User:HydrangeaLove/Hydrangea aspera

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Hydrangea aspera is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae, native to the dense forests in region between the Himalayas, across southern China, to Taiwan. It is a large, erect deciduous shrub growing to 3 m tall and wide, with broadly oval leaves and dense branches. The flowers are typically borne in large flat heads in late summer, and are in variable shades of pale blue and pink, fringed by white or pale pink sterile florets.

The Latin aspera means "rough-textured" and refers to the downy lower surface of the leaves.

Anatomy
Hydrangea aspera has lace capped, flat-topped inflorescences with flowers that vary in color based on the pH level of the soil. Plants that grow in more acidic soil have flowers that are various shades of blue, where a more vibrant or pigmented blue color is observed the lower the pH level is. At higher or more alkaline pH levels, the flowers are various shades of pink. In addition to the pH level of the soil, the amount of soluble aluminum available in the soil effects the flower color as well. When a plant is able to absorb more aluminum ions, the flower color is found to be more blue.

The coarse texture of the leaves of Hydrangea aspera is one of the key characteristics that differentiates this species from the subspecies of Hydrangea aspera, as well as the other species under the genus Hydrangea. The sterile flowers of this species have longer sepals than those of the fertile flowers. The shape, size, and lower leaf texture of this species varies slightly depending on the exact region where it is naturally found. Within this wide region, Hydrangea aspera subspecies can also be found.
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Habitat

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Cultivation
The plant is widely cultivated, and favours a sheltered position in acidic or neutral soil, with best growth often in partial or afternoon shade. The leaves, in some forms exceeding 30.5 cm (12 inches) long, are vulnerable to drying winds as well as mechanical wind damage. Numerous cultivars have been produced as ornamental subjects for parks and gardens. They include:


 * 'Anthony Bullivent'
 * 'Longipes'
 * 'Mauvette'
 * 'Peter Chappell'
 * 'The Ditch'

In addition to forms of garden origin, various forms of wild origin are cultivated such as Kawakamii, Macrophylla, Robusta, Sargentiana, Strigosa, and Villosa. The phenotype for plant images returned by a web search on such terms can vary widely, a sign of unsettled taxonomy or complex expression of forms due to wide geographic ranges or other factors, with some authorities giving full species status, e. g. H. robusta and H. longipes, whereas other sources assign subspecies, e.g. ''H. aspera ssp. robusta, or H. aspera Kawakamii'' (example list of Hydrangea from collections).

The cultivar H. aspera 'Macrophylla' (not to be confused with H. macrophylla) has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.