Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris

(Siebold & Zucc.) E. M. McClint.

Climbing hydrangea

Hydrangeaceae Edible: Buds 111 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Hydrangea anomala, the Japanese climbing-hydrangea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae native to the woodlands of the Himalaya, southern and central China and northern Myanmar. It is a woody climbing plant, growing to 12 m (39 ft) height up trees or rock faces, climbing by means of small aerial roots on the stems. The leaves are deciduous, ovate, 7–13 cm (2.8–5.1 in) long and 4–10 cm (1.6–3.9 in) broad, with a heart-shaped base, coarsely serrated margin and acute apex. The flowers are produced in flat corymbs 5–15 cm (2.0–5.9 in) diameter in mid-summer; each corymb includes a small number of peripheral sterile white flowers 2–3.5 cm (0.8–1.4 in) across, and numerous small, creamy-white fertile flowers 1–2 mm diameter. The fruit is a dry urn-shaped capsule 3–5 mm diameter containing several small winged seeds. The closely related Hydrangea petiolaris from eastern Siberia, Japan, and Korea, is sometimes treated as a subspecies of H. anomala; it differs in growing larger (to 20 m or 66 ft) and flower corymbs up to 25 cm (9.8 in) diameter. The common name Climbing hydrangea is applied to both species.

Description

A deciduous climbing shrub. It grows 10-20 m high. It often climbs to the top of trees. The leaves are opposite and simple. They are dark green and vary in shape. They are usually oval or heart shaped and 4-10 cm long by 3-10 cm wide. The leaf stalks are 3-8 cm long. The flowers are white. They are in heads.

Edible Uses

The young spring buds are edible.

Traditional Uses

The young spring buds are edible.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A temperate plant. It suits hardiness zone 5. It grows on rocks and woodlands. It needs well drained moist soil.

Where It Grows

Asia, Australia, Japan, Korea, Russia, Taiwan,

Cultivation

It can be grown by stem cuttings and layers.

Synonyms

Hydrangea petiolaris

Also Known As

Goto zuru, Tsuru ajisai, Tsuru demari

References (3)

J. Arnold Arbor. 37:373. 1956
Levy-Yamamori, R., & Taaffe, G., 2004, Garden Plants of Japan. Timber Press. p 274
Ryan, S., 2008, Dicksonia. Rare Plants Manual. Hyland House. p 76