Hydrangea cinerea
Encyclopedia
Hydrangea cinerea is a small to medium sized, deciduous shrub up to 3 m tall; its natural range is interior regions of the southeastern United States. Its common names reflect the ashy or gray appearance of the undersides of its leaves, which results from a dense pubesence.
from Tennessee
to South Carolina
, west to Missouri
, south to Arkansas
, Alabama
, and Georgia
. It is typically found in neutral, basic or calcareous soils.
) and the restricted silverleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea radiata
). At one time both ashy hydrangea and silverleaf hydrangea were considered subspecies of smooth hydrangea. However, most taxonomist now consider them to be separate species, and that usage is adopted here.
The leaves of ashy hydrangea are large (8 to 15 cm long), opposite, serrated, ovate
, and deciduous
. Lower leaf surfaces are variously pubescent, appearing gray; the trichomes are usually not dense enough to entirely mask the green leaf surface; as seen under magnification, the trichomes have prominent tubercles (bumps).
Ashy hydrangea was probably used medicinally in a similar manner as smooth hydrangea by the Cherokee Indians, and later, by early settlers for treatment of kidney and bladder stones.
Range/Habitat
Ashy hydrangea occurs scattered in mostly upland sites and rocky outcrops in the interior regions of the southeastern United States in the southern sections of the Blue Ridge MountainsBlue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
from Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
to South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, west to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, south to Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. It is typically found in neutral, basic or calcareous soils.
Taxonomy
Ashy hydrangea is similar to the more widespread smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescensHydrangea arborescens
Hydrangea arborescens, commonly known as Smooth Hydrangea, Wild Hydrangea, or Sevenbark, is a small to medium sized, deciduous shrub up to 3 m tall that is native to the eastern United States.-Range/Habitat:...
) and the restricted silverleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea radiata
Hydrangea radiata
Hydrangea radiata is an attractive, deciduous shrub up to 3 m tall; its natural range is limited to the southern Appalachians, where it is fairly common...
). At one time both ashy hydrangea and silverleaf hydrangea were considered subspecies of smooth hydrangea. However, most taxonomist now consider them to be separate species, and that usage is adopted here.
Characteristics
The inflorescence of ashy hydrangea is a corymb. The showy, sterile flowers (white to near white) are few (0-3 per flowerhead) and are borne around the periphery of the corymb; they are usually greater than 1 cm in diameter. Flowering occurs in late spring or early summer.The leaves of ashy hydrangea are large (8 to 15 cm long), opposite, serrated, ovate
Leaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
, and deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
. Lower leaf surfaces are variously pubescent, appearing gray; the trichomes are usually not dense enough to entirely mask the green leaf surface; as seen under magnification, the trichomes have prominent tubercles (bumps).
Uses
This attractive native shrub is often cultivated for ornamental use. Ashy hydrangea is more tolerant of heat and drought than silverleaf hydrangea. Several popular cultivars (Frosty, Pink Pin Cushion, and Sterilis) are available that have a greater component of showy, sterile flowers.Ashy hydrangea was probably used medicinally in a similar manner as smooth hydrangea by the Cherokee Indians, and later, by early settlers for treatment of kidney and bladder stones.