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Climber Wall Shrub

Hydrangea petiolaris var. cordifolia

A deciduous climber to around 7m in height with dark green glossy foliage, purple underneath. Flat, white lace cap lightly-fragranced flowers appear in summer. Will scramble over rocks or tree stumps in a border or an ideal choice for covering a wall, fence or trellis in a shady area of the garden

Synonyms

Hydrangea cordifolia
Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris dwarf
see moreHydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris var. cordifolia

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Plant nurseries
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Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Hydrangeaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Climbing
Potentially harmful: Skin allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus: Hydrangea can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs, or self-clinging climbers, with flowers in clusters usually comprising both small fertile and more showy sterile flowers; often good autumn colour
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in any moist but well-drained soil in partial shade or grow in sun if soil remains reliably moist. Improve chalky soils with organic matter to support good growth. See climbing hydrangea cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by layering and softwood cuttings in early summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Climber and wall shrubs
Wall side borders

Pruning

Pruning group 11 after flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, capsid bug, hydrangea scale and vine weevil

Diseases

May be susceptible to a leaf spot, powdery mildews, grey moulds (Botrytis) and honey fungus (rarely)

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