Hydrangeas are commonly mistaken for perpetual blooms, although they are woody-stemmed shrubs with a different root system than non-woody, soft-stemmed perennials. That’s why rooting hydrangeas in water, as some houseplants do, is rarely successful. Hardwood cuttings, on the other hand, are slow and difficult to root.
Can you divide oakleaf hydrangea?
Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) are deciduous shrubs that may survive the winter in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9. They bloom in late spring and reach a mature height and width of 6 to 8 feet. The blossoms begin white and gradually turn pink over the summer before turning orange-red in the autumn. Divide well-established shrubs in late winter or early spring while they remain dormant in mild Mediterranean climes. The divisions can be transplanted in other areas of the yard or given away to neighbors and friends.
How long do hydrangea cuttings take to root?
- Take a 5- to 6-inch-long clipping off a hydrangea shrub limb. The cutting will work best if it is plucked from a branch that did not flower this year, according to most experts.
- Remove the lower leaves of the two leaf nodes at the bottom. The leaf node is the point on the branch where a leaf emerges. At this phase, the majority of the roots will have formed.
- Insert cuttings into damp vermiculite or sterile medium after dipping them in rooting hormone (this is absolutely optional).
- Allow to drain after thoroughly watering the container. Make sure the soil is moist but not dripping wet. Plastic wrap the clippings and the pot. Using stakes, try to keep the plastic from touching the leaves.
Place cuttings in a bright, shady location. NEW CUTTINGS SHOULD NEVER BE LEFT IN THE SUN. In the plastic, they will cook.
Wait until the top of the soil feels dry before watering again. Cuttings will decay if they are overwatered.
Cuttings should begin to grow roots in two to three weeks, depending on temperature (warm weather is faster) and humidity. Some cuttings can take as little as a week to root. Rooting occurs when a tug on the cutting resists the pull. Reminder: Plants with trade marks or patents may be restricted from being reproduced.
This simple procedure is one of my favorites. Unless you have a large number of hydrangeas, you can only root a small number of new plants at a time.
When you gently bend the branch down, remove the leaves for about 5-6 inches at the point where it will touch the ground. Scrape a small amount of the bark off the branch’s underside in this location. Ascertain that at least one leaf node will be buried.
Do not cut the mother plant’s branch. Dig a 2-inch-deep trench and place the branch in it, covering it generously with earth. Place a brick or stone on the buried region to keep it from sinking. This also aids in the retention of moisture around the branch. Water it once in a while. Cut the branch from the mother plant when roots emerge and container it or put it in the garden.
Hydrangeas thrive in wet, partially sunny environments. They’re ideal for your home’s north and east sides.
Can you put cuttings straight into soil?
You can technically put your cuttings in the ground at any time. In truth, you can propagate directly into soil, but it’s much more difficult to do at home. You must maintain a healthy balance of soil moisture, air flow, and humidity when propagating in soil. That can be difficult to achieve on the inside. Water propagation, I feel, will have the highest success rate, especially for beginners.
What is the best time to take cuttings from hydrangeas?
Late summer is the greatest time to take hydrangea cuttings. These cuttings are semi-ripe, meaning they are from this season’s growth yet are old enough to have a woody base but soft at the tip. When placed into compost, the woody base keeps the cuttings from decaying.
Should I cut back my oakleaf hydrangea?
Soil Oakleaf hydrangea grows best in moist, organic, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.06.5. It is drought resilient once planted, but it does benefit from water in extremely dry conditions. It’s critical to have good drainage. Although the plant prefers damp soil, wet feet are not an option.
Full to moderate shade is fine for this shrub.
It does, however, perform better when exposed to the sun for at least a full day or more, resulting in a richer floral show, stronger stems, and more beautiful autumn foliage.
Some cultivars can tolerate a more sunny location. On the other hand, heavy shadow produces fewer blossoms but larger leaves.
Trimming – Oakleaf hydrangeas require very little pruning, if any at all.
If pruning is required to shape or reduce the size of the shrub, do so soon after the flowers have faded.
Late in the summer, this shrub produces bloom buds for the next year.
To put it another way, it grows on ancient wood.
Pruning at any other time of year will result in the loss of the blossoms for the next year.
Insects This plant is rarely bothered by insects, with the exception of spider mites and aphids.
Deer will nibble on this plant, especially the sensitive, new spring foliage, so use a deer repellent or a physical barrier to protect it.
Propagation – Stem cuttings can be used to propagate the plant. The plant can also be propagated by layering because the branches are low to the ground.
When used as a solitary specimen, a backdrop to smaller shrubs, bulbs, or perennials, a component of a mixed border, a deciduous hedge, or a mass planting, oakleaf hydrangea is a powerful yet elegant shrub.
If oakleaf hydrangeas have a flaw, it’s that their enormous, coarsely textured foliage might be intimidating to a novice gardener. Rest confident that the foliage mixes in beautifully with plants with smaller leaves. Evergreens, for example, with their finer needles and scaly branches, provide a nice contrast. Boxwoods’ more formal round shape and compact, thick leaves contrast nicely with the looser appearance of oakleaf hydrangea. Oakleaf hydrangeas pair well with taller ferns like ostrich or cinnamon ferns, as well as shorter grass-like plants like liriope.
Easy-care The oakleaf hydrangea is particularly beneficial in the landscape because it provides year-round interest. It makes an immediate impact in the spring when its bold, beautiful leaf emerges. In the summer, the dark green foliage contrasts with the huge, long-lasting clusters of creamy white or pink blooms. Many cultivars mature to a medium pink or deep rose color over time. With its rich, deep burgundy/purple foliage that lasts all winter, the oakleaf hydrangea really shines in the fall. Additional interest is provided by the dried tan or light brown flower heads. The flaking tan bark adds a tactile aspect to the white environment in the winter.
An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hardy Trees and Shrubs by Dirr (Dirr, Michael A., 1997)
“Selection, Pruning, and Care of Hydrangea,” (ext.vt.edu/chesapeake/programs/anr/Pruning) Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication
“Problem-Free Shrubs for Virginia Landscapes,” according to the author. 450-236 (ext.vt.edu/450/450-236/) is a Virginia Cooperative Extension publication.
HORT-84P (ext.vt.edu/HORT/HORT-84/), “Selecting Plants for Virginia Landscapes: Showy Flowering Shrubs,” Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication HORT-84P (ext.vt.edu/HORT/HORT-84/), “Selecting Plants for Virginia Landscapes: Showy Flowering Shrubs,” Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication HORT-84P (
Hydrangea quercifolia, University of Connecticut College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources Plant Database (hort.uconn.edu)
Cooperative Extension of North Carolina State University (plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/hydrangea-spp)
Hydrangea Production at Tennessee State University (tnstate.edu/faculty/ablalock/documents/Hydrangea)
Should I deadhead my oakleaf hydrangea?
To ask which of my plants is my favorite is like asking which of my children is my fave! A difficult topic to answer, but since I’m not in danger of hurting sensitive young egos, I’d have to say the oakleaf hydrangea is one of my favorites (Hydrangea quercifolia). The reason for this is that this is a plant that has four distinct seasons of appeal. That appeals to me since it saves me time, energy, and money. It rewards me in the spring, summer, fall, and winter once it has established.
Hydrangea quercifolia is a shrub that grows to be around six to eight feet tall, with a maximum height of ten to twelve feet. The huge, dark green leaves have silvery undersides and resemble the Northern Red Oak, from which it receives its popular name. It can be grown in zones 5 through 9.
Cone-shaped flowers can grow up to a foot in length. The blossoms start out white, then acquire a pink blush before turning red as the seasons pass. Single or double florets might be found.
Although the spring and summer are lovely and lush, I am looking forward to the warm days and cool nights of October and November, when the flowers change red and the foliage takes on a variety of yellow, orange, red, brown, and burgundy hues. In protected areas, the leaves last for a long time before falling to reveal an uneven branching structure of cinnamon-colored peeling bark. The contrast against a snowy white bedspread is breathtaking.
Oakleaf hydrangeas thrive in hotter climates, but they like some afternoon shade. It can be grown in full sun in its northern range. The more sun exposure you get, the more flowers you’ll receive, and the more stunning the fall color will be.
This shrub can survive drier soil than its mophead relatives, but not wet feet. Plant it in acidic, wet, well-drained soil supplemented with compost or other organic matter. It can be used as a specimen feature in the landscape or as a mass planting in shaded wooded regions.
Pruning is rarely essential, although it should be done after the flowers have faded and before August. Late summer and early fall are the best times to plant flower buds for the next year. By simply snipping off old flowers, you can “deadhead” them at any time. I like to leave the blossoms on the plant throughout the winter months so that I may enjoy them.
You can cut longer stems for flower arrangements before August if you’re cutting blossoms for arrangements. After that, only remove short stems to avoid losing next year’s blooms.
Oakleaf hydrangeas are generally pest and disease free. This is another bonus in my eyes because it means that plants will look and perform their best all year long without the need of chemicals (always a last resort in my book).
The double flowered variety ‘Snowflake’ is arguably the most popular. Its creamy white blossoms can reach a length of a foot.
In the spring, the foliage of ‘Little Honey’ turns golden, then chartreuse, then green, with a gorgeous burgundy red fall color.
Oakleaf hydrangeas are a perennial favorite in my yard. They’re lovely all year with stunning leaves, exquisite flowers, and fascinating bark, and they’re hardy in many regions of the country. They’re pest and disease resistant, bloom in the shade, and are very little maintenance. What more could we expect of a plant for our landscapes and gardens?
Can you dig up and replant hydrangeas?
Dig up as much of the rootball as possible when transplanting a hydrangea. Because the roots are fibrous and create a ball loaded with earth, the plant may be quite heavy, so you may need assistance.
Replant the hydrangea in a shady location in the afternoon. This will not only help the plant live, but it is also where hydrangeas prefer to grow, especially in the South.
If you transplant your hydrangeas when they are dormant (which is the optimal period), water them well once. They may not require any additional water until the spring, when the weather becomes warmer.
Hydrangeas should be kept well watered throughout the first and second summers following transplanting.
Deep watering is the best method. Instead of using a sprinkler system, water with a hose. Do not, however, over-water. Allowing the plants to dry up might be just as damaging as watering them every day.
Mist the leaves every day until they recover if they wilt and the soil is moist enough.
Allow the soil surrounding the hydrangeas to dry up if your soil does not drain effectively. This is especially true for oakleaf hydrangeas, which will rot in a heartbeat if they are first planted in moist soil.
Where do you cut hydrangeas to propagate?
The first step in how to root hydrangea cuttings is to choose a stem to cut. Choose a hydrangea propagation stem that is at least 6 inches (15 cm) long, has no blossom, and is fresh growth in the early fall. The stems of fresh growth will be a lighter green than those of old growth. Also, if you live in a colder environment and the hydrangea dies down to the ground, the entire bush may be made up of new growth.
Take a sharp pair of shears and cut the stem off just below a leaf node once you’ve chosen a stem to propagate the hydrangea. A leaf node is the point at which a group of leaves will grow. At least one extra set of leaves above the designated leaf node should be present on the hydrangea cutting, which should be at least 4 inches (10 cm) long. Remove the cutting from the stem by snipping it.
Remove all of the leaves from the cutting save the highest pair. Only two leaves should be left on the cutting. Crosswise cut the two remaining leaves in half (not lengthwise).
Dip the cutting’s end in rooting hormone if it’s available. While rooting hormone improves the chances of effective hydrangea propagation, hydrangea shrubs can be propagated without it.
Can you propagate hydrangea indoors?
When Should You Plant Hydrangea Cuttings? Once the vulnerable stem has been removed from the parent plant, heat stress will not impact it. While it is possible to root and grow hydrangea cuttings inside in late summer or fall, most growers find this to be a more difficult procedure with a lower success rate.