Among ornamental plants, which are popular all over the world, panicle hydrangea occupies a special place. This species was named for the similarity of inflorescences of the plant with panicles. Thanks to the tremendous work of breeders, a large number of plant varieties that are decorative and highly frost-resistant have been developed on the basis of this species. One of these hydrangea varieties called the Polar Bear, which can withstand temperatures up to –40 ° C, will be discussed in the article.
Grade characteristics
Based on the description, panicle hydrangea variety Polar Bear (Polar Bear, Polar bear) is characterized as a shrub. Its height is 2 m and its volume is 1.5 m. These parameters must be taken into account when planting plants. If they are located very close to each other, this is fraught with the fact that they will not have enough air, sun, moisture and necessary nutrients.
The shoot of the plant is dense, stiff and straight, which makes it impossible to break under the weight of the inflorescences that form the flower. The shape of the leaves is slightly oblong and has a bright saturated green color. The peculiarity of the hydrangea of this variety is that the color of the leaves will not change even in the autumn period.
Did you know? In Japan, hydrangea is often called "audzisai" and is considered to be a charm against dark forces, as well as a flower that brings incredible luck.
Inflorescences have a compact conical shape, the diameter of which is 35–40 cm. There are large and barren flowers with a diameter wider than 3 cm and smaller, but fertile. Small flowers with fertility quickly fall off. Thanks to this, the hydrangea bush is completely covered only by large inflorescences.
The color of the flowers at the initial stage of development may be pistachio, but over time it becomes pale white, and then turns pink. The flowering process of the Polar Bear variety occurs from the second half of July until the beginning of November.
Rules and terms of landing
In order for the ornamental hydrangea shrub to grow well, it is necessary to observe the terms and rules of planting this plant. The period in which it is better to plant the variety of hydrangea in question is spring or autumn.
If the planting is planned in the fall, it is worth taking care of the shelter of the bush for the winter. In this case, free space must be selected so that in the daytime it receives the maximum amount of light. The optimal amount of lighting for hydrangea is about 6 hours. Moreover, in order for the planting result to really please, you need to choose areas that are not blown by a strong wind.
Important! Due to its high resistance to frost, hydrangea can be bred and grown even in the harsh conditions of Siberia.
It is recommended to plant a bush in spring in the northern regions or the middle lane.. It is better if it will be around mid-April. There will be enough time for the bush to take root.
Video: Hydrangea Polar Bear
Seat selection
Before embarking on hydrangea planting, it is important to choose a good area where it will grow.
It is recommended to provide the following conditions:
- Hydrangea cultivation Polar bear is best carried out on the side of the site where it is concentrated maximum amount of sunlight, namely in the southern part. It is important that there are a small number of trees or structures nearby, which will help create an additional shadow. You can see that in full sunshine hydrangea will not bloom so plentifully, so you should also pay attention to this.
- The best soil for hydrangea is plentifully moistened. At the same time, one does not have to be zealous, because wetlands can negatively affect the root system, which quickly undergoes a process of decay. Hydrangea should not be planted near groundwater or in lowlands. If it is noticed that the soil moisture is excessively high, drainage is additionally used.
- To get a good flowering shrub, you need to choose the most fertile soil. If this is not done, the plant may be ill due to a lack of nutrients. Therefore, it is better if the soil is slightly acidic or neutral.
Pit preparation
Preparing a planting pit for a flower should be done in advance.
First, you should dig all the land in the area where the plant will be placed, and then enrich it with additional components:
- mix the same parts of sand and peat;
- add leafy soil and humus also in equal parts, but their amount should be twice as large as peat with sand.
Did you know? Hydrangea is considered a medicinal plant, so it can be used to prepare decoctions to improve the functioning of the vascular and urinary systems, and for men it — assistant in the fight against inflammation of the prostate gland.
At the stage of soil preparation experts recommend immediately laying mineral complex fertilizers in the pitwith the help of which an hydration process of hydrangea rooting takes place an order of magnitude faster.
Digging holes for this plant is different compared to other species. This is due to the fact that in hydrangea the root system belongs to the surface type, therefore, the pit should not be too deep. Optimum indicators of diameter and depth are 30 cm. In this case, half of the pit must be filled with prepared fertilizers.
Then, the hydrangea seedling must be soaked in water before being placed in the soil, after which it should be carefully placed in the prepared hole and the roots carefully spread. Then, the pit should be covered with the remains of the soil mixture so that the root neck remains above the ground. At the last stage, the seedling can be abundantly watered.
Important! It is forbidden to tamp the earth in the near-stem circle after planting a seedling, it only needs to be slightly loosened.
After landing care
Equally important is proper care, which must be performed as efficiently as possible.
In order to please the spectacular flowering of hydrangea Polar Bear for a long time, attention should be paid to such procedures:
- watering;
- pruning
- top dressing.
Watering
The variety loves a lot of moisture, so with the systematic moistening of the soil, you can count on the bright flowering of the bush. The plant needs weekly watering. Under the barrel you need to pour 2 buckets of water. If the rainy weather is prolonged, watering can be reduced to once a month.
To evaporate moisture from the near-stem earthen circle more slowly, it is necessary to mulch it with sawdust, humus and peat. Loosening the soil will enable the root system to receive oxygen.
Did you know? On Buddha’s birthday, halls of Buddhist temples are decorated with hydrangea flowers.
Top dressing
Fertilizer is no less important than watering, because the correct organization of this process contributes to the appearance of beautiful and bright flowers in large numbers on the bush.
Hydrangea should be fed 4 times throughout the year, namely:
- in early spring - for building green crowns;
- late spring - to obtain more flowering bloom;
- in the middle of July - for protection against diseases and pests;
- late fall - to increase resistance to frost.
In the spring season, it is worth giving preference to those top dressings, which contain nitrogen in large quantities. It can be urea or ammonium nitrate. Potassium and superphosphate are fertilizer options used in the summer or autumn. Additionally, organics such as humus or manure can be used.
Pruning
Variety Polar Bir is prone to rapid growth, therefore, requires systematic pruning. After the plant sprouts in one area for 4 years, you can begin to prune it with a frequency of twice a year.
The first haircut is carried out in the spring before the onset of sap flow. You need to trim all broken and dry branches. If the bush is not yet covered with green leaves, it is easy to notice them. Healthy shoots also need to be cut, but by 2/3, which will make it possible to create a bush of the correct shape.
In autumn, you need to get rid of broken and dry branches, as well as faded inflorescences. This not only helps to improve hydrangea, but also protects the plant from breaking branches during heavy snowfall.
If the gardener is dealing with old hydrangea, it is systematically recommended to conduct anti-aging pruning. With it, the entire bush is cut to the base, which makes it possible to form strong shoots for next year. But they resort to such a procedure only when it is noticed that the bush practically does not bloom.
Important! So that the variety does not deteriorate, and the plant does not lose its decorative effect, you need to regularly trim the bush.
Winter preparations
When it gets cold outside, you need to take care of hydrangea wintering in advance. The Polar Bear variety has high frost resistance (up to –40 ° С). Despite this, the bush should be covered for the winter, especially if these are young bushes that are still sensitive to temperature changes.
Until frosts set in, the soil in the near-stem circle needs to be mulched with peat, sawdust and needles. The mulch layer should be approximately 20 cm. Young bushes need to be covered with spruce branches or additionally covered with burlap. Such methods of shelter make it possible to protect the bush not only from the cold, but also from a strong wind.
Did you know? The name hydrangea comes from two words, which in translation means “vessel” and “water”, which indicates the moisture loving nature of the plant.
Breeding
For the variety Polar Bear, it is possible to use a vegetative method of reproduction. Therefore, there is no need to buy a huge number of seedlings if more than one bush is planned to be grown on the site.
The most commonly used hydrangea propagation methods:
- cuttings;
- use of layering;
- rhizome division.
The most famous, simple and popular method of propagation is by cuttings.. In the spring, a small amount of annual young shoots needs to be cut from the plant. After 3 days, the cuttings must be placed in water, and then planted in soil made from sand and peat. The top of the handle must be covered with a film or a glass jar. In cool and slightly damp conditions, the plant should be kept until green shoots are formed, after which they can be planted in the ground.
When propagating using layering a healthy lower shoot should be bent to the surface of the earth in the spring, and the branch itself should be fixed in a small groove in its middle part. The resulting layering should be well watered over the summer, along with an adult plant. Such layering will give roots quickly, so next year it can be separated from the mother bush.
If the gardener deals with old plants, it is advisable to reproduce them by rhizome division. First you need to completely dig out the hydrangea, and then divide the root into 3-4 equal parts so that each part has several growth buds. The separated fragments must be processed in a potassium permanganate solution for quick rooting. After they can be planted in the soil.
Seed propagation is not applicable for this type of hydrangea.. You can try to do this, but, as practice shows, achieving a positive result is almost impossible.
Did you know? Depending on the acidity of the soil, hydrangea can change the color of the flowers.
Diseases and Pests
The presented hydrangea cultivars have high rates of disease resistance. Sometimes there are cases when the bush is affected by such a fungal disease as chlorosis. The disease may appear with poor watering, or if the plant grows on poor soil. You can notice such an ailment by sharply yellowed leaves. For treatment, special means are used, among which “Antichlorosis” and “Chelate” are especially popular.
Among the pests can be found:
- spider mite;
- leaf aphid;
- snail;
- slug.
To avoid infection, you need to systematically inspect the shoots and leaves. As soon as the first symptoms of the presence of pests are noticed, the plants are treated with Bordeaux liquid, soapy water or special insecticides designed for ornamental plants.
Important! Sanitary pruning, the use of a solution of iron and decanted water are ideal protection against diseases and pests for the plant.
Use in landscape design
In the landscape design of garden plots, the Polar Bear hydrangea is often used, which harmoniously fits into any conditions.
The plant is used:
- in flower arrangements or single plantings;
- when making hedges;
- in combination with maples, lilacs, firs;
- in conjunction with perennial shrubs;
- as a supplement for trimmed borders and alleys in combination with alpine currants, Japanese lilacs and boxwood.
If you want to decorate your own garden with spectacular hydrangea flowers, the gardener must follow all the rules of agricultural technology. This will make it possible, with minimal care, to grow a cold-resistant and hardy plant on the plot, which will delight the beauty of lush flowering before the onset of cold weather.
