Most of us will have heard of hydrangeas. They are a beautiful shrub that produces those amazing pom pom like blooms. But, have you ever heard of a climbing hydrangea?
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We have a large variety of hydrangeas in our garden. This is because not only are they beautiful to look at, they are also so easy to grow. The climbing hydrangea though is one of our favourites. Once they have established they are fast growers that will cover whatever surface it is put against. Growing anywhere from 50 – 70 feet tall and wide.
Do not let other posts of people telling you all the negatives put you off growing this wonderful vine, it is an amazing plant, what have you got to loose. There are always those negative Nelly’s out there, just ignore them.
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Climbing hydrangea basics
Once established these shrubs will grow and quickly. Although it may take up to 2 to 3 years to see this growth. When it finally happens it will blow your mind.
This is where the patience comes in, I have always believed that gardens can teach us a lot about patience. Most of us tend to want instant gratification we want everything now. Plants are not that way they take their time. If you are a gardener you may have heard the phrase, first year they sleep, next they creep, then they leap. This is so true and especially for the climbing hydrangea.
The other thing to be aware of are the flowers, as your plant is acclimatizing to its new location you more than likely wont see any flowers for a few years unfortunately. I will say though the leaves are lovely they are glossy and big which means it will still look beautiful without any flowers. Once the flowers come in they will be the white lace head variety.
One last point, if you are wanting to encourage bees into your garden then this is a great shrub for the pollinators. Bees love this plant and will cover it when the flowers first come out in June, this is perfect too because this is the time the bees are waking up and need the food.
Growing locations and requirements
When choosing its location there are a few things to keep in mind. Light, water and supporting structure
Light
As it says in the title this climbing shrub will grow in the shade. Which is really nice if you have a north facing wall and are struggling to find something to grow on it that isn’t ivy or Virginia creeper both of which most of us are hesitant to grow.
It will appreciate some sunlight if you can plant it where the sun will hit it at some point during the day, but try to choose a location where it will have protection from the hot afternoon sun.
Water
This will depend on its location. Shady area tend to need less watering than sunny areas. This may seem pretty obvious.
The name hydrangea literally means water pitcher, this was because a Latin botanist thought the flowers looks like an ancient water pitcher. This plant also requires a lot of water to survive so the name fits perfectly.
This means that while it does not want to sit in an overly wet location of standing water it will need consistent waterings. Try to make sure it doesn’t dry out especially in the summer time.
Supporting structures
Technically speaking you can grow a climbing hydrangea up any structure. But there are a few surfaces that it would prefer and some tips for a few surfaces it may struggle to grip to. Check out some of my favourite climbing hydrangea growing locations, here
It is a very woody climber meaning it isn’t a flimsy vine. When you plant it if you can prop it up against a wall it should be able to lean into it quite well. Although it would be a lot firmer if it can grip to the surface.
So how does it grip to a surface? This is done using its ariel roots, you should be able to see these little roots up the branches. These roots can attach to most rough surfaces like wood or brick, but they have trouble against smooth surfaces like metal or plastic.
If you are wanting to grow it up these surfaces then it may need help. This can be done in a few different ways. If it is a traditional trellis then you can weave the branches around bars and secure loosely with some gardening wire or string to hold it in place until it settles in place. If it is a solid wall then I would try to find a way of attaching some wood or string in sections across and up the wall.
Will it cause any damage? Quick answer, it shouldn’t, but, if there are gaps it may push through, like on a fence for instance so just keep an eye on it. It can easily be avoided by repositioning the branches. The ariel roots are very easy to peel away and move. This is also helpful say it you need to paint or replace the surface below.
How to prune a climbing hydrangea
This is an easy job because you don’t need to be cautious and precise when you do. It will take a good amount of pruning once the plant is fully established.
You wont need to worry about this n the first few years but once it starts to grow then a good annual pruning will be beneficial. It will keep the vine looking nice and tidy and more importantly under control.
Can you propagate a climbing hydrangea?
You can propagate a hydrangea if you are wanting to grow more for either yourself or to give as gifts. That is wonderful thing with gardening built in free gifts.
To propagate cut any side shoots with a nice sharp knife. Remove any leaves on the stem just leaving a couple at the tip. Place the stem either into a glass of water or into a pot with very loose gritty soil. Kepp it in a bright location, and if you are using a pot then keep the soil consistently moist.
Once you see new growth and some roots on the stem plant it up in a pot with good potting soil.
Get it to a good size before planting out into the garden.
As I is said above these plants take some patience so if you are wanting give it a go at propagation then then you are going to need a good amount of this patience, it will take some years to see much growth.
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