Hydrangea scandens ("Gakutsugi")

Japanese name: ガクウツギ （額空木）
Scientific name: Hydrangea scandens

[Overview]
A small deciduous shrub 1–1.5 m tall, found on mountain slopes and in woods.
Young branches are tinged purplish brown and have short hairs.
The leaves are simple and opposite, oblong-lanceolate to narrowly ovate, 4–7 cm long, with the tip abruptly narrowing and extending long.
The upper surface of the leaves is dark green with a dull metallic luster.
Both surfaces of the leaves have sparse short hairs, and on the underside white hairs grow in clusters in the vein axils in particular.
The leaf margin has low teeth.
A cyme 8–10 cm across is produced at the branch tips.
The inflorescence has white to pale yellow ornamental flowers 2.5–3 cm across around the edge, and many pale yellowish-green bisexual flowers in the center.
The sepals of the ornamental flowers are usually 3 in number, elliptic to ovate-orbicular.
The bisexual flowers have 5 petals, which fall easily.
There are 10 stamens, and the 5 that alternate with the petals are long.
The fruit is a globose capsule 2.5 mm across.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by cuttings.
It prefers sun to partial shade and fertile, well-drained soil.
It is unsuitable for places where the soil becomes extremely dry or where strong afternoon sun falls.
For potted plants and for plants in the ground for less than 2 years, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
Watering is not particularly necessary for established plants in the ground, but if the soil dries out in the high temperatures of summer, water in the morning or evening when the temperature is lower.
In addition to basal fertilizer, apply slow-release fertilizer around the base of the plant in winter.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

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