Hydrangea

(Climbing Hydrangea) Anomala Petiolaris

Hydrangea anomala petiolaris is the climbing hydrangea, a self clinging woody climber that grips brick, stone and timber with short aerial roots along its stems. In June and July it covers itself in flat lacecap heads of 8-15 cm across, creamy white, with a ring of larger sterile florets around a centre of tiny fertile ones. The heart shaped leaves are glossy dark green and turn clear yellow before they drop, leaving cinnamon coloured peeling bark on show in winter. Given time it reaches 6-10 m in height and spreads 2-3 m sideways, though it takes two or three years to settle before it climbs in earnest. Plant one per 2 m of wall, roughly 1 plant per m2 of intended cover. The fertile florets are full of nectar and pull in bees, and because it flowers well in low light it is the obvious answer for a north or east facing wall, a shaded fence or the trunk of a mature tree.

It wants partial shade or full shade; a north or east facing wall suits it perfectly and full midday sun scorches the leaves. Plant in deep, humus rich soil that stays lightly moist and never dries out completely, working in leaf mould or compost before you plant. Water regularly through the first two or three summers while the roots establish, and in every dry spell afterwards; a specimen grown in a large container needs checking far more often, because it dries out much faster than open ground. Prune straight after flowering, in late summer: shorten the shoots that stick out from the wall and take out any wayward or dead stems, keeping the framework intact rather than cutting into old wood. It is fully hardy and comes through hard winters unprotected once established, so no covering is needed.

Your order will be hand picked and packed in our strong and sustainable packaging as soon as possible, after which it will be delivered straight from our greenhouse to your door by your chosen carrier. You can follow the journey of your plants via the tracking link you receive in your mail. If you have any questions regarding your order and its shipment, you can get in contact with our support team.

We expect every order to arrive in tip-top shape. We take intensive care of the plants in our greenhouse and use special and as sustainable as possible protective packaging to ship our plants. We also wrote an extensive blog about how to unpack and prepare your plants for growth after shipping. However there are rare occasions where our plants don’t meet their full potential. That’s why all plants are guaranteed for 30 days after arrival, if still in its original nursery pot.