Determine the type of hydrangea you have before you begin pruning. The blossoms from the following year could be lost if you prune at the incorrect time! See our suggestions and hydrangea pruning schedules by variety.
Pruning at the incorrect time is one of the most frequent causes of hydrangeas not flowering. For guidance on when to prune your garden’s hydrangeas, refer to the chart below. While some varieties should be left alone until after their summer bloom, others should be clipped in the late winter.
Photos and Tips by Hydrangea Variety
Bigleaf or macrophylla hydrangeas, such as mophead and lacecap hydrangeas, can both be pruned immediately following flowering by pruning back the flowering shoots to the next bud. Cut up to a third of the stems off at the base of older plants in late summer if they aren’t blooming well to promote new growth.
Bigleaf Hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla)
Both fresh and old wood can support several hydrangea hybrids. My hardy from zones 4 to 9 mophead hydrangea, “Endless Summer,” has the great property of blooming on both old and new wood. Hydrangeas from Endless Summer do best in early light and afternoon shade. Since they bloom on both old and new growth, Endless Summer Hydrangea don’t require pruning; however, if you do need to cut back, do it right away after flowering. In the spring, merely remove the dead stems.
My other blue hydrangea is a lacecap variety called “Let’s Dance Starlight,” but it bears a flat blossom made up of numerous small, fertile flowers surrounded by a few showy, sterile blossoms as opposed to the enormous, mophead-type flower cluster that “Endless Summer” possesses. It blooms on both old and young wood and is hardy from Zones 5 to 9. Pruning is typically not necessary, however it can be lightly clipped after the first flowering, similar to Endless Summer.
Panicle Hydrangeas (H. paniculata)
The panicle-type hydrangeas are those that are cultivated most frequently in cooler locations since they are not only lovely but also highly hardy, easily surviving winters in Zone 3. The “Grandiflora,” commonly known as the Pee Gee hydrangea, is one of the most enduring and dependable favorites. It was the first cultivar of Asian hydrangea to be brought to the United States, in 1862. It is native to China and Japan. They enjoyed great popularity in the Victorian era. The flowers are initially creamy white and mature to a rosy pink. They can be dried, and a winter arrangement with them looks great. Here is information on drying these beautiful hydrangeas.
There are numerous varieties of panicles available. One of them is called “Pinky Winky,” and it has long, cone-shaped white and pink flowers. Another is called “Vanilla Strawberry,” and it has panicles that are white at the tip, pink in the middle, and red at the base. Try “Limelight,” which features chartreuse blossoms that gradually turn pink in the fall, for something new.
Hydrangeas with a panicle-like shape need to be clipped in late winter to prevent overgrowth.
Smooth Hydrangeas (H. arborescens)
Native to North America, smooth hydrangeas were first discovered growing freely in Pennsylvania. They tolerate light shade, start blooming in June, and keep blooming until the end of the growing season. They have spherical, white blossoms that can grow to be 12 inches in diameter.
Popular cultivar “Annabelle” can be used to brighten a dim road or as a mass planting at the edge of a forest because it grows to a height of 3 to 5 feet. Zone 3 is its hardiness zone.
Oakleaf Hydrangeas (H. quercifolia)
Another indigenous plant to North America is the oak-leaf hydrangea, which was first found in Georgia in 1773.
Although it enjoys full sun, swamp snowball is hardy to zone 5 and may tolerate light shade while still blooming. It starts to bloom in August, a little later than the other hydrangeas. It produces enormous panicles of blooms that emerge white and mature to a dark pink color. The deeply lobed leaves, which resemble an oak leaf, turn a deep crimson scarlet in the fall.
Although oak-leaf hydrangeas don’t require much pruning, you can tidy them up by removing the dead stems at the base in the early spring.
Learn More
Our page on All Hydrangea Varieties (with photographs!) will help you identify your hydrangea if you’re still confused.
For all your queries about planting, growing, and trimming hydrangeas, feel free to use our free comprehensive guide!
When should hydrangeas be pruned?
Depending on which group the plant belongs to, the timing and extent of pruning are determined:
Advice on Pruning for Group 1:
- As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder in the late summer and fall, buds for the following year’s blooms start to form.
- Typically, removing dead, diseased, or damaged branches is all that is required to preserve shape, size, and a healthy plant. Otherwise, gentle pruning ought to be practiced.
- In the summer, trimming should begin as soon as flowering ends, but no later than August 1. Pruning should not be done in the fall, winter, or spring because you risk removing fresh buds.
- Tip-pruning the branches in the spring as the leaves begin to appear can promote more numerous, smaller flower heads as opposed to fewer, larger flower heads.
Advice on Pruning for Group 2:
- On the growth of the current year, flower buds form.
- Early in the spring, as the leaves are starting to emerge, prune.
- Just above a node, prune branches back by half to a third.
- After that, prune any fragile or spindly branches.
- Minimal trimming encourages huge, strong bushes with many of tiny flower heads in H. arborescens. Hard pruning between 12 and 18 inches from the ground, or even all the way down, will result in fewer but larger flower heads that may flop if unsupported.
- For H. paniculata, remove the surrounding smaller wood while leaving the larger stems in order to establish a sturdy foundation.
Pruning may be connected to flower head size. Shoots will grow more vigorously and flower heads will be bigger and fewer with more rigorous trimming. Smaller but more numerous flower heads may result from less aggressive or tip pruning.
Consideration of hydrangeas’ mature size is the best piece of advise. Place them in a location where they won’t outgrow and won’t need a lot of pruning to keep them in check. Hydrangeas don’t need to be pruned precisely or often; as long as dead wood is removed, they will remain healthy and continue to develop and bloom.
Should hydrangeas be pruned back during the winter?
If and when you prune is the key to happy, healthy hydrangea flowers. Of course, fertilizing and offering the ideal environment have a lot to recommend them. However, if you don’t prune properly, your efforts will be in vain. Deadheading is not the same as trimming. Pruning refers to more drastic cutting to preserve shape or remove dead growth. However, feel free to discard spent blossoms or cut fresh ones to use in arrangements.
Hydrangeas can bloom on either fresh wood or old wood, depending on the species. The wood from which they blossom determines whether and when to prune.
Old wood-blooming hydrangeas do not require pruning and benefit from it. They’ll blossom more abundantly the next season if you leave them alone. But feel free to deadhead or gently thin. Just keep in mind that while new growth may appear, it won’t bloom until the following season. In our region, four different species blossom on aged wood. Additionally, they are not limited to the hues displayed here.
Climb using suckers. On your wall or trellis, resist the desire to remove the dormant growth.
The flower heads are more conical in appearance, and the leaves are large and resemble oak leaves. It’s a pleasant surprise for a hydrangea when its leaves turn reddish-orange in the fall.
They are very comparable to lacecap types, but smaller and with more compact leaves.
Pruning should be done in late winter or early spring on hydrangeas that bloom on new wood. Trim back to two feet to prune to shape. The next season’s blossoms are produced by strong, fresh growth that is encouraged by trimming. In our region, there are two types that bloom on fresh wood. They are also not restricted to the colors displayed.
Oakleaf variants are not included in cone-shaped blooms. Keep the blooms on throughout the winter to provide interest; even dried out, they are quite lovely.
regarded as a wild kind. They often have smaller blooms and leaves than Bigleaf variants and are completely white. They enjoy full sun and can grow very tall.
Knowing whether or when to prune now will help you avoid the disappointment of a hydrangea that doesn’t blossom. Don’t forget that a robust shrub will produce more gorgeous blossoms if it has well-draining soil and good organic fertilizer. Come on in, and we’ll show you where to go to develop your green thumb.
Cut back these shrubs in late winter before new growth begins
Shrubs that flower on young wood typically start blooming later than old-growth bloomers, beginning in June and continuing until the first frost, because they need to grow and set buds the same year that they bloom. As long as you avoid trimming when the flower buds are opening, these shrubs are understanding if it is not done at a specific period.
1. Trim the flowers all the way back for larger blooms.
These bushes can be completely removed from the ground in late winter or the beginning of spring. If cut severely like this every year, smooth hydrangeas will produce much larger flowers, but many gardeners prefer smaller blooms on stronger stems.
2. Maintain an old growth foundation to lessen flopping
Especially after watering from above or after a heavy storm, the branches of some hydrangeas frequently topple over from the weight of their blooms. Cutting the stems to a height of 18 to 24 inches will help to reduce this flopping by creating a strong framework for fresh growth.
Janet Carson is the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service’s horticulture specialist.
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Should hydrangeas be pruned annually?
You can prune the first pair of buds on Hydrangea macrophylla, Hydrangea serrata, Hydrangea quercifolia, and Hydrangea aspera in the spring. In essence, you are removing the dried flower heads. By removing one or two of the oldest, largest stems, you can also help the plant become more open and give off a better shape. To promote fresh growth, cut these right back to the ground.
Hydrangea aborescens and Hydrangea paniculata can be clipped back more severely after flowering since flowers appear on fresh growth. These kinds don’t truly require pruning, although you can do it to prevent them from becoming too tall.
Should I remove the brown blooms on my hydrangea?
Your hydrangea shrubs’ blossoms appear to be withering or turning brown. No need to worry—this is merely a signal that it’s time to deadhead—remove the blossoms from the plant.
Deadheading hydrangeas doesn’t cause any damage to the plants at all. Flowering shrubs stop producing seeds when the spent blooms are removed, and instead focus their efforts on developing their roots and leaves. You will be doing your hydrangeas a favor by deadheading because this strengthens and makes plants healthier.
Do I need to prune my hydrangeas in the fall?
When do you prune? Only prune these hydrangeas in the summer after bloom, not in the fall. In August and September, old wood hydrangeas begin to form their bloom buds for the following year. It is advisable to delay pruning your hydrangeas until the following year if you don’t do it right away.
How should I get my hydrangeas ready for the winter?
Protecting flower buds is the aim of winter hydrangea care. The simplest approach is to pile 12 inches or so of mulch made of chopped-up leaves or bark around the base of the plant. After the ground freezes in the late fall, set the mulch pile there. Plants can then be exposed in the spring, when the temperature starts to stay above freezing.
In the spring, how far back should hydrangeas be pruned?
You can prune hydrangeas paniculata and aborescens more severely without losing this year’s blossoms because they bloom on new wood. Although pruning is not necessary, if it is not done the plant will grow taller, with the majority of its flowers at the top.
Cut back to a healthy framework
Trim the previous year’s growth back to a strong framework that is between 30 cm and 60 cm high in the early spring. On each stem, prune to just above a pair of sound buds. For large flowers, prune back to the lowest healthy buds; less firmly for a more natural appearance or a higher plant.
Watch Monty Don describe the many hydrangea trimming techniques in spring:
In the fall, what should I do with my hydrangeas?
Short response? Just enough! However, we are aware that many who are unsure of whether to cut them down or remove the dried blooms won’t find this response to be particularly helpful. So, now that summer is over and October is here, here’s what you need to know about your hydrangeas.
2. Once your hydrangea flowers turn brown, you have two choices, regardless of the color of your flowers. Just below the bloom, you can either remove the dead flowers from the plant or leave them on it till winter. The majority of dried hydrangea blossoms fall off sometime over the winter, and any that are still attached to the plant can be picked off in the spring.
3. Avoid “tidying them up! You’ll have less flowers the next summer if you trim the stems now to make them look neater. Waiting until May to prune any hydrangea varieties is preferable, and for the blue and pink flowering mopheads and lacecaps, the only thing you should do at that time is remove any dead stems.
4. Fertilizing in the fall is a wise move.
When it’s growing season the following year, the shrubs will benefit from a little coating of Holly-tone around the plants.
5. Winter security? You have the choice. It has not been demonstrated that covering mopheads and lacecaps will be helpful if temperatures fall to zero or below, but a burlap windscreen may be able to block chilly winter and spring winds in exposed areas.
6. Tidy up! It’s always a good idea to rake up the fallen Hydrangea leaves. By doing this, the area is less likely to harbor disease and insects that overwinter. This is crucial for hydrangea foliage control on the Cape, where Chilli Thrips have been found to deface the leaves.
Mophead hydrangeas provide stunning blue, purple, and pink flowers in the fall that contrast with the changing leaves.
Brown blooms are optional; if they irritate you, you can clip them off.