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Common Name:

General Information

Hydrangea paniculata is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 4.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - China, Japan.

Habitat

Bamboo scrub, open forests and by streams[]. Sparse forests or thickets in valleys or on mountain slopes or tops, at elevations of 300 - 2100 metres in China[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Tolerates most soil[], thriving in a well-drained loamy soil[], but resenting dryness at the roots[, ]. Tolerates boggy soils[]. Dislikes very alkaline soils[]. Does well on very acid soils with a pH around 4.5[]. The colour of the flowers reflects the pH of the soil the plant is growing in, the flowers are pink in a neutral to alkaline soil and blue in an acid soil. Succeeds in full sun or semi-shade[], but if it is grown in a low rainfall area then it requires shade at the hottest part of the day[].
Plants are hardy to about -25°c[] when dormant but the young growth in spring can be killed by late frosts.
A fast-growing plant[].
A number of cultivars have been selected for their ornamental value[].
Plants are very tolerant of pruning and can be cut back into old wood if required[].
This species is notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

The flowers contain up to 4.06% rutin[].

Medicinal

The flowers contain up to 4.06% rutin[]. This makes them useful for reducing the incidence of recurrent haemorrhages associated with increased capillary fragility, particularly in hypertension[].
The flowers also contain 2.5% of a phenolic compound[].

Other Uses

The bark is used to make Japanese paper[, , ].
Wood - hard, white, fine grained. Used for small items, nails, walking sticks etc[, , ].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in a greenhouse in spring[]. Cover the pot with paper until the seed germinates[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 8cm long, mid summer in a frame. Overwinter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring[].
Cuttings of mature wood in late autumn in a frame[].
Mound layering in spring. Takes 12 months[].
Leaf-bud cuttings of the current seasons growth in a frame[].