Hydrangea family, Hydrangeaceae
Origin: southern and south-eastern Europe, Asia Minor, Caucasus
Habitat in the original area: rocky slopes, forest edges, shrub
Habitus: A 2–4 metres tall shrub, with oppositely arranged branches. The root system is shallow and strongly branched. Older branches are dark brown and their bark peels off like paper.
Leaf: The leaves are ovate in shape, wedge-shaped at the base and elongated to a point at the top. Their edge is serrated in the upper part, but the lower third is almost all-round.
Bloom, fruit: White or yellowish blossoms grow in clusters of 5–7. They bloom from June to July and have a strong sweet scent. The fruit is a capsule that bursts with four valves. The oval seeds have a membranous seed coat with a reticulate structure on the surface.
Interesting fact: Thanks to its strongly fragrant blossoms, it has earned the name Czech jasmine. It is grown solitary, but also as part of higher hedges.
