Gransnet forums

Gardening

Identifying a plant

(37 Posts)
Luckygirl Thu 24-May-18 09:06:56

I have two bushes/small trees that have very strange flowers. The flowers are flat on the top and have a narrow outside rim of small white flowers with the centre being full of very very tiny flower heads. The blooms look like a plate with a white rim.

tanith Thu 24-May-18 09:12:49

Could you post a picture?

Elegran Thu 24-May-18 09:23:29

They sound to me like lacecap hydrangeas.
pics and advice - www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/hydrangea/lacecap-hydrangea-care.htm

minesaprosecco Thu 24-May-18 09:23:48

Lacecap hydrangea?

minesaprosecco Thu 24-May-18 09:24:09

X post!

shysal Thu 24-May-18 09:24:52

They sound a bit like lace cap Hydrangeas, but they are unlikely to be in flower yet.

Elegran Thu 24-May-18 09:25:05

Great minds think alike (and fools seldom differ)

tanith Thu 24-May-18 10:01:00

As soon as you ladies suggested that I realised I have one, I ran down the garden and found just the one flower, bit of a poor specimen but I think you ladies could be right..

Luckygirl Thu 24-May-18 10:14:30

I will sprint out in a mo and take a photo - in the rain!

Luckygirl Thu 24-May-18 10:15:30

Ah no- the decking is very wet - I will take one later. It does look a bit like the mophead hydrangea, but it is flatter, and white.

tanith Thu 24-May-18 10:17:59

Luckygirl they do usually have lots more open flowers surrounding the unopened buds as I say that’s not a good specimen

Luckygirl Thu 24-May-18 12:01:25

Here are some pics- the close-ups will be very poor quality as I had to zoom in to avoid slipping over on the decking!

NanTheWiser Thu 24-May-18 12:34:31

I think it looks like the oak-leaf Hydrangea - Hydrangea quercifolia.

Luckygirl Thu 24-May-18 12:40:39

Just looked at some pics of that and it is similar - but my flat circular blooms are not quite the same. The middle of the bloom has such tiny flowers that it looks as though there are none - then it has these white florets all round the rim.

Elegran Thu 24-May-18 12:45:35

The outer flowers are really just bracts, the real ones are the tiny ones in the centre plate.

Jalima1108 Thu 24-May-18 13:03:33

I don't know - but what a lovely garden!!

Luckygirl Thu 24-May-18 13:10:13

Thanks Jalima - I am novice gardener and have worked very hard on it and feel quite pleased with the result.

Jalima1108 Thu 24-May-18 13:13:41

I should get out and do a bit more in our garden.

And I have summerhouse envy

Jalima1108 Thu 24-May-18 13:14:19

Your hard work is paying off Luckygirl

Mapleleaf Thu 24-May-18 14:15:28

I'm not sure what it is, Luckygirl, because from your picture, the leaves don't look like the leaves on my mop head hydrangea and as shysal says, it's still a bit early for them to be in flower here. Whatever it is, though, it looks very pretty.

Jalima1108 Thu 24-May-18 14:49:32

My climbing hydrangea looks a bit similar and is just starting to flower, but it is not a self-supporting shrub. The centre is greenish-white rather than brown though.

Jalima1108 Thu 24-May-18 14:51:01

The leaves on yours look like an oakleaf hydrangea, as NantheWiser said.

Mapleleaf Thu 24-May-18 15:36:21

I must admit, I've never heard of an oak leaf hydrangea before. ?

NanTheWiser Thu 24-May-18 16:47:23

Yes Jalima the leaves are very distinctive on this species, unlike ordinary Hydrangeas. It is only just starting to flower, and the centre of the panicle will slowly develop into a drooping cone of flowers. It's also renowned for its Autumn colour.

Luckygirl Thu 24-May-18 17:31:59

I've found it!!!! It is Hydrangea arborescens Haas' Halo:

www.whiteflowerfarm.com/63165-product.html