Japanese Hydrangea Vine (Schizophragma hydrangeoides)
[skiz-oh-FRAG-mah hy-drain-jee-OY-deez]

Perennial Climbing Vine in the Hydrangeaceae Family
A slow-to-establish, self-clinging climbing vine prized for its lacecap-style white summer flowers and heart-shaped foliage.

Japanese Hydrangea Vine is a deciduous, self-clinging climbing vine native to the mountain woodlands of Japan and Korea. It attaches to masonry, wood, and tree bark by aerial rootlets, eventually reaching 15-30 feet. In early to mid-summer it produces flat, lacecap-style flower clusters: tiny true flowers at the center surrounded by showy white bracts. It is closely related to, and often confused with, climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris) -- the easiest way to tell them apart is bract count: this species has a single large sepal-like bract per sterile flower, while climbing hydrangea has four smaller ones. Slow to establish and may take several years to flower, but is otherwise low-maintenance and largely trouble-free once settled in.

Pros

  • Slow but reliable self-clinging climber, no support structure needed
  • Showy white lacecap flowers in early summer
  • Tolerates full shade to full sun
  • Attractive heart-shaped foliage all season

Cons

  • Slow to establish, can take several years to flower
  • Needs sturdy masonry, wood, or tree bark to climb
  • Mildly toxic if ingested
Why Like In its native range -- the mountain forests of Japan and the Korean peninsula -- this vine scrambles up tree trunks and rock faces in dappled woodland light, using aerial rootlets rather than twining stems or tendrils to climb. Its lacecap flower clusters draw pollinating insects in the forest understory.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 20 - 30 feet tall. 6 - 9 feet wide.
Sun Exposure Full Shade - Partial Shade
Moisture Tolerance Medium : Drought-tolerant once established, but does not tolerate wet sites with standing water.
Zones 5a - 8b (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Pollinators, Full Shade, Good for Accents, Low Maintenance, Medium, Medium, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Perennial, Vine, Well-Drained Soil, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period June to July
Flower Color White
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Pairs well with other woodland-shade plants such as hosta, astilbe, and ferns at its base; its close relative climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris) makes an instructive side-by-side comparison planting.

Photos of This with...

Blackout Coral Bells, Designer Genes Hosta
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!