Hydrangea aspera Hot Chocolate

Hydrangea aspera Hot Chocolate, also known as Hydrangea aspera Hot Chocolate ('Haopr012'), is a tall bushy hydrangea reaching a height of 2.5 m (8.2 ft). The aspera species, with its large velvety leaves, is already uncommon in gardens. This cultivar has chocolate-purple foliage in spring which becomes dark green during summer and then turns yellow-orange in autumn. It presents an abundant flowering in delicate umbels of a "lace-cap" type, ranging from pale pink to lilac, from July to September.

Native to the South and East of Asia, the aspera species forms a large bush as wide as it is tall, up to 2 m to 3 m (6.6 ft to 9.8 ft) in size. Its leaves measure about 12 cm to 15 cm (4.7 in to 5.9 in) long by 6 cm to 8 cm (2.4 in to 3.1 in) wide. The Hot Chocolate variety displays young foliage of a beautiful chocolate-purple in spring before turning dark green. The lanceolate and velvety lamina is finely toothed on the edges and has an underside tinted with burgundy. In autumn, its leaves turn yellow-orange.

In summer, the bush bears numerous inflorescences in diffuse umbels about 15 cm (5.9 in) in diameter, nicknamed "grandmother's bonnets" or "lace-caps". The inflorescences are composed of several umbellules of fertile flowers in lilac accompanied by a few large sterile flowers in delicate pink, called pseudoflowers. These flowers are reduced to 4 slightly toothed sepals. 

Hydrangea aspera Hot Chocolate likes cool environments. Plant it in partial shade or even in shade in a place protected from cold and dry winds, in humus-rich and moist soil. This late-flowering shrub is not afraid of spring frosts.

Hot Chocolate is a perfect choice to flower a shaded area, but plant it near a path or a window because it would be a shame to miss its magnificent flowering and unique foliage. It will also make an impression at the edge of a grove, in a light understory, in the back of a flower bed, or near a shady wall of the house. It appreciates the shade cast by a wall during the hottest hours of the day

This plant works well alongside other hydrangeas, Kalmia or Azalea, for example, even if it tolerates limestone soils. In a mixed bed, choose Thalictrums, which will bring lightness to the scene, while a Gunnera will reinforce the spectacular and exotic side of Hydrangea aspera Hot Chocolate. A hedge of this hydrangea, bordered by Rodgersia pinnata 'Superba' with its superb cut foliage topped with pink plumes in June-July will have a grand effect. In a shady courtyard, place different pots of hostas, with their large shiny dark green leaves to contrast with the velvety purple of Hot Chocolate's foliage.