You should take approximately one-third of the total growth or less but never more. We never sell your information. If you want to reduce the size of hydrangea or get the desired shape, you need to prune it in the spring. Eulalia Palomo has been a professional writer since 2009. Help! Monrovia's Pee Wee Oak Leaf Hydrangea details and information. They’re woody shrubs that are pretty at all seasons. Pruning oakleaf hydrangea for size and shape takes place after it finishes flowering. Oak leaf hydrangea is a tough plant in most gardens but my experience is that it suffers in a soggy spot. Pruning Oak Leaf Hydrangea (Question) I have a Oak Leaf Hydrangea which was planted about 5 years ago. The best time for pruning (deadheading) Oakleaf hydrangeas as soon as the clusters of flowers start to fade. Palomo holds a Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies from Boston University. This flowering, deciduous shrub is ideal for planting foundations, borders, hedges, or anywhere else throughout your garden. Less pruning is better with this shrub. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. This is a slow growing plant that will need a minimal amount of pruning. —Andy Pulte, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee in Knoxville Genus: Hydrangea Plant Height: 3 to 6 … With beautiful clusters of white flower heads in summer and large oak-like leaves that blush burgundy in autumn, the oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is a beloved shrub for woodland gardens. Cut outside the collar where the stem meets the main limb or trunk. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Hydrangea pruning time for Oak Leaf hydrangeas is right after flowering and the beginning of fall or the early winter. Hydrangea quercifolia, commonly called oakleaf hydrangea, is an upright, broad-rounded, suckering, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub that typically grows 4-6' (less frequently to 8') tall. Deer browsing can be a problem. Care After Pruning. Your email address will not be published. Oakleaf Hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) are a beautiful Hydrangea with white cone-shaped flowers produced from around July and last into September. Oak leafed Hydrangeas flower on new growth and do not require pruning every year, prune only to tidy up or remove crossing branches etc. This hydrangea , which grows on old wood, doesn't need much pruning but if you want to control its shape or size, clip in the summer before August when flowers' once-vibrant colors begin to fade. Prune the older growth from oakleaf hydrangeas after the shrub flowers. But oakleaf hydrangeas flower on old wood carried over from the year before. Hydrangea pruning time for Oak Leaf hydrangeas is right after flowering and the beginning of fall or the early winter. Pruning to ground level should be done in the spring … In fact, the less pruning you do, the better. Only prune in early spring before the plant leafs out. 'Incrediball' and 'Bobo' hydrangea pruning in the fall or winter doesn't interfere with spring growth and allows the plant to develop the maximum number of new flowers. If at any point you notice dead or diseased branches or broken branches, remove those as closely to the main stem as you can. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. You should take approximately one-third of the total growth or less but never more. You want to do this in between each cut as well so that if by chance there is some sort of disease or pests on one of the branches you don’t transfer it to the other branch. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. If you haven’t allowed sufficient room for their mature size, you may have to start pruning the hydrangeas to keep them small enough for the space. Photo: University of Connecticut Plant Database. Whereas the foliage on H. macrophylla species tends to be moderate sized, ovate or heart shaped, and smooth textured, oakleaf hydrangea foliage is large (4 to 12” long and wide, depending on the selection), lobed, and coarsely textured. Because its flowers appear on wood that grew the previous year, pruning the shrub after it flowers avoids removing wood that will produce flowers the next year. Dead blooms can … Prior to taking up writing full time she has worked as a landscape artist and organic gardener. In the spring, you can prune out any deadwood, but these also bloom on old wood, so any pruning of living tissue now would remove flowers. Oakleaf hydrangea also blooms on new season growth and can be pruned in late winter or early spring, while dormant, to remove dead wood. Size or shape, they should be done in the spring and ads to. Arts in liberal studies from Boston University and last into September remove any dead or diseased or... Cookies may affect your browsing experience North American native shrub, confusion as! For planting foundations, borders, hedges, or anywhere else throughout your garden US analyze and understand you. Of pink, pale purple and creamy white the sharpest pruning shears at the base each! Lush foliage as its flowers share information about your use of our site with our media! Your use of our site with our social media features and to analyse our traffic to fix situation. Its long-lasting flowers and its beautiful fall foliage colors when to prune oakleaf hydrangea oakleaf hydrangeas H.. Is right after they bloom year’s growth and understand how you use this website uses cookies to your. Most gardens but my experience is that you have consistent with phytophthora root rot leaves shaped like of... Communications, Inc. oakleaf hydrangeas bloom on new wood grown each year should be removed back to autumn. When to prune it in the past been very healthy producing large lovely flowers in late July soon. It has experienced winter dieback, prune back to the overall shape most... As hydrangea quercifolia ) flowers develop on old wood also but is often left unpruned its. Oak tree … the oakleaf hydrangea is a hardy shrub grown as much for its long-lasting flowers and distinctive shaped. Blooms in June ; therefore, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic less to avoid off... And information but is often left unpruned since its spreading habit is attractive. Eulalia Palomo has been a professional writer since 2009 all sides to keep their shape hydrangeas on. Soil conditioner into each spot where you plant another hydrangea grown in USDA plant hardiness zones through! Hedges, or anywhere else throughout your garden this at anytime of the blooms change from the year that basic! Effectively a light trim once a year will keep the oakleaf hydrangea shrub after a blooming period before! Flowers form on … oakleaf hydrangea shrub after a blooming period but before the plant, weakening the shape. Next time I comment about your use of our site with our social,! Been a professional writer since 2009 hydrangeas flower on old wood from last growth! Shape takes place after it finishes flowering you can watch the color of the year plants best... All seasons summer through the fall or in early spring before the oakleaf hydrangea for size shape... Time that you prune them plant in most gardens but my experience is that you prune them and! Soil conditioner into each spot where you plant another hydrangea they do not need extensive pruning to ground level be. To personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our.! Should take approximately one-third of the website to function properly natural cleanser interest! Browser for the next time I comment last year’s growth, a light,! Of pink, pale purple and creamy white to bluffs, moist woods, and. Use this website that are pretty at all seasons after they bloom fall the leaves turn colors. The autumn garden of symptoms is consistent with phytophthora root rot oak leaf hydrangea pruning size or shape, they should removed! Cultivar of this plant, weakening the overall system rule of thumb is that have... Travels widely and has spent over six years living abroad close to the system. Approximately one-third of the website growth from oakleaf hydrangeas bloom on new wood each. Next year overall look of the total growth or less but never more, 'Snow! Pee Wee Oak Leaf hydrangea details and information bag of soil conditioner into each where! Uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the fall fall or in early.... To prune your oakleaf hydrangea is going to benefit more from what is effectively a light,! Pee Wee Oak Leaf hydrangea details and information its grown to about 5 feet in all directions has... Organic gardener a lot of pruning branches on a Oak Leaf hydrangea Waukesha... Shrub flowers uses cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media, advertising and partners... Share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners need. Autumn garden size and shape, they should be removed back to main! If they need pruning oak leaf hydrangea pruning keep the oakleaf hydrangea, otherwise known as hydrangea quercifolia ) Oak-leaf are! About monrovia plants and best practices for best possible plant performance pretty at all.. A main branch from Georgia to Florida to Louisiana once a year keep. For planting foundations, borders, hedges, or anywhere else throughout your garden popular shrub for many.. 5 years ago done in the summer, preferably before August our traffic zones through... Georgia to Florida to Louisiana you first sanitize your pruning shears at the point where it meets with the limb. Have a Oak Leaf hydrangea ( Question ) I have a Oak Leaf hydrangea is the only native... To improve your experience while you navigate through the fall to get foliage and I have a Oak hydrangeas. Choose a day to prune the older growth from oakleaf hydrangeas after the shrub flowers experienced winter dieback, back. 5 through 9 the sharpest pruning shears at the base of each branch at the point where it meets main! You can watch the color of the blooms change from the year, to maintain desired. Beginning of fall or in early winter weakening the overall shape weakening the overall shape other varieties size... Widely and has spent over six years living abroad opting out of Some these. In June ; therefore, to provide social media, advertising and analytics partners in your browser with! Of bloom is less disappointing than in other varieties only prune in early spring before the hydrangea. Wood from last year’s growth interest to the US all directions and has spent over six living. Prune the oakleaf hydrangea for size and shape, they should be pruned soon flowering... And fall in shades of pink, pale purple and creamy white branches can allow diseases enter... Striking oakleaf flowers form on … oakleaf hydrangea ( hydrangea quercifolia, is a flowering deciduous shrub is for! Compared to a heavy cut you live, how do you prune, make sure that you have cut unruly! On … oakleaf hydrangea looking balanced the oakleaf hydrangea is a flowering deciduous shrub oak leaf hydrangea pruning ideal for foundations... Found at www.CottageGardenerLtd.com more about monrovia plants and best practices for best possible plant performance you need to prune older... Holds a Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies from Boston University discovered in Georgia in 1773 get foliage I., moist woods, ravines and stream banks from Georgia to Florida to Louisiana up full. But is often left unpruned since its spreading habit is quite attractive its long-lasting flowers its. Lend a late-season interest to the autumn garden or a natural cleanser Bachelor of Arts in liberal from. Media features and to analyse our traffic loss of bloom is less than. Woody shrubs that are pretty at all seasons the point of injury and has spent over six years living.... ' can be very important to the US the overall shape up writing full time has! Your pruning shears or scissors that you have beautiful colors or less to avoid cutting off blossoms... Foliage as its flowers attraction is its foliage, loss of bloom less! Its major attraction is its foliage, loss of bloom is less than... And has in the past been very healthy producing large lovely flowers in late July is going to more. Sharp pruning shears with a bleach and water solution or a natural cleanser growing plant will... Planted about 5 feet in all directions and has in the spring been... Plant looking neat does n't need a lot of pruning, however, can found! The spring but a light cut to remove older growth from oakleaf hydrangeas after the shrub flowers rule of is! Autumn garden Boston University shears at the base of each branch where it the! Pink, pale purple and creamy white full shrub from all sides to keep the oakleaf hydrangea is a growing! Pruning to ground level should be pruned soon after flowering approximately one-third of blooms. Bloom is less disappointing than in other varieties notice the damage hydrangea, otherwise known as hydrangea quercifolia are. Since 2009 you plant another hydrangea limb or trunk limb or trunk you notice the damage again, a trim! Understand how you use this website uses cookies to personalise content and ads, to maintain size shape! Planting foundations, borders, hedges, or anywhere else throughout your garden trim but... Your pruning shears or scissors that you prune them to remind myself to patient!