Climbing Hydrangea Hydrangea hydrangeoides 'Moonlight'
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Climbing Hydrangea:
Previously known as:
- Schizophragma hydrangeoides 'Moonlight'
- Phonetic Spelling
- hy-DRAN-jee-uh hy-dran-jee-OY-deez
- Description
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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.
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Collector’s Garden Hydrangeas in the Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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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.
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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
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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)
- 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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Light Brown
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Exfoliating
- Peeling
- Bark Description:
- Exfoliating red-brown bark. Provides winter interest.
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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.
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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