Hydrangea aspera subsp. sargentiana Goldrush

The Hydrangea aspera 'Goldrush' caused a sensation at the 2018 Chelsea Flower Show. This brand new selection, derived from a spectacular botanical hydrangea, stands out for its unique foliage: its large velvety leaves are golden, flecked with orange, then turn dark yellow before gradually turning dark green at the end of summer, during flowering. They are large, slightly bulging flower heads invariably mauve-lavender, set with a few white florets, with shades that are not influenced by soil pH. This slightly suckering variety has the appearance of a bushy fern in the shade of an understory. Although its vigour is more suited to large spaces, the bush can be fairly easily contained through pruning. "Goldrush," with its presence, exotic character and ease of cultivation in ordinary but moist soil, is a sensational plant.

Hydrangea aspera is a large, hardy bush that belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family. It is native to southern and eastern Asia and has a broad range of variations. The plant is a relative of hydrangeas, with big leaves and ball-shaped inflorescences. The subspecies Sargentiana, which was once part of Hydrangea aspera, is now considered a separate species within the family of hydrangeas. The plant is commonly found in the dense forests of central China, covering the valleys and mountain slopes. It was introduced to Europe in 1908.

The 'Goldrush' variety was discovered in 2012 by René Coonen of the Boomkwekerij Coonen nursery in the Netherlands. It is a hybrid of H. aspera subsp. sargentiana that maintains a stable, golden colour. Its young foliage is distinctively golden compared to the standard variety. 'Goldrush' grows into a beautiful, bushy plant with erect main branches and more flexible secondary branches that arch slightly, giving it a round and spreading shape with occasional irregularities. Under optimal conditions, it can grow up to 2.5 meters (8 ft 2 in) in all directions. The flowering period lasts three weeks, from the end of July to the beginning of August, shorter than other hydrangeas. The flower head is 25 cm (9.8 in) wide consisting of small flowers arranged in an umbrella shape. Sterile flowers, larger in size, are few in number and form a sparse crown around the small fertile flowers, with a powdery lavender mauve colour that opens into tiny pink-mauve flowers from the outside to the inside of the corymb. This particular arrangement is called a grandmother's bonnet. The foliage is composed of elongated leaves up to 30 cm (11.8 in) long, with deep veins and a slightly downy, serrated surface. The leaves turn beautiful autumn colours before falling, and the branches are covered with rough hairs that fall off as the plant ages.

'Goldrush' likes cool environments with light shade or partial shade, 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. It will also thrive in an acidic soil bed, along with other hydrangeas, Kalmia, or Azalea, for example. Hydrangea aspera sargentiana 'Goldrush' allows for the creation of a superb backdrop, flowering of a free hedge with fragrant viburnums, large deciduous euonymus, or the edge of a grove or in the undergrowth. But plant it near a path or a north or east-facing window, as it would be a shame not to enjoy its unique personality.