Schizophragma Hydrangeoides Moonlight or Hydrangea Vine

Schizophragma Hydrangeoides Moonlight (common name Japanese Hydrangea Vine) is an RHS AGM-winning deciduous climbing vine with large heart-shaped leaves and sprays of lacy white flowers in summer. It’s a good choice for shady walls and quickly covers tall unsightly structures.

Schizophragma Hydrangeoides (pronounced skiz-o-frag-ma) is native to South Korea and Japan and is commonly called the Japanese Hydrangea Vine for its hydrangea-like flower sprays.

The cultivar Moonlight is a particularly well-respected vine that will cling to most surfaces without support. It has large green heart-shaped leaves in abundance that turn warm yellow shades in autumn. In the spring to summer months Japanese Hydrangea Vine Moonlight develops large sprays of fine white flowerheads surrounded by creamy white protective florets. Whilst these flowers resemble lace-cap hydrangeas, it is not a shrub but a clinging vine.  

Japanese Hydrangea Vine Moonlight is a reliable vigorous climber that’s excellent for shade and fence cover.

Height And Spread of Schizophragma Hydrangeoides Moonlight
This is a tall and vigorous vine that will reach 12 metres in height and spread over 4 metres within 10-20 years.

How Hardy Is Schizophragma Hydrangeoides Moonlight
It’s hardy in most of the UK down to freezing temperatures if its roots are well drained. It’s rarely affected by disease or pests.

How To Use Schizophragma Hydrangeoides Moonlight
Japanese Hydrangea Vine Moonlight is a superb climber for a shady spot and covers unsightly structures in the summer months. Walls, fences, arches and arbours are all good supports, and it can be trained up an obelisk on a shady deck or balcony.

One of the best spots is on a fence at the back of a shady border. It can be trained to grow horizontally. Just use wires to encourage it along a fence line until its aerial roots attach in the right places.

How To Care For Schizophragma Hydrangeoides Moonlight
This climber is best grown in rich, moist but well-drained soil of any type in part shade to full shade. Too much direct sun will scorch its foliage – this is a shade-loving vine.
Prune it in late winter to early spring to maintain a manageable height and apply a thick layer of organic mulch to its roots in early spring for the healthiest growth and best flower display. Water well until established and give it a can of water during droughts.