Japanese hydrangea vine is a clinging vine that climbs by means of holdfasts (adhesive disks) or small aerial roots and grows best on a flat surface, such as stone, masonry walls or wood. It will grow in full sun, partial shade, or full shade but seems to do best in partial shade and prefers well-drained moist, humus-rich soil. It will flower best in partial or dappled shade, but it tolerates heavy shade very well. It is drought tolerant once established but is intolerant of wet sites with standing water. Plants are slow to establish and may take up to 7 years to produce fragrant lacecap-like flowers. This is a tall-growing deciduous vine with its showy flowers appearing from early to mid-summer. It is little known in the U.S. but is common in the deep forests of Japan.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
6-feet-12 feet; 12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in. | Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
Leaves are coarsely toothed, a darker green above, paler green below, 2-5 inches long, oval to broadly cordate. The veins show under the leaf as a pale-green. However, young leaves and leaf stalks are reddish.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Cream/Tan; Green; Pink; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Good Cut; Good Dried; Showy
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Wheel
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
This plant has 8 in. flat-topped flower cluster (lacecap) composed of numerous fertile flowers surrounded by sterile outer petals (sepals). Petioles are reddish-brown (just before the leaf blade). Bracts are a pale-green, white or pink.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Dehiscent capsule
Bark color
Light Brown; Red/Burgundy
Bark detail
Cinnamon brown with flaky, peeling bark. Provides winter interest.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Petioles are reddish-brown (just before the leaf blade). The leaf stems are light green. Buds greenish-brown with a slight reddish tinge, acute, scales imbricate.