The magnificent hydrangea of Levan is able to decorate any garden plot or adjoining territory. Delicate white flowers with an amazing aroma will cheer you up and create a sense of celebration.
History of origin of the variety
According to the results of numerous excavations, Levana hydrangea grew in North America more than 70 million years ago. A flower was introduced into Asia about 25 million years ago. The seeds of this unusually beautiful shrub were brought to Europe by the self-taught botanist D. Bartram only at the end of the 18th century.
For your information! On the Internet you can find the name of the bush with an error - Lebanon hydrangea. Write correctly through "e".
How Levan hydrangea blooms lushly
Description of panicled hydrangea Levan
Panicled Hydrangea Levan is characterized by the following features:
- Levana variety belongs to fast-growing shrubs. An adult plant reaches a height of 2-2.5 m, but can grow up to 3 m;
- powerful bushes with a wide spreading crown and strong stems;
- the leaves are large, dark green, with the advent of autumn they turn purple.
Note! Shrub branches throughout the growing season steadily maintain their shape and do not bend under the weight of inflorescences. Thanks to this, the bushes are not afraid of the winds and do not need support or tying.
Hydrangea Tim Van Leeuwen color description has the following:
- in early summer, long (up to 50 cm long) cone-shaped inflorescences begin to form on hydrangea bushes;
- on each of them large (5-7 cm in diameter) snow-white flowers bloom;
- closer to autumn, the flowers become creamy or pale pink;
- in shape, the flowers are similar to the spread wings of butterflies;
- flowering shrubs lasts from June to the first of October;
- flowers have a strong honey aroma, which gives them even greater charm.
The shrub is able to withstand lowering of air temperature to -35 ºС. But, despite the frost resistance, the bushes must be covered for the winter, otherwise the root system may freeze out and the plant will die.
This variety is medium resistant to damage by fungi and bacteria, therefore, it needs to be treated with special preparations.
Young bush in bloom
In order to enjoy the beautiful and fragrant flowers of hydrangea for many years, you should not only observe the correct agricultural technique, but also choose a suitable place for planting, prepare the soil and adhere to all stages of planting.
Seat selection
For planting hydrangea, the eastern or southern side of the site is suitable, where the sun will shine on it in the morning or evening, and during the day the plant will be in the shade. Hydrangea is very fond of moisture, so it is important that the area where it grows is constantly moistened, but without bogging.
Land preparation
Levan hydrangea prefers loose, acidic and fertile soil. If the soil is alkaline, it must begin to acidify about a month before planting. For this, slurry, dry needles, rotted sawdust or peat are suitable.
Important!Do not plant hydrangea in alkaline soil, as the plant will develop poorly and may even die.
Planting a young hydrangea bush
Landing
It is better to plant hydrangea in open ground in early spring, so it can grow stronger and take root well in a new place before the onset of cold weather. Landing is best done early in the morning or in the evening, when the sun is not so active. Before planting, it is worth keeping the seedlings in wet soil or clay, so the roots will not wind off and the plant will not fade.
The landing process is step by step:
- A day before planting, plants in the ground dig a hole with a diameter of at least 70 cm and pour two buckets of water into it so that it saturates the soil well.
- Fill the hole 1/3 with rotted manure, garden soil and peat. All are taken in equal proportions. You can also add 100 ml of urea.
- Put the seedling in the hole and spread the roots.
- They fill the hole with earth (it is important not to deepen the root neck of the plant) and ram around the trunk.
- Planted plant is abundantly watered (it will take 5-10 liters of water per bush).
- To better maintain moisture, the trunk circle is mulched. As a mulch take straw, hay or dry peat.
Outdoor hydrangea planting
Features of planting a purchased hydrangea seedling
When planting a purchased seedling in open ground, you should adhere to such recommendations:
- a few days before transplanting, the plant must be abundantly watered;
- replanting a flower from a pot into the open ground, you do not need to remove the old earthen lump and trim the roots;
- garden soil should be added to the prepared hole, mixing it with the one that was in the flower pot, so the plant quickly adapts to a new place;
- during the adaptation period (about 2-3 months), it is necessary to feed the bush with mineral fertilizers and organic matter once every two weeks.
Note!Hydrangea seedlings can be grown independently from cuttings. In this case, they will be more durable than the store ones.
Hydrangea transplant from pot to soil
Propagation of Levan hydrangea
Panicled Hydrangea Levan can propagate by cuttings, dividing the bush and layering.
Cuttings
The method of grafting in stages:
- During spring pruning (April-June), young 10-year-old shoots are searched for and cut at right angles. It is important that they have three pairs of kidneys left.
- From the bottom of the shoots, all leaves are removed, treatment is carried out with a stimulator of root growth.
- Buried by 2/3 in the prepared mixture of sand and peat (in a ratio of 1: 2).
- For the rooting period, plantings are covered with a film. When the cuttings take root, the shelter is removed.
- Cuttings are sprayed and moistened every day.
- For wintering, seedlings are harvested in a cool place, and when spring comes, they are planted in open ground.
Important!Only those seedlings on which young sprouts appeared can be planted in open ground. If inflorescences appeared on the shoots, they need to be torn off until next year. As soon as the seedling becomes strong and flowers appear on it, it will be considered winter-hardy. And before that, during the winter period, it is necessary to cover it with burlap or roofing material.
Hydrangea Shank Levan
Dividing the bush
This method is possible if the site already has an adult hydrangea bush. In this case, it is dug up and divided into several parts. It is very important that there is a kidney on each dividend for further growth. Further, all parts of the bush are planted in open ground.
Growing from layering
In early spring, young annual shoots are pressed to the ground and dug up. It is important to leave the tip at least 20 cm on the surface. Layers are watered at least twice a week. When the sprouts take root, they are separated from the parent bush and moved to a new place.
Shrub care after planting
Caring for hydrangeas is easy. But for the bush to please with lush flowers, it is important to follow certain rules of care.
Watering
Hydrangea is very fond of moist soil. The plant must be watered every other day with 5-10 liters of water for each bush. For watering, you must use filtered or settled for five days water. During a heatwave, the amount of water should be increased to 15 liters under one bush.
Watering from a watering can
Top dressing
Top dressing is important for the bush, they are applied every two weeks. Organic (liquid manure and bird droppings) and mineral complexes for flowering plants are used as fertilizers. They are introduced one by one, so the plant will better develop and bloom.
Important!Before and after fertilizing, the bush must be watered with clean water, this will protect the root system from drying out.
Pruning
Pruning is carried out in early spring, immediately after all the snow has melted. On young bushes, all stems are pruned to the level of 2-3 pairs of buds, on adult plants leave one pair. After pruning, a new shoot will grow from each bud, at the top of which an inflorescence will appear. Also remove all thin and weak branches, as well as the stems that grow inside the bush. So, along with pruning, the molding of the bush occurs.
Pruning hydrangea Levan
Features of care during the flowering period
During the active growth of hydrangea, it is important to water the bush with organic fertilizers. For this, it is better to use infusion of mullein or bird droppings. Nettle infusion is also suitable. During the formation of buds with a frequency of twice a month, it is necessary to use mineral complexes for hydrangeas. In addition, it is important not to forget and timely remove all processes and lateral shoots.
Dormant shrub care
After the shrub fades, it is worth feeding it with fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus, this will help it grow stronger before the winter cold. It is also necessary to mulch the near-trunk circle with rotted manure, which will protect the roots from freezing.
Note!For better moisture accumulation before a long winter, it is necessary to carry out late watering of bushes in late October.
Winter preparations
The root system of hydrangea is not very deep underground, therefore, it is necessary to prepare the shrub well for wintering so that it does not freeze during the cold season. To do this, the bushes well spud and cover the trunk circle with a thick layer of mulch. In young plants, all branches are bent to the ground, sprinkled with earth with sawdust or dry leaves, and covered with burlap or a thick film. Branches of adult bushes are not easy to tilt to the ground, so they are tied with a rope and wrapped with a film of bush.
If you adhere to all the recommendations for planting, growing and caring, Levana variety will be a wonderful decoration of any garden for many years.
