Hydrangea aspera Bellevue

Hydrangea aspera 'Bellevue' is a rare hybrid hydrangea in cultivation, spectacular for its significant development and gigantic leaves, but not demanding in terms of soil, as long as it remains moist. On its large velvety leaves, large flat inflorescences with a slightly rounded shape appear in the middle of summer, invariably coloured in a soft blue-lilac and adorned with a few white florets, as their colour is not greatly influenced by the soil's pH. A variety suitable for large spaces, an absolute must-see!

Originally from a large part of southern and eastern Asia, where it shows great variability, Hydrangea aspera is a completely hardy large bush belonging to the Hydrangeaceae family, and a close relative of hydrangeas with large leaves and ball-shaped inflorescences.

The 'Bellevue' variety is a French hybrid cultivar obtained by Lemonnier nurseries, resulting from the crossbreeding of Hydrangea aspera macrophylla and H. aspera sargentiana, a triploid form "struck" by gigantism. 'Bellevue' forms a very beautiful bush with an upright and bushy habit, reaching 3 m (9.8 ft) in all directions. In this hydrangea, the inflorescence, or corymb, is particularly dense and 30 cm (11.8 in) wide. It is made up of small flowers arranged in an umbrella shape. The sterile flowers, larger and fewer in number, form a very sparse crown around the small fertile flowers, which resemble small clustered buds in blue-mauve pink, opening into tiny lilac flowers from the outside to the inside of the corymb. This particular arrangement is called a granny's bonnet. Its deciduous foliage resembles that of Hydrangea aspera sargentiana, but darker. Its leaves measure up to 50 cm (19.7 in) long. They are lanceolate, denticulate, pubescent, more so on the underside. They are marked with fairly deep veins.

This bush likes cool, shady or semi-shady environments, but it is one of the few, along with Hydrangea quercifolia and its varieties, to be indifferent to the presence of limestone in the soil and to appreciate sunny, non-burning exposures. Naturally, it will also thrive in an ericaceous soil bed alongside other hydrangeas, Kalmia, or Azalea for example. Hydrangea aspera 'Bellevue' allows you to create a superb backdrop. Flower a free hedge with fragrant viburnums or large deciduous euonymus. Plant at the edge of a grove or a woodland. We recommend planting it near a path or a window, as it would be a shame not to enjoy its magnificence.