Deinanthe caerulea - A Curious Blue False Hydrangea Plant

Summer time is the time for holidays, heat temperatures, and flowering hydrangeas. Among the many issues that New Englanders come to rely on in summertime embrace ice cream and hydrangeas in flower. Simply in our small city of Boothbay, by no means have I seen so many hydrangeas planted. Because of our delicate summers, hydrangea blossoms right here alongside the Maine coast are huge. It should be the ample moisture, heat days, and funky nights that result in the large flowers.

Deinanthe caerulea - a pretty hydrangea like (but not!) woodland garden flower — *Deinanthe caerulea* at Coastal Maine Botanic Backyard by *Rodney Eason*

Deinanthe caerulea – the lesser-known shade plant

Everybody likes to see huge hydrangeas within the backyard, however lurking within the shadows is a lesser-known herbaceous relative: Deinanthe caerulea. That is hydrangea’s herbaceous cousin (hydrangeas are thought-about woody shrubs or vines) – who likes fertile, well-drained however moist soils in protected areas away from robust winds.

This native of China has the extremely inventive widespread identify of “false hydrangea.” Come on, guys, can’t we predict up a greater identify than that for this surprisingly engaging plant with eye-catching blue flowers? How about “ground-cover hydrangea?” Or “little blue rarity that no one else has?”

Dienanthe caerulea flowers — *Deinanthe caerulea* by 阿橋 HQ

We’ve got a wholesome grouping of Deinanthe at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens planted in a shade backyard beneath a mature larch tree. A good friend was admiring the clump this previous weekend and advised that we transfer some vegetation to a sunnier location as they might get bigger.

I’ve a few spots in thoughts as proper now, they’re actually tucked away, so solely the plant connoisseurs will acknowledge them. For individuals who do catch a glimpse of them, they’ll see what appears like small hydrangeas with nodding, gentle cerulean blue flowers.

Dienanthe caerulea by Kristine Paulus (CC) via www.pithandvigor.com — *Deinanthe* *caerulea* *Kristine Paulus (by CC)*

Our vegetation are round 2 toes in peak and barely extra in width. In researching this submit, I see that there’s additionally Deinanthe bifida, together with a hybrid between D. bifida and. D. caerulea . I positively will look so as to add these to the gardens this 12 months – significantly within the gentle shade areas they like.

Have you ever grown any of the false hydrangeas? In that case, what has been your expertise with the vegetation?

– Rodney

Store for Deinanthe caerulea

The place to purchase Deinanthecaerulea, Deinanthe caerulea ‘Blue Surprise’, (Blue Surprise is known to be synonymous with the Deinanthe caerulea), and Deinanthe bifida:

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