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Hydrangea hydrangeoides 'Moonlight' is often confused with:
Hydrangea hydrangeoides Schizophragma hydrangeoides
Native alternative(s) for Hydrangea hydrangeoides 'Moonlight':
Hydrangea barbara Flowers
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Hydrangea hydrangeoides Schizophragma hydrangeoides
Skimmia japonica Form
Viola sororia Viola papilionacea

Hydrangea hydrangeoides 'Moonlight'

Previously known as:

  • Schizophragma hydrangeoides 'Moonlight'
Phonetic Spelling
hy-DRAN-jee-uh hy-dran-jee-OY-deez
Description

Japanese Hydrangea Vine is a very large woody vine native to Korea and Japan.  It has large clusters of showy white flowers and the shedding bark provides additional winter interest.  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 disk-like 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. It is little known in the U.S. but is common in the deep forests of Japan. 

This is a shade-tolerant plant that grows everywhere in full sun to full shade and rich, moist, well-drained soil; it will flower best in dappled to partial shade. It is drought tolerant once established but is intolerant of wet sites with standing water. It is somewhat slow to establish and slow to begin flowering after transplanting, potentially taking up to 7 years.  Once established, it has no serious pest problems.

Compared to the species, this cultivar has silvery-grey leaves and large white flowers.

 

More information on Hydrangea hydrangeoides.

See this plant in the following landscapes:
Collector’s Garden Hydrangeas in the Garden
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#fragrant flowers#white flowers#shade garden#winter interest#year-round interest#dappled shade#groundcover#vine#partial shade tolerant#heavy shade tolerant#shade vines#climber
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#fragrant flowers#white flowers#shade garden#winter interest#year-round interest#dappled shade#groundcover#vine#partial shade tolerant#heavy shade tolerant#shade vines#climber
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Hydrangea
    Species:
    hydrangeoides
    Family:
    Hydrangeaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Layering
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Korea, Japan
    Distribution:
    Woods and forests in the mountains of Japan.
    Play Value:
    Attractive Flowers
    Fragrance
    Screening
    Climbing Method:
    Clinging
    Twining
    Dimensions:
    Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Ground Cover
    Perennial
    Poisonous
    Vine
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Climbing
    Dense
    Mounding
    Multi-stemmed
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
    Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    High Organic Matter
    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
    12-24 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    Cup-like capsule.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Cream/Tan
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Corymb
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Good Cut
    Good Dried
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Dome
    Wheel
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Colored Sepals
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    Flat corymbs 6-10" wide– the peripheral flowers are showy, white, and sterile, 1-1.5" across, while the center flowers are very small, fertile, and off-white to cream. Very fragrant. Blooms from late spring to early summer.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    Red/Burgundy
    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:
    Leaves are coarsely toothed, a darker green above, paler green below, 2-5 inches long, oval to broadly cordate. Leaves have a silvery cast. The veins show under the leaf as a pale-green. However, young leaves and leaf stalks are reddish.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Dark Brown
    Light Brown
    Red/Burgundy
    Surface/Attachment:
    Exfoliating
    Peeling
    Bark Description:
    Exfoliating red-brown bark. Provides winter interest.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Green
    Red/Burgundy
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    Petioles are reddish-brown (just before the leaf blade). The leaf stems are light green. Buds greenish-brown with a slight reddish tinge, acute, scales imbricate.
  • 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