Hydrangea Candelait is a gorgeous plant with bright and unusual inflorescences. It is tolerant of frost and the scorching sun. He loves moisture and is demanding on top dressing, especially during the growing season. A description of this beautiful shrub and detailed information about agricultural technology is given below.
Description of hydrangea candelaite
The Candelait hydrangea variety (Hydrangea paniculata Candlelight) was bred by Dutch breeders. The plant got its name because of its appearance resembling the light of a burning candle (English candle - "candle", light - "light"). If you translate the Latin name according to the rules, then you get panicle hydrangea Candlelight.
Hydrangea in the garden
The height of the shrub rarely exceeds 1.5 m, the length of the stem is 60 cm. The diameter of the flowering spreading crown can reach 2 meters.
Conical large inflorescences include many sterile small flowers, as well as small flowers (fruit-bearing). Fruits are small boxes in which seeds are stored. Despite the fact that Kandelayt loves the sun, the ideal place for landing is the area with light partial shade.
The soil should be selected moderately moist, acidic and necessarily drained. Despite the fact that it is a frost-resistant variety, young bushes should be covered for the winter.
The culture refers to ornamental shrubs that have an unusual color. Flowering continues until the first frost. Throughout the season, hydrangea pleases the eye of the owner and brings pleasure to households.
Description of inflorescences and leaves:
- The leaves are elliptical in shape with small denticles and conspicuous veins. The color is saturated dark green.
- The color of the inflorescences changes during the season: during flowering - yellowish-green, at the height of the season - golden or bright yellow, in the fall - pinkish or reddish.
For reference! Panicle hydrangea Candelait blooms lushly, spectacularly and brightly, which is why at one of the exhibitions she was awarded a silver medal (2013).
Application:
- The plant is widely used in room decoration. A properly dried branch will stand in a vase without shedding for a long time.
- Due to its spectacularity and originality, bushes are often used in landscape design. Looks great as a separate plant, or in the neighborhood with other ornamental herbs and shrubs.
- The variety is widespread among amateur gardeners, summer residents and professionals. Florists love to plant bushes because of the ability to create beautiful lively bouquets, as well as dry compositions.
For reference! In Russia, a variety is called differently: panicle hydrangea, Candlelight, Candle Light, Candy Light, Candlelight, Candlelight.
Landing varieties in the ground
Panicle hydrangea Kandelayt will please flower growers with a spectacular look, if you choose the right place for planting for it and regularly care for it. Having received an ideal place, with their flowering bushes will be a pleasure for decades. Do not forget about abundant watering and top dressing.
With proper care, the lifespan of a culture is 50 years or more.
Choosing the right place
Choosing the right place with proper soil and enough light is an important moment for the grower. It is worth remembering that "moving" for shrubs is undesirable, so you need to take care of the permanent "residence" of the bushes in advance.
The best place would be the sunny side without drafts. Despite the fact that the variety loves the sun, the terrain with light partial shade is also suitable for planting.
Worth to know! Hydrangea Candlelight does not tolerate gusty cold winds, so to protect it should be planted against the walls of buildings or a fence.
Hydrangea planting site
You should not choose a terrain with trees for planting, so that their roots do not pick up all the moisture from the soil. Land with excess groundwater will not work. It will be more correct to water the bushes independently and regularly. And you must definitely equip drainage protection.
Candelight Hydrangea Soil
The soil is chosen moderately moist, acidic and necessarily drained. Despite the fact that it is a frost-resistant variety, young bushes should be covered for the winter.
A prerequisite for the Kandelight variety is soil with an acid reaction, since when alkalizing, the charm of the decorative culture is lost. Not suitable for planting sandy soil.
Landing process
Dig a hole for landing in advance. It is important that it is spacious. When it is planned to plant 2 or more bushes at the same time, a distance of 3 m should be observed between them. Hortensia Kandelait loves moisture, water the land abundantly and add to the hole a mixture of sand, humus, fertile soil and peat (1: 1: 2: 2), with the addition of the following elements:
- urea - 25 g;
- potassium sulfate - 25 g;
- superphosphate - 65 gr.
After mixing, it is necessary to wait for the subsidence of the soil. Then seedlings are prepared for planting. The roots are straightened, after which they are placed in a hole and dripped. It is impossible that the entire root neck goes into the ground. It should be slightly on the surface of the earth. Then they crush the earth a little and carry out abundant watering.
It is important to carry out near-trunk mulching using needles, leaf humus or acid peat. This will retain moisture and prevent it from evaporating.
You should know! The first days it is important to protect the culture from direct sunlight. Special constructions or devices are created that provide shade.
Watering Hydrangea Candelait
Reproduction of panicled hydrangea
To grow panicle hydrangea Candlelight in several ways:
- cuttings;
- by seeds;
- layering;
- seedlings;
- division of a bush, etc.
The first two methods are less popular, they are usually used when there is no way to find seedlings. But do not forget that the plant will bloom only in the second or third year. Seed propagation involves a seedling method.
When cutting, it is necessary to observe some rules for the collection of planting material. Future seedlings begin to collect in the summer. It is better to choose noon, since at this time there is a sufficient amount of moisture and natural forces in the plant.
Shoots are selected closer to the kidney, the distance should not exceed 2 cm. Then the shoot is sent to a special solution in water, with the addition of substances that promote root growth. When cutting the shoot with leaves, they can be removed, or part left.
Attention! Inflorescences must be completely removed.
When the roots appear, the cuttings are planted in separate containers. Tanks are filled with soil with the addition of a small amount of sand. The ratio is 2: 1.
The best planting material will be seedlings of five years of age. They will begin to delight gardeners with a lush crown of flowers in the year of planting. Usually planted in the spring, but it is possible in the fall.
Grade Care
Candlelight is a hydrangea, the description of which says that it is very responsive to care. She needs moist soil, so regular watering is required, especially in the dry period of summer. For beautiful flowering bushes will need additional top dressing.
Beautiful hydrangea flowers
Watering and fertilizer
To preserve moisture after heavy watering for a long time, it is necessary to sprinkle a root patch of land with organic matter in the form of peat, bark, etc. Despite the fact that the plant is hygrophilous, an excess of water is unacceptable. It is important to observe moderation.
The soil for the culture is chosen fertile with an acid reaction, eliminating the saturation of the soil with alkali. Plant nutrition is required at least four times.
- In spring, before flowering the bush, fertilizers are added in the form of bird droppings, horse manure, etc.
- When forming the buds, it will be necessary to feed the bush with the prepared mixture, which includes 35 grams of superphosphate, 35 grams of potassium sulfate and 25 grams of urea. All substances are mixed in 10 liters of water. This calculation of the mixture is poured under the panicled hydrangea root.
- At the height of the summer season, complex mineral fertilizers will be required.
- Before preparing for wintering, the earth is fed with special preparations containing phosphorus and potassium salts. This increases resistance to frost.
For reference! If you don’t fertilize panicle hydrangea, it can grow, but flowering will be scarce and uninteresting.
Shrub pruning
Hydrangea Kandelayt cut off in March, before the process of sap flow, that is, before it wakes up from "hibernation".
Form bushes, consisting of 5-7 strong healthy shoots. Only 5-6 kidneys are left on them, the rest is cut off.
If the plant is old, it should be rejuvenated by cutting all the shoots, leaving 7 cm from the soil surface.
Hydrangea bushes near the building
Possible problems
Weak attention to culture carries the spread of various pests. This affects the appearance of Candelaite.
If the inflorescences quickly begin to dry, then the cause is most likely the insects that feed on the sap of the plant. For example, aphids are able to “squeeze” all “life forces” out of a bush. To prevent this from happening, it is important to treat with insecticides. The procedure is carried out in the early morning or late evening to avoid sunburn.
Problems can occur when the earth dries. The variety requires not only regular watering, but also spraying the bush itself.
When brown spots appear on the leaves, it means that hydrangea should be protected from direct sunlight.
Winter preparations
The variety is frost-resistant, therefore tolerates winter with dignity. He does not have to create additional protective equipment, with the exception of young bushes up to 3 years old.
But for safety, many gardeners mulch the soil and cover with special burlap in front of the cold.
Hydrangea Candelaite is not difficult to grow on the site, though you will have to make a little effort so that the plant responds with gratitude to the proper care and decorates the area with elegant flowering.
