If you decide to decorate or revitalize the interior of your garden, then the hydrangea tree-like “Annabel” is a plant, just for these purposes. A small shrub with a snow-white hat of flowers is popular among gardeners for the ease of cultivation, ease of care and compactness.
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Hydrangea tree Annabelle - description
Variety "Annabel" is a small bush up to 1.5 meters high. Its crown is formed by bright green leaves. Their shape is oval, length - up to 20 centimeters. They retain their color until the first frost. At the end of the first summer month, the plant blooms. The bush is covered with dense inflorescences, the size of each flower is about 2 centimeters. Often the crown diameter reaches 3 meters.
The peculiarity of the Annabel variety is that it is resistant to cold climates. This allows it to grow in our latitudes. It is not capricious in care, it can retain its decorative appearance for up to 50 years, and at the same time it does not require a transplant.
Tree hydrangea "Annabel" is able to absorb dyes from the soil, as a result of which the color of its flowers can change. For example, the presence of aluminum in the soil can change the white color of inflorescences to blue.
One of the subspecies of the variety is the tree-like hydrangea “Strong Annabel”. It requires the same conditions for care, the bush grows no more than 1.5 meters in height. The only difference is in the inflorescences. The flowers are much larger, they are so plentiful that sometimes it is not even possible to discern the presence of foliage. Flowering begins with the advent of summer and continues until the beginning of autumn.
Treelike hydrangea “Pink Annabel” got its name due to the pink hue of inflorescences. This subspecies is cold-resistant. Inflorescences form in mid-summer, flowering continues until late autumn. The height of the bush, as a rule, does not exceed 1 meter, the stems are denser.
Outdoor landing
To enjoy hydrangea blooms over the years, you need to take care in advance of the correct selection of a site for its planting. An important condition is the absence of strong winds. A good barrier to drafts can be decorative trees or a high fence. This variety negatively perceives the scorching sun, but at the same time, most of the day the bush should receive sufficient lighting.
Due to the fact that Annabel loves moisture, care must be taken not to grow trees with a large root system nearby. If the soil remains dry, then you can not wait for the plant to bloom.
Site and soil preparation
They don’t like hydrangea transplantation, so before planting in open ground, it is necessary to treat the preparation of the soil with all responsibility. To ensure maximum growth and the active formation of buds, it is worth monitoring the pH level. The growth medium must remain neutral or acidic. Loam is best for planting a plant (loose clay soil with admixtures of sand). This mixture can be placed in a hole a few days before the planned landing. This will allow the soil to be saturated with oxygen. Slowing down and worsening the survival rate of a plant introduces lime or ash into the soil; instead, it can be fertilized with phosphate or potash fertilizers.
How and when to plant?
The ideal period for planting is May or September. In spring, the seedlings themselves can tell when they should go to the open ground - the buds should already be formed, but not bloom.
Pour pre-prepared wells with water, and wait until excess moisture is absorbed into the soil. Spread the horse system of the bush and place the seedling in the center of the hole. Start to fill the hole with soil so that the root neck is underground.
Soil acidity can be increased with peat.
Care for hydrangea tree Annabelle
As already noted, hydrangea does not need special care skills. It is enough to know a few simple rules so that the bush continues to delight you for many years.
Watering and feeding
The plant loves enough moisture, so it is very important to take care of regular watering. Do not allow the drying of the soil. It is necessary to feed with mineral or organic fertilizers. The second is actively used during flowering. Top dressing is introduced in spring or summer. If the soil in which the planted plant is weak for the presence of useful components, then it can be diluted with humus, peat, leafy soil.
Pruning
Trimming the plant is best in the fall. During the procedure, dried flowers are removed, as well as old shoots to the base. This will allow in the future to form a more magnificent rounded crown shape.
Hydrangea tolerates pruning perfectly, but it is worth remembering that a plant that has not reached 3 years of age should not be touched. The procedure is carried out as necessary, it can be done not every year.
How to care for hydrangea in autumn, winter
With the advent of autumn, the plant needs to be prepared for winter. As we have already noted, the main preparation is to remove old shoots and inflorescences. Tree hydrangea is resistant to frost, in most parts of Russia it does not need to be wrapped up. If the shoots are slightly frozen, do not rush to remove them. They quickly recover with the advent of spring and delight with lush flowering. In cold regions, it is recommended to mulch the trunk circle.
An adult plant needs to be tied in the fall in order to eliminate branch breakage under heavy snow.
Propagation of hydrangea tree Annabelle
In order to propagate the Annabelle hydrangea, it is not necessary to purchase new seedlings. Planting material can be obtained from the plant bush in your area.The process of reproduction is elementary. To do this, use cuttings or bends. You can also get a new bush by dividing the rhizome.
The latter option is considered the most difficult and if your experience in gardening is minimal, it is better not to risk it. The diameter of the bush is quite large. Trying to separate the root, you can injure the main bush, which will lead to various troubles, up to the death of the plant.
To propagate the plant with cuttings, in the early spring (before the buds open) cut off a few young shoots. Their average length should be 10-15 centimeters, the cut is best done obliquely. For 15 days, cuttings must be placed in a vessel with water or fertile soil. The air temperature should be at least 20 degrees. Planting shoots in open ground is possible only after a two-year period.
The easiest way to reproduce is by bends. To do this, take the extreme strongest shoot (it should be done at the time of formation of the kidneys) and bend it to the ground in the middle of the rod. At the bend, sprinkle a little earth and fix it. Do not forget about regular watering. After a year, roots are formed, which will allow to transplant a young sprout in a separate place.
Protection against diseases and pests
In most cases, Annabelle is not susceptible to disease and pests. But for prevention, it will not be amiss to treat the bush with Bordeaux liquid in the spring. If the plant receives an insufficient amount of iron, a disease such as chlorosis can occur. It is worth starting to make iron-containing preparations and the disease will lose its position.
Cases have been noted when a plant attacks an aphid or a spider mite. Helpers with these pests will be Thiophos, Kleschevit, Fufanon or other similar drugs.
Use in landscape design
The versatility of hydrangea allows you to use it in the landscape design of park areas, city gardens, venues for events, arboretums, personal plots. The plant goes well with lilies, roses, spireas. Hydrangea bushes often create a peculiar contrast between spring and autumn varieties of flowers. Variety "Annabel" is able to give a touch of romance to your garden. If there is a small body of water on the site, then hydrangea can serve as the main decoration element of its coastal zone. A good addition to the composition will be other moisture-loving plants. Even after a flowering period, plants will continue to delight with the variety of their leaf blades.
From all that was said above, it can be noted - hydrangea tree-like requires a minimum amount of attention and at the same time gives incredible beauty. The shrub blooms throughout the summer and pleases with its huge snow-white inflorescences.
