Horticulture Magazine

Climbing Hydrangea

flowering climbing hydrangea
By KERSASP SHEKHDAR
Kersasp Shekhdar, Gardener

Kersie is a professional and vocational writer who learnt the basics of gardening as a toddler, courtesy of his grandfather. He is an active gardener with a preference for flowering plants.

/ Updated June 27th, 2023
Reviewed By COLIN SKELLY

Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience.

/ Meets Our Editorial Guidelines

Visualise a lush vertical sheet of dark green foliage up to 15m high, sprawling and spreading across the side of your summer house or up a wooden trellis, and bearing delightful, wavy clusters of white or creamy little flowers throughout summer.

Like that vision? Be introduced to the Climbing Hydrangea.

That near-ubiquitous garden favourite, the little Hydrangea plant, has a few less well-known relatives.

These are the less-ubiquitous, not-so-little, Climbing Hydrangeas.

Of the few thousand Hydrangea varieties, a mere handful are climbers.

Overview

Botanical NameHydrangea petiolaris
Common Name(s)Climbing Hydrangea
Plant TypeClimber
Native AreaJapan and South Korea
Hardiness RatingH5
FoliageDeciduous, broadly oval leaves
FlowersShowy white flower heads
When To SowApril, May
Flowering MonthsMay, June, July
When To PruneMarch, July, August
Sunlight

Preferred
Any

Exposure
Sheltered

Size

Height
12M+

Spread
4 – 8M

Bloom Time
May – July

Soil

Preferred
Clay, Loam, Sand

Moisture
Moist but well drained

pH
Neutral / Acidic

For the most part, they are deciduous woody vines that climb using adventitious aerial roots that are not damaging to bricks or to other trees.

A supplementary means of climbing is that the vines and branches themselves entwine around support structures, also holding fast using suckers.

Although most Climbing Hydrangeas are deciduous, a couple are evergreen.

However, whether a particular vine is deciduous or evergreen also depends on the climate: if the winters are mild, Climbing Hydrangeas may not shed their leaves.

Close-up of a Floral Cluster of Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris
Hydrangea petiolaris

Most species are native to a geographical area stretching from Siberia and Sakhalin through Southern China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan, stretching down to the Himalayas, India, and Myanmar in the South.1Hydrangea anomala. (n.d.). Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=286935

Only two species make their home in Mexico, Central America, and the Southern United States.2Hydrangea barbara (Climbing Hydrangea, Woodvamp). (n.d.). North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/hydrangea-barbara/

Different varieties attain different heights, but the tallest ones can grow up to 30m.

A Climbing Hydrangea in Full Bloom – and in Full Flight

If a Climbing Hydrangea has nothing to climb up on, it will creep along the ground, over time covering up to 60m².

It forms pretty mounds about 1m tall, providing an attractive ground cover of lush undulating foliage richly dappled with white in the summer.

Habitat & Growing Conditions

Constant sun or bright sunlight can singe this plant.

A band of temperature between 15-20°C is just perfect for this vine.

In contrast, Hydrangea barbara can tolerate bright sun and semi-tropical conditions much better than H. anomala, the reason being that Climbing Hydrangea species exhibit diversity in more than just ‘looks’.

Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris starting to bloom

Hardiness also varies between the different species, subspecies and cultivars.

Planting

The best time to plant Climbing Hydrangea is mid-Spring after there is no danger of frost.

It can be planted in summer too provided it is kept properly watered.

If the plant doesn’t seem to grow, do not worry – it grows rather slowly during its first 2 or 3 years as most of its energies are spent on developing and spreading its root system.

vine of climbing hydrangea with green leaves climbing against a brick wall

Thereafter, upon becoming established it will grow much more rapidly, even as much as 1m per year.

However, it will take about 5 years for it to start developing flowers.

It takes 10-20 years for Climbing Hydrangeas to reach their full height.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Preferred Sunlight

Climbing Hydrangeas grow well in part shade to even full shade.

Ideally, these plants should get some sunlight in the morning or evening, with shade or only dappled sunlight during the peak hours of the day.

That said, in cold or temperate climates they can tolerate near-full sun.

Soil Requirements

What they cannot tolerate, however, is dry soil. In dry soil, the vine will wither and it may even die.

This climber must be watered regularly and the soil should be kept consistently moist.

dense and overgrown climbing hydrangea with bright white flowers

The soil itself should be rich and fertile; best results are obtained in soil with humus or compost.

It is not picky about pH, growing in soil ranging from moderately acidic to slightly alkaline.

Feed Climbing Hydrangea with a slow-release fertiliser in early spring so that it will last through mid-summer.

Pruning

If you want to prune this climber, cut back vines as soon as flowering has finished, doing so before the appearance of fresh buds.

If you delay this pruning and cut off vines with buds, it will result in a sizeable reduction in blooming the following year.

In early spring, prune the dead flowers and other growth killed during winter. 

magnified view of branches of Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris with early spring buds forming

You may be lucky enough to inherit a Climbing Hydrangea or get it as a bonus on some property.

If such a plant is unkempt and overgrown and you want to bring it to manageable proportions, do not prune it suddenly; prune it gradually over 3 years.

You can shape or trim this plant by cutting off unwanted vines at the point they join the stem.

Cut off dead, damaged, or unwanted stems at the plant’s base to kick-off fresh growth just before the growing season commences.

buds of a climbing hydrangea in focus with a blurred wooden fence in the background

One practical reason to prune this vine would be when it is climbing up a wall rather than a trellis, tree, or anything else that it can entwine itself around.

When Climbing Hydrangea scales walls, it can rely only on its aerial roots and suckers which are not as strong as they are in other climbers.

If the plant gets too bushy and heavy away from the wall, it may topple or slip.

To avoid such a possibility, prune the climber so that it is flatter against the wall.

Propagation

Schizophragma hydrangeoides decorating a brick wall
Schizophragma hydrangeoides

Climbing Hydrangea is best and most easily propagated by cuttings although horticulturalists also propagate it from seeds.

Take cuttings between April and June before the advent of flowering season but after the start of fresh growth:

  1. Sterilise a pair of secateurs with diluted rubbing alcohol.
  2. Choose a shoot that has leaf nodes and emergent aerial roots and cut it at a point below the roots so that the length of the cutting is about 25cm.
  3. Press the cutting into rich and fertile soil that is loamy or peaty.
  4. The emergent roots and at least some of the leaf nodes should be underneath the soil’s surface.
  5. Water the cutting and ensure that the soil stays moist but not waterlogged.
  6. The cutting and the young plant may get partial sun but it should be protected from the afternoon sun or harsh sunlight.

New growth should be observable in two to three weeks.

Where To Grow

Climbing Hydrangea on a Bridge with a church in the background

Climbing Hydrangea plants can be put in many places for a variety of purposes. Here are some ideas:–

  • Grow it up and over a boundary wall or fence to create a ‘foliage fence’, pruning the vine to control its growth.
  • Let it gradually cover a house’s wall like a vertical sheet, or use it as a substitute for ivy.
  • Plant it by a pergola and as the vine grows, entwine it around the structure for ornamental value.
  • Simply grow this plant for the sake of itself, as outdoor decoration, over a trellis.
  • Use it, managing the growth, to cover up unsightly patches or damaged spots on any wall or structure.
  • Grow it on an open part of your acreage or beside a walkway as an unusual and eye-catching ground cover.
  • As this plant attains its maximum height and spread in about 20 years, you can plant a vine as a bequest for future generations.

More Climbing Varieties

When one talks of Climbing Hydrangea, it is usually about Hydrangea anomala.

This species is native to Sakhalin Island, Japan, and the Koreas.3Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris). (n.d.). iNaturalist NZ. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/410578-Hydrangea-petiolaris

The genus name is a composite of ýdor (ύδωρ) and aggeion meaning, respectively, water and vessel, describing the appearance of the plant’s seed capsules.4ὕδωρ (Ancient Greek). (n.d.). Word Sense Dictionary. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.wordsense.eu/%E1%BD%95%CE%B4%CF%89%CF%81/

A mere handful of other species exist.

H. anomala
white flowering Hydrangea anomala with a timber trellis structure in the background

This species can grow up to 12m. From late May to July it bears corymbs that can be 15cm across.

These are composed of a ring of sterile showy flowers that are white enclosing a clutch of small fertile flowers ranging in colour from creamy white to greenish-yellow.

This formation is called ‘lacecap’. It bears fruit from September to October.

This is an unusual plant whose bark exfoliates, that is it peels off.

It prefers part shade to full shade.

H. petiolaris
Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris with drooping green foliage and white heart-shaped flowers sat atop a brick wall

A subspecies of H. anomala, this hydrangea is so named because of its long and distinct petioles.

It can grow considerably taller than the species, up to 20m, and its floral corymbs are also bigger with a diameter of 25cm.

It has better winter hardiness than the base species.

H. petiolaris ‘Miranda’ (or ‘Firefly’)

More bushy and lush than its subspecies, the cultivar ‘Miranda’ (or ‘Firefly’) spreads more as well because it puts out lateral branches that grow away from the vine’s structural support, to a length of 2m.

H. hydrangeoides (Japanese Hydrangea Vine)
Japanese Hydrangea vine with white and red flowers growing from the roof of an outdoor brick structure

This variant from Japan is known for its leaves which are about 10cm long and are toothed and heart-shaped.

It bears large lacecaps about 23cm wide.

These comprise of cream-coloured small flowers ringed by showy white sterile flowers.

H. barbara

The only Climbing Hydrangea that is native to the United States, growing in the South-East, this climber has glossy leaves of a deep shade of green.5Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. (n.d.). The University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=deba4

Its white-to-cream floral clusters have a distinctly fluffy appearance.

Pileostegia viburnoides
Pileostegia viburnoides with a single white stem in flower

An Indo-Chinese species, this vine’s narrow, elliptic leaves have a leathery appearance.

It bears attractively thick panicles of cream-coloured flowers.

H. seemannii

This Climbing Hydrangea is an evergreen.

It grows in Mexico and Central America and has large and rounded leaves and dense sprays of cream-white flowers.

Common Problems

Climbing Hydrangeas are one of those uncommon plants that are pest-resistant and disease-free.

Any problems it may meet would have their provenance in human error or neglect.

For the most part, just make sure that the soil does not dry out and that it drains well.

FAQs

Why Won’t My Climbing Hydrangea Bloom?

First, if your plant is young then you cannot expect it to bloom.

Remember that a new Climbing Hydrangea may take up to 5 years before it produces flowers.

Another cause could be dry soil in warm climates – keep your Hydrangea vine watered and ensure that the soil stays moist.

dense leaves of climbing hydrangea on an old stone wall

Yet another reason could be an excess of warm sun. Climbing Hydrangeas bloom profusely when shade predominates.

Finally, a fertiliser that is high in nitrogen content or nitrogen-rich soil can adversely affect Climbing Hydrangeas’ blooming.

For established vines that are not blooming, either cut out fertiliser or use 0-5-5 fertiliser to kill two birds with one stone: 0-5-5 fertiliser has no nitrogen to retard blooming and contains phosphorous (besides potassium) which stimulates blooming.

Can Climbing Hydrangea Grow In Full Sun?

They certainly can but the combination of full sun and hot weather is a no-no.

When growing this vine in warm or humid climates it is almost necessary to protect it from full sun.

Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris in dappled sunlight

Although it is preferable as a general rule to protect Climbing Hydrangeas from the afternoon sun, it is not necessary in colder climates.

Does Climbing Hydrangea Need Trellis?

In fact Climbing Hydrangea does not ’need’ any support structure at all.

Sans trellis, pergola, and such, this vine will spread in undulating mounds along the ground, sending shoots and branches horizontally in all directions.

overgrown climbing hydrangea growing onto a large wooden garden arbour

For vertical growth, Climbing Hydrangea can make use of any type of support such as trees and walls to aid it in its upward trek.

However, whichever structure that this vine makes its ascent on had better be strong because over several years the plant, growing and spreading as it does, becomes quite heavy.

“Climbing hydrangeas will be equally comfortable growing down a slope as up one,” shares Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly.

“Planted at the top of a slope it will slowly spread downwards and across the slope.

“It will also form a natural vegetation barrier at the top of the slope, which can be handy if it is steep.”

Will Climbing Hydrangea Damage Brick?

No, it will not damage brick.

At most, its suckers will leave a sticky, adhesive residue on bricks.

Pileostegia viburnoides in full bloom
H. viburnoides
Can This Plant Grow In A Pot?

Yes. It requires a very large pot or container with a drainage hole.

The soil should not be as rich as it may be in the open, requiring less humus and compost and more gravel and vermiculite, the former to ensure good drainage and the latter for retention of moisture.

The potted vine should be watered regularly and the soil should be kept moist.

References

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