Conclusion

Growing hydrangeas in the Moscow region is not an easy task, because severe winters and severe frosts almost leave some bushes no chance to germinate. However, if you choose wisely varieties and study all its pros and cons, you can choose one that will successfully decorate your garden for more than a dozen years.