J O U R N A L

FRIENDS OF THE “SHAMROCK” HYDRANGEA COLLECTION

Journal n° 26 - 2015 www. hortensias-hydrangea.com

C e l e s t i a l G a rd e n , s u m m e r 2 0 1 4

E d i t o r i a l
Bryan Woy
Dear friends of ‘Shamrock’,
The past year, 2014, our society’s 20th anniversary, has been beneficial in several ways:
- Different operations favourable to the H. serrata in the collection that were suffering from competi-
tion from roots (including those of a huge ash) and also lack of light in the wood. No less than eight tree
stumps have been buried thanks to the legendary efficiency of our friend Henri Guyomard and his me-
chanical shovel.
- Increases both in general awareness of the collection and in visitor numbers.
- An early but exceptionally abundant flowering season.

We have, however, sometimes had to battle against circumstances:

As the annual sale in Varengeville in aid of ‘Shamrock’ was a little less productive than the previous
year’s one, we took the initiative of asking our friend Dr Marzec, organiser of the Doullens plant festival,
if he could accommodate us in order to sell the plants that remained unsold. Thanks to Henry Lamache’s
invaluable help loading the pallets on to a rented truck, and especially help on the spot from Andre Diéval,
Madeleine Alves, Daniel Kuszac, Jean-François Pelka, Martine Merlin and Bernard Tordeurs, the plants
on our stand were a complete sell-out; many thanks to the Doullens association and its members for their
very warm welcome.
 E d i t o r i a l
(continued)
2
The early flowering resulted in more rapid wilting, therefore dead-heading: about ¼ of the flowering
heads of H. macrophylla hybrids had to be removed at the end of August. Fortunately the H. paniculata
put on a dazzling display of flowers.(see the picture on the front page).
Note that last year we were able to take part in the famous “Botanical Encounters” organised by the Acad-
emy of Varengeville-sur-Mer Gardens (Académie des Jardins de Varengeville s/mer).
The “Dieppe-Maritime” district’s brochure about five “star” local gardens open to the public will be is-
sued again this year. We will also be taking part in two promotional operations: Ambassadeurs and Jar-
dins secrets (Seine Maritime Department).
Given the number of new plants finding their way to the collection each year, we are constantly having to
create new flowerbeds.
Our exchanges of information with our foreign correspondents continue to thrive, adding to all the cumu-
lated knowledge about the Hydrangea genus gathered in the ‘Shamrock’ archives.
Here at the start of our 2015 season, I wish all of you a great year of planting and wonderment.

Press Review n°26

EXCEPTIONAL VISITS TO
Paris-Normandie 26/4/2014 Un double anniversaire - Les Informations Dieppoises 25/4/2014 SHAMROCK IN 2014
L’association Shamrock fête ses 20 ans - Guide to the Parks and Gardens of Normandy, 2014 Edition JEAN ASTROP
(republished in 2015) – Garden Guide, trilingual (Agglomération Dieppe-Maritime) - Ambassadeur Guide EVA BOASSA
76 (Seine-Maritime) (republished in 2015) – Jardins Secrets Operation (Seine-Maritime) (repeated and MARK & REINE BULK
extended in 2015) - My Normandy n°5 2014 p.78 THOMAS EVELEENS
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the local communities, tourist offices and journalists in YAN OPRINS
HARRY VAN TRIER
Normandy who have never failed to support us.

New members
C o n t e n t s Véronique Barrois
Jacques Bemberg
Editorial Bryan Woy pages 1 et 2 Yves and Catherine Bertrand
Gerrit and Alexander Blaas
German breeders: F. Matthes Matthias Riedel page 3
Maxime Buchalet
Labelling and signposting page 4 Josiane Cadillac
Thanks page 4 Nicole Calvo
Jean-Louis and F. Couture
Hydrangeas in the wind Bernard Schumpp pages 5 et 6 Pierre Giraud
Distinctions and awards page 6 Arnauld Guilly
Stéphane and Hélène Quédé
Natural hydrangea hybrids in Izu Tetsu Hirasawa pages 7 à 10 Edmond La Haye Jousselin
Invasive hydrangeas Robert Mallet page 10 Daniel and Christine Lehmann
Gilles Manson
New genetic research (extracts) Winston T. Beck et page 11 Anne Nicolle
Thomas G. Ranney Virginie Reichardt
About H. glabripes Corinne Mallet pages 12 à 14 Anne Riom
Alain and Christiane Rouillon
Journey to New Zealand Didier Boos page 14
Nadia Souabria
Expedition to Hubei Province Ozzie Johnson page 15 Roland and Sylvie Stutzmann
Work in the collection page 16 Editorial team: Winston T. Beck
Species in the Shamrock Collection Corinne Mallet page 17 and Thomas G. Ranney, Didier Boos,
Kiyoshi Fujii, Tetsu Hirasawa, Ozzie
Activities of the Society page 18 Johnson, Corinne Mallet, Robert
Hydrangeas in Réunion J.-P. Péan et page 19 et 20 Mallet, J.-P. Péan and Jean Renault,
Matthias Riedel, Bernard Schumpp,
Jean Renault
Takaaki Sugimoto, Bryan Woy.
Early and late H. paniculata cultivars Robert Mallet page 20 Chief Editor: Corinne Mallet
Layout: Corinne Mallet
H. grosseserrata and H. Kawagoena Kiyoshi Fujii page 21 English Translation and Drawings:
Correspondence and other information page 22 et 23 Bryan Woy.

New hydrangeas in Japan Takaaki Sugimoto page 23

The articles in this journal are published
Announcements and new introductions page 24 under their authors’ responsibility.
Friedrich Matthes (1870-1948), a breeder from Saxony
Mathias Riedel
3
In 1923 the name of the Saxon hydrangea breeder, Friedrich Matthes, appeared officially for the first time.
Matthes came from Ottendorf-Okrilla, and was born on 16 April 1870 in Chemnitz (west of Dresden).
After working as an assistant gardener in England and Belgium, he occupied, while still a young man, a
position as chief gardener in Montreal (Canada) for several years before returning to his native land in
1894 and founding his own nursery, where, among many other plants, he grew carnations, bougainvillea
and boronias.
We do not know when he began breeding hydrangeas, but in 1923 he presented his first new variet-
ies: ‘Friedrich Matthes’, ‘Gerhard Glahn’, ‘Blauer Prinz’ and ‘Goliath’, which attracted much attention
throughout Germany. After 1923 he presented new cultivars every year or two: ‘Mein Ideal’ , ‘Gertrud
Glahn’ (1924), ‘Schöne Dresdnerin’ (1925), ‘Heideröschen’ (1926), ’Sachsenkind’ (1927), ‘Spätsom-
mer’ (1928), ‘Willkommen’ (1929), ‘Graf Zeppelin’ and ‘St Bonifaz’ (1930), ‘Hein-
rich Seidel’ and ‘Gartendirektor Kunert’ (1931), ‘Mouillère Matthes’ (1932) and
‘Fortschritt’ (1934).

Friedrich Matthes set himself the following objectives for breeding hydrangeas:

- Abundance of flowers
- Limited growth and compact habit
- Long-lasting inflorescences
- Intense and vibrant colour.

From comments in the specialist journals of the time we can see that he achieved
these goals:

“With his new varieties of hydrangeas, the name of Matthes has become insepa-
rable from the history of the development of our national horticultural production.”
(Hahn, 1940)

“Friedrich Matthes is a permanent dictionary of the finest developments in plant

breeding which form part of the growth of German horticultural production.”
(Vogtländer, 1933)

“Anybody still growing the old varieties of hydrangeas (i.e. the French varieties),
cannot claim that they are at the top level since Matthes’s new varieties surpass the
abundance, performance and colour of their flowers. Objective, far-sighted garden-
ers will therefore have to throw these old varieties on to the compost heap.” (Reiter,
1924) Top photo, Friedrich
Matthes in his greenhouse,
In 1954, the Matthes firm once again produced a series of new plants which were Bottom photo: Gertrud
evaluated by the Pillnitz Institute of Ornamental Plants. But that is where the story Glahn, who had a hydran-
seems to end. Today there is a car dealership on the site of the former nursery. gea named after her.

‘Gartendirektor Kunhert’ ‘Blauer Prinz’ ‘Gertrud Glahn’ ‘Goliath’

 L a b e l l i n g a n d s i g n p o s t i n g
in the Shamrock garden
4
It is sometimes difficult for the public to access and read the security label at the base of
each plant in the collection. The most accessible labels on the most prominent plants tend to
disappear, and have to be replaced regularly. All botanical gardens have this problem.

Many suggestions have been made about making use of IT resources, with geo-location, using
the potential of the most up-to-date smart phones.

After much reflection, the Society is currently putting a cost-effective installation in place
which should, in addition, allow regular updating without incurring further costs. To do this
it has been necessary to update the plans showing the situation of each plant in its respective
bed. Let us not forget that there are over 100 beds directly affected by this project.

This has led to a major cleanup operation and checking of labelling; after 15 years some plants
have grown and taken over territory at the expense of others, often by layering, while others
have simply disappeared. Work on this began in 2014, especially with major efforts by our
unbeatable team of Jean-Marie Le Rouet and Christiane Scanff.

Corinne Mallet has developed a procedure to draw up a plan for each bed, creating a model
using three different software packages.
A simple, economical and aesthetic
support for these plans needed to be
devised; it was once again Corinne who
came up with this “lectern” type of
support. Twenty of these lecterns had
already been put in place in autumn
2014, and in the coming season we
should see twice that number, or even
more if possible.

T h a n k s f o r 2 0 1 4
The Association would like to thank all members and non-members who have taken part in our activities through their work in the collection or their
support, including everybody who took part in preparation and visitor reception for our annual event “2000 hydrangeas for Shamrock”, starting with
Bérengère de Bodinat and Bruno Blanckaert for once again welcoming us to their home, “Casanova”, but also Gilbert Baudoin, Didier Boos, Pierre
Courquin, Jean-Marie Dauchez, Daniel Kuszak, Martine Merlin, Bernard Tordeurs, Jean-Pierre Péan and Cyprien Vedrenne. Thanks as well to all those
who provided plants for this event: Kees Evelyns, Lionel Chauvin, Hélène Croizier, Jean-Paul Davasse, Henri Mercier, Etienne Lemesle and, particu-
larly, Jean Renault. Thanks to Jardiland (Antoine Brunet) for helping with the logistics. For work in the collection itself, we once again thank the “La
Traverse” educational centre (Marie-Jo Boulanger) and its students, who helped with dead-heading the collection and organised the presentation of
certificates to those who took part. Planting in the collection continued with the help of Jean-Pierre Péan, Pierre Courquin and Jean-Marie Rouet. The
following members contributed in various capacities: Bernard Schumpp (publishing the Index and filing patents of plant names for HW2), Andre Diéval
(rescuing and naming endangered plants), Hélène Béréhouc (propagating endangered plants), Josiane and Henri Lamache (public relations), Roger Din-
sdale (plant protection monitoring), Philippe Picherit (IT help) and Ghislaine Le Gall du Tertre (who feeds us every Tuesday at the Piment Bleu). Major
logging work was continued by André Diéval, Daniel Kuszac, Madeleine Alves, Jean-Marie and Christiane Rouet, Christiane Le Scanff, Hervé Lepetit
and Jean-Baptiste Leroy. Significant weeding and clearing work in the beds on the western side of the collection was done by Christiane Le Scanff, Jean-
Marie Rouet and Anne Nicolle. Many thanks, too, to our foreign correspondents: in the USA: Jean Astrop, Ozzie Johnson, and Lynden Miller; in Japan:
Ishii Chitose, Takaaki Sugimoto, Tetsu Hirasawa and Kiyoshi Fujii; in Europe: Maurice Foster, Roger Dinsdale, Harry van Trier, Yan Oprins, Sieghart
Prkno and Matthias Riedel; as well as media correspondents who have helped us: Isabelle Lebrun (of the France-Bleue radio station), Jinge Lim (of Les
Jardins d’Eden magazine) and Yves Marchandain. Thanks also to the presidents of the associations to which we belong: Didier Wirth (Institut Européen
des Parcs et Jardins) and Bruno Delavenne (Association des Parcs et Jardins de Haute-Normandie).
 H y d r a n g e a s i n t h e w i n d
Bernard Schumpp
5
Hydrangeas are able to resist wind, storms, even typhoons ... without losing any of their magnificence.

Japan, especially the east coast, is subject to the vagaries of the Pacific Ocean, and the Izu Peninsula
particularly is exposed to all kinds of weather conditions. And yet plants of the species Hydrangea macro-
phylla are highly resistant and thrive there.

Two of the particular characteristics of these plants can be seen in the following photos:

• Their resistance to adverse weather (Jogasaki National Park)

• Their invasive character (southern Izu Peninsula)

Hydrangea macrophylla is a coastal plant. Its natural habitat is a steep rocky coast battered by winds from
the Pacific. If you go in the rainy season in June, the weather conditions will be perfect for you to see the
most majestic plants in full flower. The temperature and humidity (35°C and 80%) are ideal for Hydran-
gea macrophylla; our greenhouses in Europe are unable to reproduce such conditions.

Top left: trees

stripped of their
leaves by the
wind.

Top right: Plants

that have taken
root on a cliff
side.

Bottom left: The

east coast of the
Izu Peninsula,
beaten by ocean
winds.

Bottom right:
Map of Japan
showing the lo-
cation of the Izu
Peninsula
 H y d r a n g e a s i n t h e w i n d
(illustrations)
6
Top left: Hydrangeas growing
down towards the sea.

Top right: the parent plant of

‘Izu-no-Hana ‘, defended by a
colony of killer bees.

Centre left: the site where the

parent plant of ‘Shamrock’ was
found.

Centre right: Tetsu Hirasawa

holding an inflorescence from the
parent plant of ‘Shamrock’.

Bottom left: the southern coast

of Izu

Bottom middle: a photo showing

the width of the leaves of wild
hydrangeas

Bottom right: gigantic size of

inflorescences in their natural
habitat

D i s t i n c t i o n s a n d a w a r d s
Once again this year we have been delighted by some plants, even right at the
end of the season. In ascending order of our preferences: ‘White Bouquet’ a
large, flawless white plant, ‘General Patton’ which continues flowering until De-
cember (in the absence of November frosts), ‘Together’ a plant from the “You &
Me” series, still very beautiful when all the others have faded, also excellent for
dry bouquets (like ‘Passion’ in the same series), ‘Trebah Silver’, a superb, con-
tinuously flowering variant of ‘Ayesha’ (‘Shamrock’ Award 2013), ‘Elbtal’ and
‘Oslo’, two fine blue flowered plants of compact habit which keep their colour
late into the season, ‘Violetta’, a little-known plant bred by Haworth-Booth, with
a reliable violet colour, and finally ‘Mirage’ a new lace cap from Challet-Herault,
distributed by Chauvin-Hortensia and tested in full sunlight in the Céleste Gar-
den at ‘Shamrock’.

DISTINCTIONS
H. serrata ‘Kuju-no-Hanabi’, which delighted us all through the autumn, even
though its normal flowering should be in June
H. ‘Trophy’, an Australian plant with double flowers, protected but difficult to find
H. paniculata ssp. yezoensis ‘Hime Nori-Utsugi’, an early and fragrant H. pa-
niculata, still little known.
 Natural hydrangea hybrids in the Izu Peninsula (Japan)
Te t s u Hirasawa 1

7
In the region where I live, the Izu Peninsula of Japan, an unusual hydrangea has developed. Until recently,
however, it has been regarded as a common local plant, and nobody has paid any particular attention to it. As this
hydrangea grows in an inhabited area, it is sensitive to environmental changes and its habitat, like many others, is
now shrinking. I think that taking this opportunity to tell you about it could encourage its protection.

In examining the hydrangeas of the Izu Peninsula, a hydrangea has been observed with purplish blue to white
flowers, which grows around human settlements and along the river, away from the coastline. About 30 years
ago, I saw two white-flowered hydrangeas along the Matsukawa River (2km from the coast) in Ito-City (see
map), but could not formally identify the species, because the plants were growing on a cliff. Two or three years
later, I was again able to see an unusual hydrangea half way up the mountain on the northwest side of an urban
area in Ito-City. Here and there along the roadside there were hydrangeas blooming with light blue and white
flowers and leaves that were not glossy, and smaller and narrower than those of Hydrangea macrophylla. As I
had observed similar hydrangeas growing in Yawatano, 8.5 km away from the Matsukawa River, in the same
year, I concluded that the plant must be distributed over quite a wide area. After this I concentrated on studying
H. macrophylla, and forgot about the existence of this hydrangea until my next encounter in 2002, when I came
across it again in Higashi Izu-Town. This impressed me in a different way to the first time; along one small river,
there were hydrangeas with a wide variety of flower forms growing together, ranging from H. macrophylla to
others with flowers like those of Hydrangea serrata. From then on I was convinced of the presence of natural
hybrids2 in the Izu Peninsula, and I began to examine them carefully.

Distribution of the hybrids

Until now, in the Izu Peninsula, it has been believed that H. macrophylla with purplish blue flowers and broad
leaves grow naturally on the coast and Hydrangea serrata var. angustata with white flowers and narrow leaves
grow naturally in the mountains. However, from the eastern part to the southern part of the Izu Peninsula, on the
coast, around the villages and along the river, groups of hydrangeas are to be found that have wide variations, un-
like both H. macrophylla and H. serrata var. angustata. We can see these plants growing along the roadside and
also in Atami-City and Matsuzaki-Town.
As far as I have been able to observe, in the urban area of Ito-City I have seen a few hybrids and many
H. macrophylla on the coast, and then many more hybrids going inland up to about 800m from the coastline.
In Okawa, near Higashi Izu-Town, the number of hybrids increases within a strip starting at a distance of 400m
from the coast and continuing up to a distance of 2260m. In Shirada, south of Okawa, H. macrophylla and hy-
brids were found together at around 200m from the coastline, but hybrids were mainly found from around 600m
to 2900m, while from a distance of 3600m inland, only H. serrata var. angustata were found growing naturally.
To the south of Shimoda-City and Minamiizu-Town, H. macrophylla coexists with the hybrid on the coast. The
further one goes up into the mountains, the stronger the influence of H. serrata var. angustata becomes. In the
Toji area of Shimoda–City, there are many plants with small, narrow leaves, and some of these have sweet-
tasting leaves, leading me to think that the influence of H. serrata var. angustata is strong. In this way, along the
eastern and southern coasts of the Izu peninsula, there are many H. macrophylla and few hybrid species growing
naturally. On the one hand, hybrids on the eastern Izu coast, the natural habitat of H. macrophylla, are dominated
by this species because less under the influence of H. serrata var. angustata. On the other hand, on the southern
Izu coast the predominant influence on hybrids is H. serrata var. angustata. The distribution of hybrids generally
increases going inland from the coast up into the hills, with the highest inland parts remaining the domain of
H. serrata var. angustata. There is strong evidence that the hybrids tend to appear more in areas with a greater
human population.

See the site http://www.izu.fm/hydrangea/yawatano.html that shows pictures and gives a list of plants found by Tetsu Hirasawa

1. Tetsu Hirasawa is a naturalist specialising in the flora of the Izu peninsula on the east coast of Japan. He has created two museums in the region where
he lives: a museum of nature and a musical box museum. Tetsu was Corinne Mallet’s guide on her 1994 expedition to the dangerous cliffs of the Izu
coastal region, the cradle of wild H. macrophylla.
2. Corinne Mallet has assigned them the specific name of Hydrangea ✕serratophylla
Natural hydrangea hybrids in the Izu Peninsula (Japan)
(illustrations)
8

Plates showing the different kinds of sterile florets and leaves of hydrangea hybrids growing on the Izu Peninsula

A hydrangea hybrid in the Ito-City area Map of the Izu Peninsula

A hydrangea hybrid in the Minamiizu-Town area A hydrangea hybrid in the Shimoda-City area
 Natural hydrangea hybrids in the Izu Peninsula (Japan)
(continued)
9
Characteristics of the hybrids
1. There are wide variations between the hybrids from area to area, and wide variations between individu-
al plants within a single area.
2. Generally, individuals growing near the coast have leaves, stems and flowers similar to those of
H. macrophylla, while the further one progresses from the coast, the more resemblance there is with
H. serrata var. angustata. There are, moreover, many individuals that are difficult to distinguish from
H. macrophylla on the coast and similarly many which closely resemble H. serrata up in the hills.
3. The size, thickness, lustre and form of the leaves are highly variable, ranging from the form of
H. macrophylla to that of H. serrata var. angustata. I have found that leaves tend to have short hairs on
the midrib and veins, and that some petioles are coloured.
4. The size of the inflorescences and sterile florets ranges from that of H. macrophylla to that of H. serrata
var. angustata. Sterile florets more than 8cm across can be seen in southern Izu. The colour of the flowers
is from purplish-blue to white, and the incidence of white flowers increases nearer the mountains.
5. The heights and thicknesses of the stems also range between those of H. macrophylla and H. serrata
var. angustata. Individuals with coloured stems are rarely seen.

What are the parent plants of the hybrids?

I conclude from the plant’s form (phenotype) and distribution that one parent of this hydrangea must be
H. macrophylla. And I think that H. serrata var. angustata is another parent because this grows naturally
in the mountains nearby, and in southern Izu the hybrids have sweet-tasting leaves like those of
H. serrata var. angustata. In addition, the hybrids may be affected by the H. serrata that grow wild near
the Izu Peninsula. In many places I have found individual hybrids that are difficult to distinguish from
H. serrata. Mr. Uemachi’s1 investigations show one parent to be H. serrata var. angustata in hybrids
found in the area from Atami-City to Minamiizu-Town, and H. serrata in the northern part of Atami-City.
H. serrata grows naturally in the virgin forest 8.5 km northwest from the coast of Atami-City.

Relations with people

The Izu Peninsula was originally covered with evergreen forest. Away from coasts, riversides and moun-
tains, hydrangeas which needed sunlight did not grow. The new growing area for wild hydrangeas was
created when people cut down the trees and cleared the land for houses, roads and fields, in order to
colonise the peninsula. The place where two different hydrangeas, one from the mountains and one from
the coast, could meet together to form a hybrid would be just such an inhabited area half-way between
the two. And I think that this habitat must have spread out with the increase in population. How we can
protect this hybrid, which grows naturally only in this limited area of Izu Peninsula, is a problem for the
future. Sightseeing and tourism is important in the area where the hybrid grows naturally, and there is not
much other industry. Young people leave the area to find work, so the population is ageing and declin-
ing in numbers. The number of unoccupied houses is increasing, fields are being abandoned and forested
areas are taking over again, thereby reducing the natural habitat of wild hydrangeas. In addition, I have
seen many gardens where horticultural varieties of hydrangeas have been planted recently. The influence
of hydrangeas brought in from outside, including infection by diseases (Phytoplasma, etc.), will become a
major problem from now on.

Conclusion
About ten years have passed since I began drawing attention to the presence of natural hybrids in the
Izu Peninsula. Currently some scientists, including Mr. Oba2 and Mr. Uemachi, are investigating them. I
believe that the results of their research will be published in the near future and that more attention will be
paid to these hybrids; this will, I hope, help to protect this wonderful wild plant which grows in such close
proximity to us.

1. Mr. Tatsuya Uemachi, Associate Professor of the University of Shiga Prefecture.

2. Mr. Hideaki Oba, Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo.
 Natural hydrangea hybrids in the Izu Peninsula (Japan)
(illustrations continued)
10

Some examples of plants

found by Tetsu Hirasawa
on the Izu Peninsula;
the diversity and beauty
of these hybrids can be
plainly seen.

I n v a s i v e h y d r a n g e a s
Robert Mallet

After many years growing large numbers of hydrangeas of the species H. macrophylla and its hybrids, we have no-
ticed while taking care of the collection that some varieties have a greater tendency than others to reproduce spon-
taneously by layering; sometimes to such an extent that many of these new plants need to be removed to stop them
completely covering the paths between the beds. We were certainly familiar with photographic views of some islands
like Madeira in which whole areas can be seen taken over by certain hydrangeas showing very little diversity. Among
the plants to keep an eye on in gardens we have noted the following: H. ‘Seafoam’, which can reproduce by layering
twice in a year, and H. ‘Unesco 1’, a plant brought back from Madeira by Claudine Leclerc in 1989.
The hydrangea ‘Izu-no-Odoriko’ is a beautiful plant which reproduces spontaneously by layering and can make the
recipients of the resulting baby plants very happy. The hydrangea ‘Yamato’, one of the most beautiful plants found
by Corinne Mallet (CM 1993 No. 18), behaves in the same way. H. ‘Haruko san’, a hybrid created by Ebihara san
and acquired in 2000 at the Kitakoen exhibition, generates numerous offspring by layering at the expense of neigh-
bouring plants. But the champion in this category is another hybrid, H. ‘Weisse Königin’, Auguste Steiniger, 1973,
producing a dozen offspring by layering each year. Note also that H. ‘Madame Plumecocq’, although not reproduc-
ing by layering, grows so opulently that it, too, tends to overwhelm its neighbours.
Another way for some hydrangeas to expand into new space is by suckering. Some species are particularly notable
in this respect: H. aspera, H. involucrata and some H. serrata. We should also mention H. Sargentiana (an especially
useful plant in colder climates - see Shamrock Journal 25) and H. aspera ‘Macrophylla’. H. involucrata var. izuensis,
island plants with large leaves, produce suckers in a delightfully generous way. H. serrata ssp. yezoensis, early flower-
ing plants from northern Japan, gratify us with beautiful suckers that can be removed to form new plants. H. serrata
‘Chishima’, the most northerly H. serrata since it originates from the Kuril Islands, suckers too, but is of no particu-
lar ornamental value.
The superabundant fertility of some hydrangeas can also make them invasive. This is particularly the case with
H. paniculata whose seedlings can often start appearing as illegal immigrants in adjoining gardens. Young plants
obtained in this way are, of course, different from the parent plant, so once you have made sure that your seedling it
is not a “lucky” one that deserves to be preserved and given a name, each one should be destroyed without mercy.
 New genetic research into the species H. paniculata
presented by Robert Mallet
11
This article presents the results of a
study carried out by Winston T. Beck
and Thomas G. Ranney, researchers at
the Department of Horticultural Sci-
ence, North Carolina State University
in the USA, published in 2014. The
texts in bold italics are excerpts from
this study.
To help understand these results, here
are a few definitions. The ploidy of a
cell is the number of sets of chromo-
somes in its nucleus: a cell is haploid
if it has n chromosomes and diploid if
it has 2n chromosomes arranged in n
pairs. More rarely, triploid (3n chromo-
somes) cells or stages of development The cultivar ‘Wim’s Red’, one of the pentaploid cultivars
may be encountered, or polyploid spe-
cies whose chromosomal characteristics are double the normal (tetraploid = 4n), or triple (hexaploid = 6n)
or more. The basic chromosome number of the genus studied is designated by x. In the genus Hydrangea,
the basic chromosome number is 18.

In nature, H. paniculata occurs as diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid cytotypes, where 1x = 18. There is
evidence that most plants in cultivation are tetraploids.

Ploidy levels and chromosome numbers for ‘Jane’ Little Lime®,

H2009-149-046, and ‘Dharuma’ were confirmed to be tetraploid (2n = 4x = 72), pentaploid
(2n = 5x = 90), and hexaploid (2n = 6x = 108), respectively.

‘Dharuma’ and ‘Praecox’ were the only hexaploid cultivars found, though several wild-collected hexa-
ploids from Japan were also identified. These two cultivars are noted for early blooming, although the
panicles on ‘Dharuma’ have a flattened, less attractive appearance than other cultivars. The bloom-
time differences and floral morphologies of ‘Dharuma’ and ‘Praecox’ have been noted before1 . Howev-
er, these differences were thought to be a result of subspecific variation, rather than the effect of ploidy.
Three commercial cultivars were found to be pentaploid including ‘Bulk’ Quick Fire®, ‘SMHPLQF’
Little Quick Fire™, and ‘Wim’s Red’ Fire and Ice. These most likely resulted from interploid hybrid-
ization, potentially with ‘Dharuma’ as a parent2 .

In the centre of the photo on the front page of our Journal, you can clearly see H. paniculata that are al-
ready coloured: ‘Early Sensation’ = ‘Bulk’ and ‘Wim’s Red’, which flowered 1 month before the
H. paniculata seen in the background of the photo.

To obtain the full study, please contact Thomas G. Ranney, who has authorized us to share these results:
(tom_ranney@ncsu.edu) or go to the following link: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/mcilab/publica-
tions/SNA/beck-and-ranney-2014.pdf

1. See «Hydrangéas et hortensias» by Corinne Mallet, ed. Ulmer, 2003.

2. According to Wim Ruten, the plant’s breeder, ‘Wim’s Red’ is indeed the result of crossing ‘Dharuma’ and ‘Pink Diamond’. Both its small size and its
early flowering come from ‘Dharuma’
 A b o u t H y d r a n g e a g l a b r i p e s
(illustrations)
12

1
7 8

10

4 5
1, 2, 3: The type specimen, preserved in the herbarium of the
Arnold Arboretum, United States. 1: The complete specimen, 2: the
inflorescence, 3: detail of the underside of a leaf.
4: isotype kept in the herbarium at Kew Gardens in England.
5-11, the living plant kept in the ‘Shamrock’ Garden. 5: presen-
tation in the form of a virtual specimen, 6: enlargement of the
inflorescence, 7: enlargement of the sterile floret,
8: enlargement of a group of fertile flowers, 9 enlargement of the
underside of a leaf, 10 and 11 (page 14): general view of the living
3 9 plant.
 A b o u t H y d r a n g e a g l a b r i p e s
Corinne Mallet
13
HYDRANGEA glabripes rehder is a plant of the Asperae subsection which was collected in
China, in western Hubei Province, by Ernest Wilson in August 1907. The plant was described
as a new species in Plantae Wilsonianae 1: 30. 1911 by Alfred Rehder, who gave it the name
of H. glabripes. Dr E. McClintock, who carried out a general revision of the genus Hydran-
gea, renamed the plant H. aspera d.don ssp. aspera, a name under which she also included
H. oblongifolia blume, H. longipes var. lanceolata hemsley, H. Kawakamii hayata and others.
In view of the very many characteristics generally differentiating these plants from one an-
other, it seems to us somewhat inappropriate to group them all under the same specific name.
Regarding H. glabripes rehder, the different specimens show us a rather slender plant, to
which Rehder gives the following description:
Hydrangea glabripes rehder, n. sp.
Frutex metralis ramulis glabris v. fere glabris, vetustioribus flavogriseis. Folia lanceolata, acuminata,
basi late cuneata v. rotundata, dentato-serrulata serraturis mucronulato-acuminatis, 6-12 cm. longaet 2-3
cm. lata, supra obscure flavo-viridia, satis dense strigulosa, subtus pallida, hirto-villosa costa fere glabra
excepta; petioli graciles,1.5-4 cm. longi, glabri, tantum supra in canaliculo parce pubescentes. Cyma fere
plana v. leviter convexa, 8-10 cm. diam., strigosa,radiis brevibus 7-9; flores radiantes pauci, rosei, sepalis
4, late obovatis, leviter emarginatis integris; flores fertiles rosei; calycis tubus hemisphericus, glaber ima
basi excepta, dentibus triangularibus minutis; petala oblongo-ovata, 1.5 mm. longa; stamina inaequalia,
longiora4 mm. longa; styli 2. Capsulae maturae desunt.
H. glabripes rehder, new species (Translation of the Latin text)
Shrub one metre tall, hairless or nearly hairless branchlets, the older ones yellowish grey. The leaf is
lanceolate, acuminate, the base broadly cuneate or rounded, dentate-serrulate, the serration mucronate-
acuminate, 6-12 cm long and 2-3 cm wide, upper side dark yellow green, fairly dense strigose hair, un-
derside pale, covered with bristly hairs, almost glabrous except midrib, slender petiole, 1.5 to 4 cm long,
hairless, only slightly pubescent in the upper channels. Cyme (floral) almost flat or slightly convex 8 to 10
cm in diameter, covered with strigose hairs, generally rays numbering from 7 to 9; sterile florets few, pink,
4 sepals broadly obovate, entire and slightly indented; pink fertile flowers, the calyx tube hemispherical,
glabrous except at their base, very small triangular teeth (sepals), oblong-ovate petal, length 1.5mm; sta-
mens of unequal length, the longest 4mm; styles 2 in number. Mature capsules absent.
Rehder’s commentary in English is the following:
“Western Hupeh: Fang Hsien, thickets, alt. 1200-1800 m., August1907 (No. 2391).
Closely related to H. longipes franchet which is chiefly distinguished by broader strigose or glabrescent
leaves, strigose branchlets, longer petioles and white flowers1. From all allied species H. glabripes differs
in the leaves having a densely villous under side and at the same time a glabrous petiole and a glabrous or
nearly glabrous midrib.”
In the ‘Shamrock’ Collection there is a living plant that corresponds fairly well to the description
of the one collected by Wilson. Its early flowering in late June and early July does not correspond
to that of H. glabripes, since the type specimen was collected in flower in August. But the climate
of the mountains of Hubei, at 1800m above sea level, is necessarily different from that of the
‘Shamrock’ Collection, located by the sea at 70m altitude, and it is known that the flowering of
the same plant can be significantly advanced or delayed depending on the climate. The size of its
inflorescences and leaves, larger than the type specimen, does not count against identifying this
plant as H. glabripes.

1. See the article «About H. longipes» in the ‘Shamrock’ Association journal No. 25.
 A b o u t H y d r a n g e a g l a b r i p e s
(continued)
14
This plant, bought by Corinne Mallet at the Spinners Nursery around 1985, has several
growth characteristics that make it quite different from other plants in the Asperae subsection.

- Early flowering: unlike many other plants in the Asperae subsection, anthesis takes place from
June onwards.

- Suckering: some hydrangeas in the Asperae subsection such as H. involucrata, as well as

other subsections, present this suckering character, but this remains an exception within the
genus Hydrangea.

- Low height: if the low height of this plant (not exceeding 1m in the ‘Shamrock’ Collection)
is not an exception in the subsection, it does, however, argue for the identification of this plant
with Rehder’s H. glabripes. In any case this low height means it cannot be identified with
H. aspera d. don.

If this living plant specimen really is Wilson’s H. gla-

bripes as described by Rehder, its growth characteristics
provide even more evidence that this species should be
well differentiated from other plants of the Asperae sub-
section.
11

J o u r n e y t o N e w Z e a l a n d
Didier Boos

In March 2013, we spent some “family” time with Gail and Glyn Church and old friends, visiting Glyn’s
garden and the beautiful luxuriant undergrowth at the foot of Mt Tanaka, the nearby volcano. The South
Island is even more beautiful and wild than the North Island. The forests and mountains seem to come out
of a fairy tale. This is really a region to be discovered on foot as much as possible.

Glyn and Didier in the Churches’ garden Didier and the “big head”
E x p e d i t i o n t o s o u t h e r n C h i n a ’s H u b e i P r o v i n c e
Ozzie Johnson
15
Our society was one of the organizations that supported a small expedition to southern Chi-
na’s Hubei Province this past October of which I was a member. After arriving in Wuhan, the
Capital city, we traveled by train, bus, and car to see the western part of the province to eleva-
tions where the climate approximates ours in Zones 6-8. First and foremost was Shennongjia
National Nature Reserve, to view one of the most diverse plant eco systems in China, with an
estimated 3400 higher plant species. Despite rain and poor visibility, hydrangeas encountered
included H. heteromalla d. don, H. fulvescens rehder, H. aff. rosthornii diels, et H. umbellata
rehder. Other plants of note were many, but possibly one of the most magnificent specimens
of Emmenopteris henryi in existence was in late flower and seed. It was and estimated 100
feet tall and 5 to 6 feet in diameter.
We traveled south through Badong County into Enshi County accompanied by Hubei Forestry
personnel from the local district office. We were looking for Acer griseum in seed which had
been reported collected on only one occasion by western botanists in the past 100 years. In a
driving rain we were able to locate trees with seed on a hillside thick with bamboo. In this re-
gard collecting sample seed and traveling in wet weather, it is difficult to get the seed dry and
keep them dry. Seed and uncleaned fruit is packed for travel and then unpacked and spread
out to prevent mildew and rot, a time consuming task. On previous traveling in South China
the usual higher elevation hydrangea has been H. heteromala, and the usual lower elevation
one has been H. strigosa and this trip was no exception. The more unusual species on this trip
were a special treat. H. hypoglauca was also a probable collection in southwest Hubei and
if verified, was the fourth hydrangea species that I had not seen in its native habitat, truly a
dream come true for this old hydrangea lover!

Top left: A hydrangea,

close to the species
H. rosthornii diels,
collected by Ozzie.

Top right: Acer

griseum in the mist.

Bottom: Ozzie pac-

king up his seeds for
the return journey.
 W o r k i n t h e c o l l e c t i o n
16

Work on 19 February and 29 March 2014. A great ash tree was blocking the light and choking the H. serrata and
other rare species at the bottom of the ‘Green Dragon Wood’ (Bois du Dragon Vert). After logging work done by
Hervé Lepetit, it was Henry Guyomard, assisted by a former student from “La Traverse” in Omonville, Maxime
Loze, who undertook the task of digging up, then burying the remaining stump with a very large mechanical shovel.

Work on 25 and 26 March 2014. A huge thinning and clearing job was needed in the ‘Green Dragon Wood’ to
bring light to the hydrangeas growing there. The team of northerners - Daniel Kuzsac, Madeleine Alvès and Andre
Dieval (centre photo) were in charge of logging work with help from Hervé Lepetit (upper left photo) and the
tireless Christiane Le Scanff and Jean-Marie Rouet took care of putting everything back in order.
 Species of the Hydrangea genus in the ‘Shamrock’ Collection
Corinne Mallet
17
HYDRANGEA Section HYDRANGEA Section (continued)

Americanae Macrophyllae ✕ Petalanthae

H. arborescens linnaeus H. luteovenosa ✕ serrata
H. cinerea small
H. quercifolia bartram Petalanthae
H. radiata walter
H. angustipetala hayata
Asperae H. chinensis maximowicz
H. grosseserrata engler
H. aspera d.don H. hirta siebold
H. aspera ✕ involucrata H. Lobii maximowicz
H. aspera ✕ Sargentiana H. luteovenosa koidzumi
H. aspera ✕ villosa H. scandens seringe
H. glabripes ? rehder H. umbellata redher
H. involucrata siebold H. ✕amagiana makino
H. involucrata var. izuensis hayashi H. sp. (ex Sichuan, China)
H. Kawakamii hayata
H. longifolia hayata
H. longipes franchet Calyptranthae
H. Sargentiana rehder
H. sikokiana maximowicz H. anomala d.don
H. strigosa rehder H. petiolaris siebold
H. villosa rehder H. petiolaris siebold var. yakushimanum c. mallet
H. sp. (ex Vietnam)
H. sp. (ex Taiwan)
H. sp. (ex Yunnan, China)
H. sp. (ex India) CORNIDIA Section

Heteromallae Monosegia
H. heteromalla d.don H. integrifolia hayata
H. paniculata siebold H. Seemannii riley
H. paniculata var. velutina nakai
H. paniculata siebold ssp. yezoensis yamamoto Polysegia
H. paniculata ✕ paniculata ssp. yezoensis
H. serratifolia (hooker & arnott) philippi f.
H. xanthoneura rehder
Monosegia ✕ Polysegia
Macrophyllae H. peruviana ✕ serratifolia
H. macrophylla (thunberg) seringe H. Seemanii ✕ serratifolia
H. serrata (thunberg) seringe ssp. angustata kitamura
H. serrata (thunberg) seringe ssp. japonica siebold
H. serrata (thunberg) seringe ssp. sinensis hort. ex lavallée
H. serrata (thunberg) seringe ssp. yezoensis koidzumi
H. stylosa hooker & thomson
H. ✕serratophylla c. mallet

Asperae Asperae Monosegia ✕ Polysegia Macrophyllae

H. longipes H. aspera ✕ involucrata H. peruviana ✕ serratifolia H. stylosa
 A c t i v i t i e s o f t h e S o c i e t y
18

Doullens Plant Festival, 24 and 25 May 2014. Martine Merlin, always very convincing, gives all the necessary
information to a potential buyer, with Corinne Mallet’s book in her hand.
At the traditional lunch provided for participants of the Doullens Plant Festival, Jean-Claude Marzec and Robert
exchange memories of the first day of this type 30 years ago, when Robert’s nursery, the ‘Centre d’Art Floral’
was present.

Work session, 9 and 10 May 2014. Everything has been sold, and the pallets are packed up under the thoughtful
eye of Daniel Kuszac, while André Dieval attacks the beech hedges around the beds in the ‘Shamrock’ Garden.
Sincere thanks to all the professionals who support our Society’s work by donating plants for our annual sale.

A small gathering, September 4, 2014. The Society is also an enjoyable place to get together! It’s great to share
bread and wine with friends. The ladies go home bearing subtly coloured bouquets.
 Hydrangeas on the island of Réunion
Jean Pierre Péan – Jean Renault
19
Visiting the beautiful island of Réunion in the first week of February 2015 was a wonderful opportu-
nity for us; the island is well known for the presence of sub-spontaneous hydrangeas in the mountains;
descendants of plants introduced by man.

Our 2,000 km drive, on generally very good roads, gave us the opportunity to discover the vegetation of
this island (officially a French département) with well-preserved high altitude forests and well-maintained
mountain trails. All this driving gave us the opportunity to make many discoveries along the way: how
could we ever forget those huge tree ferns, many metres high, with thin stems and fronds up to 3 metres
long? And all the gardens and streets of the towns and villages with so many different palms, and the
Norfolk pines of our grandmothers, which here can reach from 5 to 10 metres in height?

We were lucky enough to be accompanied, in turn, by J. Fillatre and D. Richoux, both of whom are pro-
fessional horticulturalists. They were able to provide us with some very interesting visits and encounters.

The hydrangeas are mostly to be found along roads or paths at altitudes above 1000m. (La Plaine-des-
Palmistes, Plaine des Cafres, Bébour, the Tévelave forest road, etc.) There are the right conditions for
them to thrive there - relatively cool conditions and, especially, a high degree of humidity. We were sur-
prised to see little diversity among the sub-spontaneous hydrangeas found growing naturally - a total
contrast to the Izu Peninsula in Japan, the cradle of the species Hydrangea macrophylla.

Two hydrangeas represent virtually all of the naturalized plants:

- An H. macrophylla with lace cap inflorescences with blue fertile flowers and white sterile florets.

- An H. macrophylla with ball-shaped inflorescences, with bluish-white sterile florets.

Young inflorescences are very pale, even white. In some sites the ball-shaped inflorescences are huge,
certainly because of a rich and deep soil. All are predominantly blue, due to acid soils.

These hydrangeas do not appear to produce many fertile seeds; this seems to confirm that their natural in-
crease in Réunion has taken place mainly by vegetative, rather than sexual, propagation. Our observations
on site indicate the presence of many instances of accidental and spontaneous reproduction by layering.
Nature is sometimes aided by man, with the spread of spontaneous cuttings derived from brush-clearing
operations, as we saw on the forest road above Tévelave.
No one was able confirm with certainty the origin of the two species we encountered. This could probably
be the subject of a thesis by a horticultural graduate student, who could conduct research for the National
Horticultural Society of France, etc.

There are two schools of thought about naturalized hydrangeas in Réunion. The first sees them as invasive
plants that should be destroyed. The second (residents, tourists, and horticultural professionals), considers
that their presence now forms part of the island’s heritage. Hydrangeas would have been introduced to
Réunion around 1770 at the time of P. Poivre and P. Commerson.
For us, the hydrangea has its place in the scenery along the roadside at high altitude, and does not repre-
sent a serious threat, unlike other invasive plants. Apart from in a few isolated spots, it stays within a band
of 3 to 6 metres along the roads and paths, and does not reseed itself further; otherwise, it would have
invaded the forests of the island.

In the side streets of the La Plaine-des-Palmistes, many hydrangeas are planted in gardens and hedges. We
were also able to observe a very few different white and red cultivars there.
Hydrangeas on the island of Réunion
(illustrations)
20

Upper photo: an example of H. macrophylla

It would seem that the hydrangeas seen in this photo are,
with lace cap inflorescences.
exceptionally, hybrids of H. macrophylla and H. serrata
Lower photo: an example of H. macrophylla
descended from the first European hybrids.
with ball-shaped inflorescences

Early and late H. paniculata cultivars

Robert Mallet

Before and after the H. paniculata that flower in mid-season (see our 3 ‘Shamrock’ favourites: ‘Phantom’, ‘Big Ben’ and
‘Mid Late Summer’), there is a series of early H. paniculata, and conversely, others are late and even very late flowering.
Early H. paniculata (small sized)
1 2
‘Daruma’
‘Sparkling’ (photo 1)
‘Harry von Trier’
‘Magical Flame’
‘Magical Fire’

Early H. paniculata (medium sized)

‘Praecox’ (photo 2)
3 4
‘Hime Nori Utsugi’ (see “Distinctions” on page 6)

Late-flowering H. paniculata
‘October Bride’ (De Belder)
‘Mount Aso’ (De Belder)
‘Melody ‘ (De Belder) (photo 3)
‘Pink Diamond’ (De Belder) (photo 4)

Very late-flowering H. paniculata

5 6 ‘Big A’(photo 5)
‘Sauvage’(photo 6)
‘Papillon’ (De Belder)
‘Ruby’ (recent, excellent for dry bouquets), differ-
ent from ‘Ruby’ (De Belder)
 Notes on H. grosseserrata and H. Kawagoena
Kiyoshi Fujii
21
Letter from Kiyoshi Fujii san, a great collector of hydrangeas, whom Corinne met twice at his
home in the Kobe area of Japan, and with whom she has kept up a correspondence. The hy-
drangea ‘Shojo’ was grown from a seedling which spontaneously appeared in Kiyoshi Fujii’s
collection; we know what a remarkable plant it is. H. grosseserrata and H. Kawagoena are
plants from the Petalanthae subsection, endemic to southern Japan.

Dear Ms. Corinne Mallet

I read your "HYDRANGEA" in Japanese and learned that you are well
and continuing great work. Although we haven’t met since 1997, I am
still impressed by your passion for hydrangeas.
‘Shojo’ is a strong kind of hydrangea wich survives both coldness and
direct sunlight. It can adjust itself to the change of soil. The colour of the
flowers changes from white to pink (or blue) and afterward some petals
turn over and show red side and white side. They look beautiful espe-
cially late summer because the leaves turn red.
Twenty years have passed since the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake.
Many hybrid hydrangeas were born in the farm I borrowed. H. kawa-
goena and H. grosseserrata were collected from the southwest islands of
Japan The former is large, and the latter is rather small. Originally they Hydrangea grosseserrata: the type
specimen preserved in the Herbarium of
had white flowers. But the hybrids have blue and pink flowers and the Botanical Garden of Geneva (Swit-
I think that will contribute to the future hydrangea studies. zerland). The plant was collected by
I truly hope your continuance of hydrangea studies. Faurie on Yakushima Island in 1900 and
Best wishes Kiyoshi Fujii described by Engler under that specific
name in “Engler & Prantl, Natürlichen
The illustrations on this page have been selected and captioned by Corinne Mallet. Photo of H. Kawagoena is by K. Fujii. pflanzenfamilien”, ed.2, 18a: 207. 1930.

“Yakushima-ajisai” (Hydrangea grosseserrata)

is a Japanese plant endemic to the island
of Yakushima, in the south of Japan. This
plant is present in the ‘Shamrock’ Collec-
The island of
tion.
Yakushima is
just below the
large island of
Kyushu; to the
south of Yakushi-
ma are the
Tokara Islands.
Hydrangea Kawagoena: This specimen
is preserved in the Herbarium of the
Botanical Garden in Tokyo (Japan). The
plant was collected by Kawagoe on the
«Tokara-ajisai» (Hydrangea Kawagoena) island of Nakanoshima (one of the is-
is a Japanese plant from the archipelago of lands in the Tokara archipelago) in 1910
the Tokara Islands, in the south of Japan. and described by Koidzumi in 1918 in
H. Kawagoena and H. grosseserrata have the “Botanical Magazine of Tokyo”, 32:
often been confused in the horticultural 138. 1918, and named specifically in
literature. honour of its collector, Mr Kawagoe.
 Correspondence and other information
22
Maurice Foster 21/04/2014
I meant to email you earlier to congratulate you on an excellent, colourful, busy and very interesting issue with lots of ‘new’ material on
the more interesting species… I was particularly interested in Corinne’s pièce on H. longipes and perhaps would have gone a bit further
and elevated it back to full species level. The Franchet description is the evidence reeded as it fits in every particular. The H. robusta dis-
cussion is also interesting, given the New York spécimen. Could my introduction be H. maximowicsii ? It is a very disctinctive plant and I
have two further as yet unflowered specimens that look to be the same thing, from easter Himalaya…
Ed.: we are very sorry to have learned that the wonderful Rosemary Foster, Maurice’s wife, passed away last year.

Ozzie Johnson 22/04/2014

I have been unusually busy busy busy for a long time...My greenhouse is finished for the most part. My repair of my garden has not gone
quickly…I glanced at your newsletter… it is amazing ! So much information. Cannot wait to get time to read it. We plan to collect
seed in China this fall in Hubei and Hunan provinces. Thanks so much for the help you gave to us last year.

Joan Harrison 5/06/2014

This is a VERY belated thank you for allowing the Cape Cod Hydrangea Society access to the most recent Index of Cultivar Names. As
you know we are readying our garden for the 2015 hydrangea conference and we are anxious to have everything just right I am working
with the current director of horticulture at Heritage Gardens to get accurate signs
in place for every plant in our collection. It would be wonderful if you could join
us next year !

Isabelle von Groeningen 23/1/2015 An International Conference: July 14, 15 & 16, 2015
“... I’ve always loved hydrangeas, but being a child of Kalmthout, my particular Keynote by Dr. Michael Dirr
weak point has been the paniculatas. The parent plants at Hemelrijk are so won- HYDRANGEAS, HYDRANGEAS, HYDRANGEAS!

derful that they’re irresistible. But at your place I really discovered a new world.
The Species, Cultivars, Newest Introductions, Breeding Innovations, Cultural Issues, Tours of
Significant Private Cape Cod Gardens. Plus on-site displays by Major Hydrangeas Suppliers, and Plant
Sales Stalls by Local Nurseries featuring hundreds of hydrangeas- all presented and available over
And your enthusiasm is like the flu - once contracted the infection passes from three days in the cradle of the genus – Cape Cod.
Heritage is widely known for our rhododendrons, but we also feature a growing collection of
one to another in no time at all!” hydrangeas. In concert with the Cape Cod Hydrangea Society, Heritage is the repository of the
Society’s Hydrangea Collection and has continued to expand hydrangea plantings throughout the
property.
Lectures will be held each morning with garden tours in the afternoon. Tuesday and Wednesday

Hungyi (Taiwan) 18/8/2014

lectures will be held at the Cape Codder Resort and Spa followed by tours featuring significant private
gardens on the Cape. Thursday will be a full Heritage Day dedicated to tours of all garden areas
including the Hydrangea Collection. Thursday evening will feature the Conference banquet followed
“... Above all, it’s the Shamrock garden which is an unrivalled surprise ... It’s by an Ice Cream Social and a Question & Answer Forum to conclude the event. Transportation will be
provided to conference attendees from the Cape Codder Resort and Spa to and from the garden tours,
a theatre that produces a whole variety of shows at the same time. It’s just too as well as to and from Heritage.
Cape Cod is a historical treasure trove, a place of incomparable natural beauty, with a maritime climate
clever!” befitting Hydrangea macrophylla – the crown jewel of the genus – at their blooming peak in July.
Please join us for the Best of the Best in Hydrangeas, Horticulture, and Hospitality!

The  Hydrangea  Conference  is  at  Heritage  Museums  and  Gardens  in  Hyannis,  MA  :  

Leo Quédé 1/4/2014 (former trainee) http//heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/hydrangeas2015  

“... We’ve received Corinne Mallet’s book. My garden is great, it’s beautiful. I  

got 20/20 in my internship report. In any case I had a great time with you during  
 
10th  Hydrangea  Festival  in  Landschloss  Zuschendorf  (Saxony)  
these three days. I learned a lot of stuff I could tell my father and my mother. From  25/07  to  09/08/2015  
Thanks a lot, and see you soon.”  

Jean Astrop (Atlanta) 16/10/2014

I just returned from the Cherokee Garden Library lecture by Lynden Miller. She
gave a fantastic very inspirational talk. It goes to show what one person can do !
Gardening is a great connection fo wonderful people ! We are both fans of yours.

Daniel Kuszac 28/09/2014

Who was it that said ... that roe deer totally disregard hydrangeas??? ME! But
 
 
The  theme  of  the  festival  is  dedicated  to  French  producers.  
that was before - that was yesterday. It’s well known that wild boars don’t attack France  has  been  the  cradle  of  breeding  for  European  
plants (except perhaps maize). They never damage trees, or shrubs, or perenni- hydrangeas  for  over  100  years,  from  Commerson  to  today.  In  
als ... except by accident. This is not quite the case for deer, who don’t hesitate collaboration  with  the  largest  collection  of  hydrangeas  in  the  
world,  the  ‘Shamrock’  Arboretum  in  Varengeville  sur  Mer  
to attack the bark of the trunks of young trees, either to feed or to rub and thus (76119  -­‐  Normandy  France),  there  will  be  an  exhibition  of  the  
renew their antlers, and who don’t hesitate to force their way through the rose most  emblematic  varieties  of  French,  and  therefore  European,  
bushes, in all seasons, gleaning on the way any flowers still present. That’s what culture  (Mouillère,  Lemoine,  and  Cayeux  as  well  as  many  
others,  more  recent);  a  retrospective  of  French  expertise  of  
the fence is for. But they never, never touch hydrangeas ... except ... except ... the  past  110  years.  With  400  taxa  of  species  and  varieties,  the  
for MY deer, who has taken it into his head to attack some quercifolia. ‘Sikes botanic  collection  of  Dresden  University,  based  in  
Dwarf’ has had this bitter experience, and even the delicate ‘Little Honey’, so Zuschendorf  at  the  Landschloss  Castle,  is  the  largest  in  
Germany.  In  collaboration  with  Claus  and  Torsten  Kühne  
well established in Bois Lurette, has not found favour in his eyes. Apparently Plants  GbR  and  the  Reinhard  Ullmann  horticultural  
only the leaves appeared on the menu, so the next flowering may not be entirely establishment,  the  castle  is  embellished  with  the  most  
compromised. But the expected autumn colours have been postponed indefi- magnificent  hydrangeas  produced  in  Saxony.  
 

nitely. My affection to you … and not to my deer, and, while I’m about it, not to For  more  information  contact  Bernard  Schumpp:  
my wild boars either.
Shamrock27@orange.fr  
 Correspondence and other information
23
Several Shamrock members have passed on to us some very interesting observations about growing and propagating H. serrata and
H. ✕serratophylla.
PROPAGATION
Gallia Guillaume
A cutting from ‘Santiago’ taken from a branch with single flowers will produce a plant with predominantly single flowers. A cutting from the
same ‘Santiago’ taken from a branch with double flowers will give a plant with predominantly double flowers.
Marie-France Doll
A cutting taken from a branch with variegated leaves will retain this characteristic in the plant obtained.
France Gosse
If your H. serrata lies down flat on the ground without any reason (i.e. in normal lighting conditions), this is probably because the cutting
was taken from the side, rather than the top of the original plant. Cuttings taken from the vertical upper branches will give erect shrubs.
Moreover, for H. serrata with thin stems which are difficult to propagate from cuttings, propagation by layering is fairly easy. (But, once
again, beware of the risk of producing ‘horizontal’ plants if you propagate from side branches).

PRUNING H. serrata and H. ✕serratophylla.

Several members have experimented with the pruning of plants with degeneration of the main stems.
Jean-Pierre Péan and André Diéval 1
Both of them have pruned H. serrata in their own gardens and at Shamrock, in the hope of regenerating a declining plant. Although pruning
in winter sometimes rejuvenates a plant, it does not allow flowering in the following season. This is particularly true for H. ✕serratophylla
(H. ‘Shojo’, ‘Odoriko Amacha’, ‘Professeur Iida’)
Ishii Chitose
In Tokyo, where the atmosphere is drier than in the mountains, it is usual to prune back H. serrata after flowering to stimulate the growth of
young branches that will bloom the following year.
Recent experience at ‘Shamrock’
A ‘Tiara’ plant which was showing signs of degeneration had its main branches pruned back by two-thirds by Jean-Pierre Péan in July 2014;
this caused a strong growth of new branches during the summer and the following autumn, promising a rich harvest of flowers for the new
season (provided that this winter does not prove too severe).

1. André has just written a booklet about pruning hydrangeas of different species. This document will be available at our Fête des Hydrangéas on 18 and 19 April 2015.

N e w h y d r a n g e a s i n J a p a n
Ta k a a k i Sugimoto

Because my good friend Mr Hira-

sawa, accompanied by Mr Tsu-
chiya, investigates the hydrangeas
in Izu every year, there is a consi-
derable number of new plants to
report.

I send you pictures of varieties

produced by me, varieties disco- 1 2

vered by Mr Tsuchiya, and others

discovered in Izu-oshima, as fol-
lows: “Izumonogatari”(1), “Saza-
nami” (2), “Mizuki” (3), “Ohse”,
“Ohshimaryokka”(4).

In addition, there is another

variety, “Junsui “, which is not
illustrated. This is a plant which 3 4
can bloom at any time of the year.
 A n n o u n c e m e n t s
a n d n e w i n t r o d u c t i o n s
The ANNUAL SHAMROCK “2000 Hydrangeas” FESTIVAL will take place over
the weekend of 18 and 19 April 2015 in Varengeville sur mer , at the Villa Casa-
nova, 33 route de l’Eglise. This year, the focus will be on clematis, those magni-
ficent potential companion plants for hydrangeas. The famous «Travers» nur-
sery offers Shamrock members the possibility of going directly to their website:
http://www.clematite.net/accueil.php, to order plants for delivery in Varengeville
during this weekend. There will be other clematis in bloom
available to buy, but we do not yet have details of the culti-
var names.
NNEW INTRODUCTIONS IN THE H. paniculata ‘Little Quick Fire’ LG 2192
‘SHAMROCK’ COLLECTION H. ‘Love’ LG 2159
H. serrata ‘Aya Ezo Yae’ LG 2153 H. serrata ‘Miyama Kurohime’ LG 20202
H. ‘Baroque Angel’ LG 2187 H. serrata ‘Murasaki Kobai’
H. involucrata ‘Blue Bunny’ LG 2196 H. ‘Papillon’ LG 2160
H. serrata ‘Chiri-san Sue’ LG 2173 H. paniculata ‘Pee Wee’ LG 2193
H. ‘Bianca Di Ceriano’ LG 2157 H. aspera ‘Pink Giant’ LG 2197
H. paniculata ‘Fire Light’ LG 2190 H. serrata ‘Shichihenge’ LG 2179
H. serrata ‘Hachibuse Temari’ LG 2172 H. serrata ‘Shiro Ogi’ LG 2171
H. paniculata ‘Harry van Trier’ LG 2169 H. quercifolia ‘Snow Drift’ LG 2200
H. aspera ‘Hot Chocolate’ LG 2176 H. ‘Spike’ LG 2158
H. serrata ‘Iyo-no-Hoshi’ Lg 2162 H. serrata ‘Tosa-no-Mahoroba’ LG 2189
H. serrata ‘Ishizuchi-no-Hikari’ LG 2152 H. aspera ‘Velvet Lace’ LG 2198
H. serrata ‘Kohkansetsu’ LG 2164 H. ‘Wedding Gown’ LG 2184
H. paniculata ‘Lammetje’ LG 2188

J ournées des p lantes Raymond Guillaume 1/1/2015

“The years go by and no two are alike
2000 hydrangéas pour “Shamrock” ... By serendipity, chance directed me to
1 8 & 1 9 a v r i l 2 0 1 5
d e 1 0 h 0 0 à 1 8 h 0 0
hydrangeas, but only the chemical side.
Everything started from aluminium,
harmful to plants but harmless if it is
trapped in a chemical complex (antho-
cyanin) giving this beautiful blue when
the soil pH is acidic. Moreover, it soon
became evident that an excess of nitro-
gen (N) and phosphorus (P) inhibits the
absorption of aluminium. Only potas-
sium (K) would go against this, bearing
M aison “ C asanova”, 33 route de l’ E glise in mind, however, that muriate of potash
7 6 1 1 9 V a r e n g e v i l l e s u r M e r
(KCI) is not a recommended fertilizer.
C ette a nnée, “s pécial c lématites” It suffices to say right away, then, that a
Avec le concours de Boos-Hortensias, Chauvin Production, Hortensiartois, Our member Michaël Potel, in his garden with
Hortensias France Production, Sicamus Production, Tous au Jardin.
the plant Hydrangea (Asperae) ‘Gong Shan’
large NPK is not favourable to the blue-
ing of hydrangeas.”
VENTE AU PROFIT DE L’ASSOCIATION “SHAMROCK”, ROUTE DE L’ÉGLISE 76119, VARENGEVILLE SUR MER 02-35-85-14-64

A V ARENGEVILLE SUR M ER, À 10 KM DE DIEPPE, EN HAUTE-NORMANDIE and its HUGE inflorescences!

T o c o n t a c t u s P i c t u r e c r e d i t s
Didier Boos: p. 14, lower, Arnold Arboretum Herbarium: p. 12
Association des Amis de la Collection d’hydrangéas Shamrock (nos 1, 2, 3), Kiyoshi Fujii: p. 21 lower, Tetsu Hirasawa: pp. 8 &
(or “Association Shamrock”) 10, Ozzie Johnson: p. 15, Kew Gardens Herbarium: p. 12 (n°4),
route de l’Eglise, 76119, Varengeville sur Mer - France Geneva Botanical Gardens Herbarium: p. 21, Corinne Mallet: p. 12
tel : 33 (0)2-35-85-14-64, email : shamrock76@wanadoo.fr (nos 5, 6, 7, 8, 9), 18 lower, Robert Mallet : pp. 1, 4, 6, 12 (n°10),
website : www.hortensias-hydrangea.com 14 upper, 16, 17, 18 upper & 21, J.-P. Péan: p. 20, Michaël Potel: p.
24, Bernard Schumpp: pp. 5 & 6, Takaaki Sugimoto: p. 23, Tokyo
Botanical Gardens Herbarium: p. 21, Bryan Woy: drawing p. 1