Japanese Climbing Hydrangea Hydrangea anomala
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Hydrangea anomala ssp. petiolaris
- Phonetic Spelling
- hy-DRAN-jee-ah ah-NOM-uh-luh
- Description
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Climbing hydrangea has rich green foliage, mid-summer white flowers, yellow fall color, and striking exfoliating bark in winter. This vine is an early summer bloomer and is excellent for a massed effect on brick or concrete walls, arbors, gazebos, or almost any free-standing garden structure. It clings and/or climbs not only by twining but also by aerial rootlets. This woody vine has an almost shrub-like appearance due to its lateral branches and is native to wooded valleys, stream banks, and on rocky mountain slopes.
Climbing hydrangea is somewhat slow to establish and slow to begin flowering after transplanting. It prefers rich, well-drained, moist soil, will grow in sun or shade, and can easily grow 60 to 80 feet. Once established, it has no serious pest problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Hydrangea
- Species:
- anomala
- Family:
- Hydrangeaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The bark is used as a paper substitute.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Layering
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Himalayas and China, Japan, Sakhalin, Korea, Taiwan
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Fragrance
- Screening
- Climbing Method:
- Clinging
- Twining
- Dimensions:
- Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Mounding
- Multi-stemmed
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
- Appendage:
- Tendrils
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Small, dehiscent urn-shaped capsule. Seeds are brownish, ellipsoid to oblong, compressed, 0.7-1 mm with a wing encircling each seed.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Good Cut
- Good Dried
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Dome
- Wheel
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Flat cluster up to 8 inches wide, flat corymbs 6-8" diam.; peduncle 1-1.5" long. Flowers are dimorphic, with a peripheral ring of large sterile flowers, 0.5-1.5" wide; numerous small, creamy white, sweetly fragrant, fertile flowers in the center.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- opposite, simple, 2.5-5" long, ovate to broad-ovate to oval, acute to acuminate, cordate, serrate, glabrate, dark green and lustrous above, paler below with vein axillary pubescent tufts; petiole to 4" long.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Light Brown
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Exfoliating
- Peeling
- Bark Description:
- Exfoliating, reddish-brown, attractive in winter
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Brown, bark shaggy and exfoliating; shoots with bark exfoliating. Buds greenish brown with slight reddish tinge, acute, scales imbricate.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Recreational Play Area
- Riparian
- Rock Wall
- Slope/Bank
- Vertical Spaces
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Heavy Shade
- Rabbits
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
