Paniculate hydrangea Frize Melba": photo and description, growing features

History of selection

Hydrangea Fraise Melba is a new product from the collection of the French selector Jean Reno, bred in the 20th century. The appearance of the hybrid flower was preceded by a long (10 years) and painstaking work. The name of the variety is given in honor of the strawberry dessert with cream due to the pyramidal shape of the inflorescences, white at the top and red at the base.

Hydrangea Frize Melba - a new hybrid shrub

Technical data

This type of hydrangea, Fraise Melba Renba, was developed in the mid-20th century. Jean Reno. Then the breeding activities of scientists concentrated on obtaining the paniculate Vanilla variety. Many years of experiments ended in 2014 with the creation of the hybrid hydrangea Fraise Melba, which immediately gained worldwide popularity. The reason for this is the ability to breed it in different climatic conditions.

Technical characteristics of the plant:

The height of the bush ranges from 1.7 to 2.1 m. The branches are rigid, almost straight, painted burgundy with a brown tint.
The leaves are ordinary, narrow, with a serrated structure of raised edges, and are egg-shaped. They form a “boat”. Painted in dark shades of green.
The inflorescence looks like a pyramid. The average length is 0.3-0.4 m, and with appropriate care the size increases to 0.45-0.55 m.

Description of colors:

they are densely located throughout the cone;
the initial milky color of the petals first becomes pink and then acquires a crimson color;
when blooming, the inflorescence retains white tones;
at the beginning of autumn, some types of this hybrid change the color of the tips of the petals.

This hydrangea blooms at the end of July, and the process continues until late autumn. Frez Melba hydrangea is not afraid of extreme cold. This variety grows quickly. To obtain large inflorescences, the summer resident must prune the hybrid in early spring.

Important! If the petals of the plant are dried under the rays of the sun, they retain their original aroma for a long time.

Reviews from gardeners

Nina, 58 years old, Samara All hydrangeas are very beautiful, but paniculate varieties are winter-hardy and unpretentious. I ordered hydrangea Frize Melba based on reviews in the online store. In the fall, I buried the cuttings in the greenhouse for the winter. In the spring I planted it near the house. The seedling quickly took root and produced new shoots. In July, the first inflorescences, 20 cm long, appeared. Vasily, 65 years old, Kislovodsk Hydrangea Freise Melba is a relatively new variety. The novelty attracted attention with its abundant flowering and unusual coloring of the inflorescences. The shrub grows quickly, flowering begins in July and lasts for several months. I make sure to water the plants and feed them with mineral fertilizer. Elena, 26 years old, Moscow region Hydrangea is an ideal option for decorating a personal plot. For planting, I chose the Fraise Melba variety with lush inflorescences. The petals quickly color and acquire a rich crimson color. The inflorescences are quite dense, the flowers themselves are small. I water the bush 1-2 times a week, less often in rainy weather. If you mulch the soil with peat, you can reduce the number of waterings.

Description of hydrangea Frize Melba

Hydrangea Melba Frazee is a paniculate ornamental shrub reaching a height of 2 m, looks compact and does not require garter. The branches of a young plant have a dark red tint, becoming brown over time. Round green foliage, pointed at the edges, is attached to the shoots with long petioles. Branching on straight growing shoots is excluded.

Large openwork inflorescences (40-55 cm long), similar to a pyramid, change color during flowering: pink petals turn white, light petals become brown, the upper part remains white.

The peak of flowering of hydrangea Frize Melba occurs in mid-summer, lasts until frost, no fruit is formed. Inflorescences appear annually, immediately after planting. No additional care is required for the hybrid. The plant lives 30-40 years.

Interesting fact. It is unlikely that hydrangea will become diseased; Frize Melba is a resistant variety. Diseases develop when growing a flower in a corner with a lack of sunlight, lack of fertilizers, and lack of access to fresh air. The novelty is also of little interest to insects.

The disadvantages of the crop include the difficulty of obtaining seeds and susceptibility to fungal diseases. The variety does not cope well with drought and rots when there is an excess of moisture.

Decor of garden paths with hydrangea Frez Melba in the Urals

General information

Hydrangea Frize Melba blooms profusely from spring to autumn. The color scheme of the hybrid gives unusual transitions from crimson to white shades, decorating the edges of the petal part, elongated in the shape of an elongated pyramid.

A distinctive feature of the plant is its flowering in the first year after planting. Moreover, this process occurs regardless of the condition of the bush. No additional care is needed for the hybrid. The paniculate form of Frize differs from its ancestors in its increased frost resistance and the ability to change color throughout the year: pink petals turn white, and light ones acquire a crimson color. The plant can live 30-40 years

Hydrangea Frize Melba

Botanical description

Paniculata hydrangea is an ornamental, profusely flowering shrub, frost-resistant and unpretentious. The Fraise Melba variety was obtained by the French breeder Jean Reno. The variety was presented at the Moscow exhibition in 2014.

Work on the Fraise Melba hydrangea lasted for 10 years. The variety got its name from the famous strawberry dessert. The shrub produces large pyramidal inflorescences that change color from white to burgundy. The contrast between the white top and red base is reminiscent of strawberries and cream.

Panicle hydrangea Frize Melba reaches 2 m in width and height. The bush has a compact appearance. The shoots are erect, brownish-burgundy in color.

The leaves are small, petiolate, located along the entire length of the shoots. Inflorescences form at the tops. The flowers are sterile; after flowering, no fruits are formed.

Important! Flowering of the Fraise Melba variety begins in mid-July and lasts until the end of September. Inflorescences are 30-40 cm long, with good agricultural technology they reach 55 cm.

Paniculata hydrangea looks good in single plantings, on lawns, and next to ornamental shrubs. It is used to decorate garden plots, greenhouses, parks and recreation areas. The Frize Melba variety is suitable for creating a hedge.

Features of the variety

The variety became widely available 5 years ago. Gardeners who have been growing hydrangea Frize Melba for several years note that it is a fairly large shrub. Indeed, according to the characteristics of the variety, the height of the plant can reach 2 meters. At the same time, not too branched, as well as strong and tough shoots allow the bush to maintain a compact shape and neat appearance.

The branches are dark in color, closer to burgundy. The shoots become woody and brown with age. The leaves of the shrub are dark green, shaped characteristic of hydrangea, slightly pointed at the top and wedge-shaped at the base, firmly attached to the branches by petioles.

The pyramidal inflorescences consist of a huge number of small flowers. The size of the inflorescences corresponds to the height of the bush, they are just as large and powerful, their length can range from 40 to 55 cm. At the very beginning, the buds are white, and at the peak of flowering only the top remains white, the bottom acquires a rich wine-red hue. It is for this color, as well as the shape of the buds, that the variety received its name, which translates as “strawberries with cream.” Long flowering is another feature of the variety. The bush begins to bloom in the second ten days of July, and ends in mid-autumn, decorating the area throughout almost the entire season.

Types and varieties of plants, appearance

Despite the fact that many people believe that hydrangea is a very capricious plant that is almost impossible to grow and bring to flowering, this is not true. More precisely, you can choose from all existing types of hydrangea several species that will grow quickly and easily, and will not require global care.

There are more than 70 types of hydrangea, and one of the most picky is the Frize Melba variety. It has two names - Hydrangea paniculata fraise Melba and Hydrangea pan little Fraise. This is a relatively new plant variety, which was first introduced in 2014 in Russia. It was developed by the Frenchman Jean Reno. The variety is very beautiful and attractive, so many will want to plant it in their gardens or grow it in a pot.

The variety is resistant to frost, and therefore will feel comfortable even in Siberia. The top of the flowers remains white for a very long time, hence the name of the variety - Frize Melba. The inflorescences at the beginning of flowering are mostly milky white, later they become pinkish and at the end of flowering they acquire a bright wine color.

Hydrangea of this variety has a number of advantages, and here are some of them:

Application in landscape design

Hydrangea variety "Fries Melba" is loved by many connoisseurs of exquisite phytodesign. It is used in decorating gardens and parks when creating hedges, landscape compositions and single plantings. The “Fries Melba” type combines well in plantings with phlox and sedum; ensembles with other varieties of hydrangeas and rhododendrons are very effective. Landscape designers do not recommend planting more than 3-4 hydrangea bushes in separate flowerbeds, and with “Fries Melba” it is better to plant 2-3 bushes of other varieties of hydrangea with different petal colors. Single planted "Fries Melba" looks impressive on lawns.

Selection and varietal characteristics

The plant was bred by domestic breeders quite recently - only in 2014. By now, however, this Hydrangea Paniculata has already won the hearts of numerous gardeners, as well as several medals at exhibitions. Let us note the unpretentiousness of the plant, increased frost resistance and, at the same time, surprisingly luxurious flowering.

External description

The shrub is tall - it stretches two meters, however, it is quite compact in width and does not take up too much space in the garden bed. The shoots are very tough and branch weakly: thanks to this feature, the bush does not fall apart and does not need garter.

At the beginning of growth, the shoots are colored burgundy; as they mature, they become brown. The foliage has a characteristic oblong shape, dark green in color.

Bloom

Individual flowers of small diameter are collected in very lush, representative inflorescences. The shape of the resulting caps is cone-shaped with a narrow part at the end. The length of the inflorescences reaches 40 cm, sometimes 55 cm.

The color of the flowers is interesting: at first they are milky, gradually acquire a pinkish tint, and by autumn they turn into rich red with a wine undertone. The top of the inflorescence always remains white, while the lower part darkens (see photo). The middle is therefore pink. The result is a kind of gradient, very attractive and unusual. The flowering period begins in mid-summer and continues until autumn frosts.

A remarkable feature is that flowering occurs literally in the first year after planting. And in subsequent years, even if the bush was damaged by frost during the winter, it will bloom in any case.

But in order for hydrangea to bloom magnificently, it requires pruning. This is probably the only condition that cannot be neglected in this case. Pruning should be annual and include several stages.

pros

The plant is distinguished by its rare immunity to pests and diseases.
Hydrangea does not make any special demands on the substrate and does not require garter or support.
Can grow in partial shade.
Given very high growth, it takes up little space on the site.
Outwardly it looks unusual, elegant, and adds zest to any flower garden.
The flowering period is long.
Care is easy, the plant is not capricious.
High resistance to frost, which is very important in our climate. The best option for growing in the difficult climate of the Urals or Siberia.

Reproduction methods

Propagation of paniculate hydrangea can be carried out in many ways: cuttings, layering, divisions and seeds. The first of them is considered the simplest and most productive method of obtaining new plant specimens.

Cuttings

The plant will take root well if you follow the basic recommendations for cuttings. Experienced gardeners cut sprouts from the bush in the early morning or in cloudy weather. Green cuttings 10 cm long are cut from annual shoots, leaving the upper leaves shortened by a third with several buds. The shoots connected by a bunch at the bottom are treated with a growth stimulator, the upper cut is disinfected with brilliant green and planted at an angle in containers.

The substrate for shrubs is prepared on the basis of turf, peat and sand, in a ratio of 1:3:4. The cutting is placed in a dug groove 5 cm deep. The soil is first disinfected in the oven at a temperature of 200 degrees. A more convenient option would be to use ready-made soil mixture for azaleas.

The sprouts are covered with glass jars and ventilated weekly for 15 minutes. Over the course of a month, the cuttings take root and the cover is removed. In areas with a mild climate, the shoots are planted in moist loamy soil; in winter, the shoots are carefully covered. In the northern climate zone, rooted hydrangea is left in a cool room until next spring.

Preparing cuttings for planting

Growing from seeds

You can often see seedlings on sale rather than seeds, as this is a faster way to get a plant. The inflorescences of this plant are sterile, and therefore it will not be possible to collect planting material at home; it can be purchased in specialized stores.

Growing hydrangeas in the garden

Hydrangea in the garden

Hydrangea Dolly - description, planting and care

Plant care involves the following operations:

Feeding the bushes with fertilizers is carried out once every 10 days. First, nitrogen mixtures are used, then during the development of inflorescences the hybrid is transferred to potassium and phosphorus solutions. Fertilizers are applied for the last time in the fall. From organic substances, humus or slurry is used.
The variety loves watering. To do this, you need water with a pH of no more than 5.5. Irrigation is carried out 3 times a week. If the summer is hot, it is recommended to increase the volume of water used by 2-3 times.
After planting, the soil is loosened 3 times per season. The depth of immersion of the tool into the ground should not exceed 50-100 mm. This operation can be combined with watering.
The variety must be protected from various weeds. They are weeded every week.

Important! It is recommended to constantly update the mulch, otherwise the hydrangea will begin to wither from overheating.

Pruning hydrangea Melba is done as follows:

after the buds swell in the spring, cut the bushes to 1/3 of their length;
before wintering, the branches of young seedlings are reduced to 3-4 buds;
the old plant is cut off at the root;
The formation of cuttings is carried out over 4-5 years.

Important! If the variety blooms for the first time, it is recommended to remove the buds. This will allow you to get a more luxuriant crown next year.

Growing conditions

Let's find out where to place this hydrangea on the site, what conditions need to be maintained for its health and beautiful flowering.

Lighting and location

The plant has no special complaints about the choice of its location: planting the Fraise Melba hydrangea is permissible both in partial shade and in the sun. It is important, however, to protect the flower from direct sun during the midday hours. Strong shadow is not suitable.

Since this is a hydrangea, soil moisture levels are very important. Choose a place so that the roots of the flower remain moist for a long time. Dry areas are only permissible if you have the opportunity to water the plant frequently.

Temperature

In general, the plant is frost-resistant. Bred by domestic breeders, this hydrangea can withstand frosts down to -30-35 degrees. And this is without shelter. If in your region the frosts drop even lower in winter, take care of covering the hydrangea in the fall.

Also make sure that the flower is protected from gusty winds and drafts. Hydrangea does not like sudden changes in temperature. It is optimal to plant it under the protection of a house wall or fence on the north side.

Humidity

This flower will not survive without moisture - like all hydrangeas, Fraise Melba is very dependent on water. Plant it in well-moistened soil (but not waterlogged!), and do not forget about regular watering during the growing process. If the summer is hot, daily watering is required - only this approach will preserve the health and external beauty of the plant.

Priming

This beauty should be grown in a fertile substrate, with a predominance of clay. The soil should be slightly acidic - this will ensure the brightness of the buds. By planting the plant in alkaline, calcareous soil, you will get nondescript inflorescences of a pale shade.

So, we found out what the Frize Melba hydrangea is. This amazing shrub amazes with its exquisite beauty and unusual gradient flower caps. Due to the fact that the variety is domestic, it is unpretentious and adapted to the conditions of our climate, environment and soil.

Landing and seat selection

When choosing a place for planting hydrangea "Fries Melba" you need to consider:

Illumination;
Soil moisture;
Wind protection.

This unpretentious plant thrives in both sun and partial shade. But it is advisable that at noon the sun’s rays do not fall on the young bush. The location is chosen so that during the day the plants are protected from direct rays. Also, you should not plant the bush in a heavily shaded place.

You cannot choose wetlands for planting. The ideal place for the plant is where the soil remains moist for a long time. But even in dry areas, the Frize Melba hydrangea can grow provided it is watered regularly.

It is advisable to choose a place for the bush that is protected from strong gusts of wind. A fence or wall of the house is suitable for protection.

Paniculata hydrangea Frize Melba is planted in the spring, when the soil is warm enough and there are no frosts.

For the plant, it is necessary to dig a planting hole with a diameter of at least 50 cm and the same depth. The hole is spilled with water, and the next day they begin planting.

It is necessary to lay a drainage layer of broken bricks at the bottom of the planting hole, and then fill it with nutritious soil. It is recommended to add to the soil removed from the hole:

Peat;
Humus;

All components are taken in equal parts. The hole is filled 1/3, the roots of the seedling are straightened in the hole and covered with prepared soil. After planting, the plant should be watered and shaded for 2-3 weeks.

Planting hydrangea Frize Melba

In order for Hydrangea paniculata Frize Melba to actively develop, it needs to be provided with proper planting and care.

Recommended timing

Plants of this variety should be planted in the spring, when the last frosts have gone. By this period, the soil is already well warmed up, and constant heat is established outside.

Where to plant

To plant paniculate hydrangea Frize Melba, you can choose either a sunny open place or partial shade. The best option for this variety is a bright area that is shaded during the hot midday sunlight. The crop must be planted in the shade.

To prevent the shrub from breaking due to strong winds, you should plant it near the fence. Constant drafts can cause plant disease.

Preparing soil and seedlings

The land for planting must be fertile. It is best to choose a loamy soil substrate. The soil should have a slightly acidified pH environment. You should not choose land that contains a large amount of limestone or sandstone.

Planting material must be kept in a cool place until planting.

Step by step planting process

Planting of hydrangea Frize Melba is carried out in the following sequence:

Dig a hole with sides of 50 cm.
Fill with drainage made of broken brick or expanded clay (10-15 cm).
Pour a mixture of turf soil mixed with peat and sand. To constantly maintain soil moisture, it is advisable to add hydrogel.
When planting in the spring, it is recommended to remove young shoots by 3-4 buds, without wasting the plant’s energy on the development of shoots; initially, the crop should grow roots.
The roots of the seedling are well moistened in the purchased pot.
The sprout is placed vertically in a wet hole, sprinkled with earth, leaving the root collar on the surface of the soil.
The soil around the shoots is compacted and watered with two buckets of water.

Planting a sprout takes a minimum of time and does not cause difficulties even for beginners.

The first flowering of the shrub after transplantation

Planting a plant in open ground

Choosing a place and time of landing

The requirements for determining a planting site for "Fries Melba" are as follows: protection from winds and drafts, the absence in the immediate environment of plantings with a superficial type of root system, as well as flowers that require annual deep digging of the soil.

Lowlands and wetlands are strictly prohibited; stagnant processes in which can lead to rotting of the bushes. Particular attention should be paid to the location of groundwater. If they are closer than 1.5 m, then the plant will not take root.

Certain conditions apply to illumination. Hydrangea should receive full sunlight for at least 6 hours a day. The best option is a bright area with light natural shading at midday from tall trees. The hot midday sun can cause damage, including scorching of leaves, fading of inflorescences and overheating of surface roots.

It is advisable to carefully consider the choice of area for planting, since “Fries Melba” can grow in one place for up to 40 years.

The best time to plant hydrangea in open ground is late April - May. As a rule, at this time stable warmth has already set in, the threat of return frosts has passed, and the soil warms up (up to 10°C and above) to a depth of 15-20 cm. Over the summer, the plant will have time to get stronger, grow its root mass and be prepared for the winter cold.

Autumn planting is also allowed, but young seedlings will require significant winter insulation.

Soil preparation

For favorable growth and flowering of the Frize Melba variety, loamy soil is recommended, mainly with slightly acidic characteristics (pH - 4.5-5.5). At the same time, it must be of high fertility, air and water permeability, and also loose.

It is also possible to plant in areas with a normal level of acid-base balance. To increase the acidity values, the following is added to the soil: peat, spruce sawdust, ammonium sulfate, iron sulfate or citric acid. The crop cannot be planted on sandy soil.

Boarding order:

It is recommended to begin preparing the planting hole 1-2 weeks before the start of work. Requirements for its size are 2-2.5 times the volume of the root system. For a mini-bush grown from a cutting, a hole with dimensions of 30 x 30 x 30 cm will be sufficient. At the same time, for a five-year-old seedling from a nursery, the dimensions of the hole should be doubled to 60 x 60 x 60 cm.
A drainage layer of about 10 cm from broken bricks, crushed stone, pebbles, expanded clay, etc. is poured onto the bottom.
Then a mixture of garden soil, peat, compost and sand is prepared in a ratio of 2:2:1:0.5, respectively, with the addition of mineral fertilizers (superphosphate - 70 g, potassium sulfate - 30 g, ammonium sulfate - 30 g). The hole is filled 1/3 with soil mixture and left to shrink for an average of 10 days.
In calm weather, the seedling with a lump of earth is transferred to a prepared hole, covered with soil and watered with warm water. After its absorption, mulching is organized (peat, humus, pine needles, etc.). It is important not to bury the plant so that the root collar is open. It is shaded within a month after planting.

Caring for hydrangea Fraze Melba

In order for the Fraze Melba hydrangea to continue to delight its owners with its beautiful blooms, it needs to be provided with the care it needs. The main conditions for maintaining the life of this variety are watering, pruning, mulching and fertilizing.

Watering

This variety, like all hydrangeas, is a moisture-loving crop, so proper watering is the most important element of agricultural technology. In a dry summer, without watering, the bush will dry out. Abundant watering is necessary 3-4 times a week. In hot, dry times you will have to water daily. However, you should also not over-moisten the soil to prevent rotting of the roots. In rainy weather, depending on the intensity of the rain, watering is reduced or stopped altogether.

Feeding

The Fraze Melba variety is fed with organic matter and mineral complexes. Several treatments are carried out during the season.

Feeding scheme for hydrangea Frize Melba:

before buds open in spring;
at the beginning of budding;
in midsummer;
in the fall before preparing for winter.

For the first feeding, an infusion is prepared based on organic components: bird droppings or mullein. The fertilizer is poured with water in a ratio of 1:15 and left to infuse for 2 days. The resulting product is used to water the Freise Melba variety at the root.

Features of hydrangea

Hydrangea is rarely attacked by aphids.
Hydrangea almost never gets sick. This can only happen if it is planted in the wrong place, fed incorrectly, or grown in an area where it gets direct sunlight.
It tolerates winter frosts very well.
Not demanding on soil composition.
The color of the inflorescences may change depending on the duration of flowering. Pink flowers turn to white, and white flowers turn to pink.

Many summer residents began to plant this particular variety of hydrangea in their garden, which decorates any landscape composition with its lush, bright color. Hydrangea looks great next to phlox, mantle and knotweed. It is not recommended to plant it near birch trees, as it very much takes moisture from the soil, and hydrangea really needs water. You can combine several types of hydrangeas in one composition, it looks very beautiful. Thanks to its rigid branches, the bush does not fall apart, but maintains its shape. With proper care, hydrangea will delight you with its blooms and variety of colors for many years.

Diseases and pests

The Frize Melba variety is immune to diseases, but errors in planting and care can lead to unpleasant consequences. Fungal diseases and rot affect hydrangea if it is planted in the shade and on marshy soil. Constant cold winds and drafts reduce plant immunity. To prevent fungal diseases in spring and autumn, hydrangea must be treated with the preparation “HOM”. Insect pests (snails, weevils, bedbugs, aphids) are destroyed with insecticides. It is important to constantly monitor the condition of the plant. If any symptoms appear, you must immediately take effective measures, and not rely on the Russian “maybe” and do not wait for the disease to take over the entire bush.

Planting and care

The place for planting a young bush is prepared several weeks in advance. Plant a flower bush in the spring. It is better to choose a slightly shaded place. If you plan to plant on the sunny side, be prepared for the need for regular watering. One bush will require at least 2 buckets of water weekly. In dense shade, such as on the north side of the house, the plant will be depressed and will not show you its full potential.

There are no great requirements for the soil, but in a fertile area you will get a more lush and strong bush. The soil reaction is slightly acidic or neutral. High humidity will not be a problem, but a swampy place will not be suitable.

Planting technology:

prepare a square pit with a half-meter wall;
fill the bottom with drainage material 10-15 cm (broken brick, pebbles, crushed stone, construction waste);
the same layer of sand on top;
fertile soil with peat almost to the top (peat will add the necessary degree of acidity).

We bury the young bush up to the neck. It is important to leave it above the ground. We leave a small depression around for effective watering. If planted in an open area, then protect it from direct sunlight for 2-3 weeks.

Maintenance is simple and comes down to conventional agricultural techniques - watering, fertilizing, loosening, mulching. Experienced gardeners prefer mulching to loosening. In an adult plant, the trunk area is usually tinned.

Note! When mowing the tree trunk area, it is important not to damage the shrub bark with the fishing line. Inexperienced gardeners often forget about this, and the plant dies “for unknown reasons.”

Feeding hydrangea Frize Melba

Fertilizing is carried out according to the general scheme for garden plants:

Nitrogen fertilizers are applied in the spring. These can be ammonium complexes, urea. It is better not to use saltpeter, as it gradually alkalizes the soil.
In autumn, hydrangea is strengthened with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. Apply according to the rate indicated on the packaging.

Regular mulching of the tree trunk circle with manure and sawdust or separately with pine sawdust has a good effect on the growth of hydrangea paniculata.

Disease resistance

With proper care and in a good place, your hydrangea Frize Melba will not get sick. Rot and fungal diseases develop on bushes that are planted in the shade in a wetland. Constant winds and drafts weaken the immune system.

The plant does not tolerate lack of moisture well. In a dry summer without watering, the roots will dry out and the bush will die.

Trimming

Adult hydrangea needs annual pruning. In the spring, formative pruning is carried out - the middle is thinned out, growth is limited (if required). The time is chosen before the start of sap flow.

Sanitary pruning is left for the fall. In autumn, you need to cut off all the panicles, grabbing a couple of buds from below. Old and damaged branches are cut out from the ground.

How to plant a flower

Hydrangea Phantom - description, planting and care

Hydrangea Frazee Melba loves soils containing a small amount of lime. The variety tolerates places illuminated by the sun and partial shade. The hybrid needs a lot of moisture to grow, so it is better to plant it in areas where groundwater flows close. For countries such as Russia, the optimal time for planting sprouts is spring.

After purchasing seedlings of the desired variety, a hole measuring 0.3 X 0.3 X 0.3 m is dug in the ground. Sod, river sand, organic (manure) and mineral (superphosphate) fertilizers are poured into it, and a little peat is added.

Hydrangea seedling

Planting is done after shortening the roots. The bush is watered generously with warm water. Mulching is done with humus. Its layer should have a thickness of up to 50 mm. If hydrangeas are planted in small groups, the distance between the bushes should be at least 100 cm.

Important! These flowers are propagated by cuttings, dividing the bush or layering. In the first case, seedlings are harvested in late spring or summer. Annual shoots up to 120 mm long are cut, leaves are removed, treated with a stimulant, and planted in a greenhouse. After the seedling develops, it is transferred to open ground.

Melba hydrangea bushes are divided in autumn and spring. They are dug up, divided into parts, leaving renewable buds, and then planted in new flower beds.

Layers are obtained from shoots 12 months old. They are bent to the ground, covered with earth, leaving a top of 0.2 m. In the spring, a new shoot is separated and replanted. These flowers are practically not propagated by seeds.

Varietal characteristics of hydrangea Vanille Fraise

Hydrangea Vanilla Fraze is a two-meter spreading shrub with straight shoots of burgundy-red color and rough, bright green, oval-shaped leaves with a pointed tip. It belongs to the paniculate species hydrangea arborescens, since during the decorative period it forms large pyramidal inflorescences up to 40 cm long. The shrub blooms in mid-June, flowering continues until the end of September. Under the weight of the panicles, the elastic shoots bend, making the bush look symmetrical.

The French breeder Eric Renault worked on developing the variety, and only 11 years later he achieved the desired result. One of the main features of the variety is the unusual color of the inflorescence: blooming in white, after a few weeks the shade of the lower half of the panicle becomes pink. The smooth color transition and cone shape are reminiscent of vanilla-strawberry ice cream. By planting this variety, during the flowering period you will be able to admire the gorgeous bushes every day and relax in their surroundings.

In terms of frost resistance, hydrangea paniculata Vanilla Fraze is at the top of the list; planting in open ground is possible in all regions with seasonal frosts down to -30°C.

A variety with similar characteristics and the same planting requirements is a novelty in the world of floristry - hydrangea Fraze Melba, introduced in 2015. This variety also blooms with pink and white paniculate inflorescences, but here there is a more intense crimson color and a contrasting transition of shades.

Hydrangea Vanilla Frazee: preparing for winter

Paniculate hydrangeas tolerate our winters well, especially if there are no sudden temperature changes. A distinctive feature of Vanille Fraise is its high frost resistance down to -29C. And if adult plants can easily survive a harsh winter and only the shoots freeze, then young bushes can simply die. In order for your adult hydrangeas to successfully overwinter, it is enough to hill up the bushes in the fall by 20–30 cm with rotted compost or garden soil. Plants planted in spring should be covered, especially the root circle. Fallen tree leaves or coniferous spruce branches are suitable for this purpose.

Description of the Vanilla Fraze variety

Hydrangea paniculata is becoming popular again after long being considered old-fashioned. Especially in late summer, when the rest of the flowers have already faded, the chic panicles of hydrangea set accents in the green garden.

Foamy whisks of Vanilla Fries are very reminiscent of strawberry-vanilla ice cream with cream

For your information! Hydrangeas come from China and Japan, where almost all the main species grow wild in forests, where they reach a height of 7 m, depending on the species. At the end of the 18th century. cultivated species of hydrangea were brought from Japan to England, and from there they spread throughout Europe. There are about 70 species of hydrangea in the world.

The most popular and widespread are garden and paniculata. Paniculata hydrangea was first described by F. F. von Siebold in 1829. This type of hydrangea first appeared in Russia in the Moscow region in the Savateev nursery in 2008.

Hydrangea Vanilla Fries is a bush with a height of 1 to 2.5 m. The plants begin to bloom with vanilla white flowers, which during the summer gradually turn shades from pink to strawberry color, while the top of the pyramidal panicle remains vanilla-white. The color of the panicles resembles a giant portion of strawberry ice cream with cream, hence the name of the variety.

The ability to grow plants of this variety in countries with low average temperatures has made Vanilla hydrangea popular. According to the stories of the French breeder E. Renault, the variety was first presented at the Planatarium exhibition in 2006 in Holland and was awarded several prizes.

Note! Plants of this variety are readily used in compositions by landscape design specialists. Hydrangea Vanilla Fraze has egg-shaped leaves of light to medium green color.

Flowering time is from June to mid-autumn. The pyramid-shaped panicles are perfect for decorating a room as flowers for a vase; dried panicles can also be used for interior decoration and making ikebana

Hydrangea Vanilla Fraze has egg-shaped leaves of light to medium green color. Flowering time is from June to mid-autumn. The pyramid-shaped panicles are perfect for decorating a room as flowers for a vase; dried panicles can also be used for interior decoration and making ikebana.