Hydrangea serrata
Encyclopedia
Hydrangea serrata is a species of Hydrangea
native to mountainous regions of eastern Asia
and Japan
; common names include mountain hydrangea and tea of heaven. It is widely cultivated as an attractive ornamental shrub throughout the world in areas with suitable climate and soil.
(H. macrophylla). There are many cultivars available for mountain hydrangea.
, having both male and female parts; they are insect pollinated.
Softwood cuttings
can be rooted during summer, as can hardwood cuttings during fall and winter. Mound layering
can be accomplished in the spring.
Mountain hydrangea are winter hardy to USDA Zone 6, and it can be grown in USDA Zone 5 with protection (e.g., mulch and burlap wrap). It may lose significant numbers of flower buds or die to the ground in harsh winters, impairing or decimating the bloom for the coming year. Plants are hardy to about -13 degrees Fahrenheit when dormant, but the young growth in spring can be killed by late frosts.
, bud blight, bacterial wilt
, leaf spot
, and powdery mildew
. Aphids are occasional summer pests.
The leaves of mountain hydrangea contain pyllodulcin
, a natural sweetener, and are used to make regionally popular herbal teas (sugukcha in Korea and amacha in Japan). Amacha tea is used in Japan in the celebration Buddha
's birth.
Hydrangea
Hydrangea is a genus of about 70 to 75 species of flowering plants native to southern and eastern Asia and North and South America. By far the greatest species diversity is in eastern Asia, notably China, Japan, and Korea...
native to mountainous regions of eastern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
; common names include mountain hydrangea and tea of heaven. It is widely cultivated as an attractive ornamental shrub throughout the world in areas with suitable climate and soil.
Taxonomy
Considerable difficulties exist in the nomenclature for mountain hydrangea and closely associated hydrangeas. It is treated here as an individual species in accordance with van Gelderen and van Gelderen. Many botanists, however, view mountain hydrangea as no more than a subspecies of bigleaf hydrangeaHydrangea macrophylla
Hydrangea macrophylla is a species of Hydrangea native to Japan. Common names include Bigleaf Hydrangea, French Hydrangea, Lacecap Hydrangea, Mophead Hydrangea, Penny Mac and Hortensia...
(H. macrophylla). There are many cultivars available for mountain hydrangea.
Natural range
Eastern Asia and Japan in woodlands of mountainous regions to 5,000 feet. It is planted world wide in suitable climates and soils as an attractive ornamental.Characteristics
Mountain hydrangea is similar to big leaf hydrangea except it is a smaller more compact shrub with smaller flowers and leaves; it is also more hardy than bigleaf hydrangea. Mountain hydrangea is a deciduous shrub with a rounded habit that typically grows 2 to 4 feet tall. It features dark green, serrated (toothed), ovate leaves (to 6" long), and clusters of long-blooming summer flowers. Both showy sterile florets and less showy fertile florets appear in each cluster. It flowers from July to August, with blue or pink lacy flowerheads. The flowers are perfectFlower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
, having both male and female parts; they are insect pollinated.
Propagation
Seeds can be surface sown in a greenhouse in spring. When large enough, seedlings may be outplanted into individual pots.Softwood cuttings
Plant propagation
Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants from a variety of sources: seeds, cuttings, bulbs and other plant parts. Plant propagation can also refer to the artificial or natural dispersal of plants.-Sexual propagation :...
can be rooted during summer, as can hardwood cuttings during fall and winter. Mound layering
Plant propagation
Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants from a variety of sources: seeds, cuttings, bulbs and other plant parts. Plant propagation can also refer to the artificial or natural dispersal of plants.-Sexual propagation :...
can be accomplished in the spring.
Cultivation
Mountain hydrangea is best grown in rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils in partial shade. It tolerates full sun only if grown with consistently moist soils. Soil pH affects the flower color of mountain hydrangea in the same manner as it does with bigleaf hydrangea—namely, bluish in highly acidic soils and lilac to pink in slightly acidic to alkaline soils. The flowers occur on old wood, and little pruning is needed. It may be pruned after flowering by cutting back flowering stems to a pair of healthy buds. Weak or winter-damaged stems can be pruned in early spring.Mountain hydrangea are winter hardy to USDA Zone 6, and it can be grown in USDA Zone 5 with protection (e.g., mulch and burlap wrap). It may lose significant numbers of flower buds or die to the ground in harsh winters, impairing or decimating the bloom for the coming year. Plants are hardy to about -13 degrees Fahrenheit when dormant, but the young growth in spring can be killed by late frosts.
Problems
Some susceptibility occurs to honey fungusHoney fungus
Honey fungus, or Armillaria or оpenky , is a genus of parasitic fungi that live on trees and woody shrubs. It includes about 10 species formerly lumped together as A. mellea. Armillarias are long lived and form some of the largest living organisms in the world...
, bud blight, bacterial wilt
Bacterial wilt
Bacterial wilt is a cucurbit disease caused by the pathogen Erwinia tracheiphila, a Gram-negative bacterium in the family Enterobacteriaceae. Cucumber and muskmelon plants are most susceptible, but squash, pumpkins, and gourds may also become infected. Watermelons are immune to the disease.-...
, leaf spot
Leaf spot
Leaf spots are round blemishes found on the leaves of many species of plants, mostly caused by parasitic fungi or bacteria.A typical spot is "zonal", meaning it has a definite edge and often has a darker border. When lots of spots are present, they can grow together and become a blight or a blotch...
, and powdery mildew
Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that affects a wide range of plants. Powdery mildew diseases are caused by many different species of fungi in the order Erysiphales. It is one of the easier diseases to spot, as its symptoms are quite distinctive. Infected plants display white powdery spots on the...
. Aphids are occasional summer pests.
Uses
Mountain hydrangea makes a good specimen or accent plant for protected locations near homes or patios. It can be grown as a low hedge, and it is quite wind tolerant.The leaves of mountain hydrangea contain pyllodulcin
Dulcin
Dulcin is an artificial sweetener about 250 times sweeter than sugar discovered in 1884 by Joseph Berlinerbau. It was first mass-produced about seven years later. Despite the fact that it was discovered only five years after saccharin, it never enjoyed the latter compound’s market success...
, a natural sweetener, and are used to make regionally popular herbal teas (sugukcha in Korea and amacha in Japan). Amacha tea is used in Japan in the celebration Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
's birth.