Growing oakleaf hydrangeas should not be difficult if you planted your hydrangea appropriately. These drought-tolerant native shrubs are completely disease- and pest-free once established.
According to oakleaf hydrangea information, the plants can reach a height of 10 feet (3 meters) and a spread of 8 feet (2 meters). If you haven’t given the hydrangeas enough room to grow to their full potential, you may need to start pruning them to keep them small enough for the space.
Oakleaf hydrangeas can be pruned to help them grow into a full shrub. If you want to do this, pinch back new growth or cut previous growth. Don’t prune these bushes before they bloom because they blossom on the previous year’s growth. This allows them to develop new buds, which will blossom the following summer.
How do you care for an oakleaf hydrangea?
Oakleaf hydrangeas are low-maintenance plants that only require the following:
- Site and sunlight – Oakleaf hydrangeas thrive in broad sun to moderate shade in northern climates. Give them morning sun and protection from powerful afternoon rays in southern zones.
- Rich, well-drained, somewhat acidic soil is ideal for oakleaf. Take the time to amend your soil around planting time if you live in a region with a lot of clay. Pennington Acts Quickly Gypsum aids in water penetration and drainage, as well as loosening compacted soil and encouraging proper root growth. Pennington UltraGreen Plant Starter with Vitamin B1 also aids in the reduction of transplant shock.
- Water – Oakleaf hydrangeas thrive in soil that is evenly moist but never saturated. Thoroughly water the soil, then check it by hand before watering again. Avoid overwatering to avoid root rot. Wait a few days if the soil is damp before checking again.
- Fertilizer At planting time, use a complete fertilizer like Pennington UltraGreen All Purpose Plant Food 10-10-10 to provide your hydrangeas with the nutrition they require. Each year, feed your oakleaf with the same fertilizer or a flower-enhancing fertilizer like Pennington UltraGreen Color Blooms & Bulbs Plant Food 15-10-10 in early spring. Then, four months later, in mid-summer, feed it again.
When should you cut back oakleaf hydrangea?
The oakleaf hydrangea is a deciduous, blooming shrub that is great for borders, bulk planting, and foundation planting. The flowers are pink, pastel purple, and creamy white in color and bloom throughout the summer and fall. Although this hydrangea doesn’t require much pruning, a light trim once a year will keep it looking tidy. Oakleaf hydrangeas bloom on the previous season’s growth, so prune in the fall or early winter after blossoming.
Do oakleaf hydrangeas need deadheading?
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 interest. 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 blanket 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 necessary, but 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 plus in my book because it means that plants will look and perform their best all year long without the use 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 low maintenance. What more could we expect of a plant for our landscapes and gardens?
Why are my oak leaf hydrangeas dying?
Armillaria root rot is frequent in oakleaf hydrangea landscaping plantings. The wilting of one or more previously healthy shoots is the first indication. Irrigation is ineffective, and the plant dies after the rest of the branches wilt.
When root rot strikes, it’s mainly due to a lack of drainage. Remove the dead limbs, dig it up, add plenty of soil conditioner to the planting area, and replant if less than half of your hydrangea is affected. With any luck, it will develop new sprouts and bloom again another day.
My oakleaf hydrangea began to wilt suddenly, according to my colleague Theresa Schrum. When she looked at the base of her plant, she realized root rot wasn’t the problem. The bottoms of the hydrangea stems had been gnawed off by voles, the rodent rascals. It’s no surprise it looked so bad all of a sudden!
Can oakleaf hydrangeas grow full shade?
Oakleaf hydrangeas are understory plants in their natural habitat, so they like some afternoon shade, especially in hotter regions where nearly full shadow is required. Oakleaf hydrangeas can tolerate full sun in the north. The brilliance of the fall color may be reduced if there is too much shade.
What is the best fertilizer for oakleaf hydrangeas?
The oak leaf hydrangea gives a splash of color to the landscape with its stunning blossoms and vibrant fall color. The deciduous shrub features enormous, dark-green leaves that resemble northern red oak leaves, as well as white flowers throughout the summer. The oak leaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), which is native to the Southeast, grows in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. The shrubs grow to be 4 to 8 feet tall and wide on average, but certain cultivars, such as “Alice,” can grow to be 15 feet tall and spread. Oak leaf hydrangea thrives in the shade with nutritious, moist soil, but it may also thrive in the sun with adequate care.
What happens if you don’t prune hydrangeas?
Hydrangeas that bloom on old wood don’t require pruning and benefit from it. They’ll blossom more freely the next season if you leave them alone. Just keep in mind that while new growth will appear next season, it will be devoid of blossoms.
Why does my oakleaf hydrangea not bloom?
Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) are prized for their huge clusters of flowers and oak-like leaves. They are endemic to the southeastern United States. These plants are hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9, but they grow slowly and may not blossom the first season. When properly cared for, they bloom quite predictably once established. Inadequate water or poor trimming procedures are the most common causes of a lack of blooms. Both can be easily corrected.
Do oakleaf hydrangeas lose their leaves?
Hydrangeas are shrubs whose name comes from the Greek words for water (hydor) and vessel (angos), owing to their love of water and the shape of their seed pods, respectively. Hydrangeas are rarely recommended by Master Gardeners in Sonoma County because these strong, shade-loving shrubs with huge, dramatic blooms are better suited to locations with humid air and summer rains. One prominent exception is Hydrangea quercifolia, also known as the oakleaf hydrangea. It not only thrives in our climate, but it also makes a beautiful garden specimen, unlike the mophead and lacecap species. This is the only hydrangea on our list of Sonoma County’s Recommended Plants.
H. quercifolia is called after its deeply lobed leaves, which resemble those of the northern red oak. It is native to the Southeastern United States (Quercus rubra). Other hydrangeas’ leaves aren’t lobed, and the differences don’t end there. H. quercifolia leaves are also thick, coarse, sparsely serrated, and bristling with microscopic hairs on the undersides. Because of its thickness and pubescence (hairiness), it is the only hydrangea that can comfortably cohabit in our gardens with low-water Mediterranean and California native plants.
Oakleaf hydrangeas reach a mature height of 6-7 feet and a width of 7-8 feet, with a charming mounding habit that is less stylized than their spherical, more formal cousins in the genus. They not only require less water than other members of the genus, but they can also thrive in a variety of light conditions, from full sun to full shade, with dappled shade being optimal. Plants require more shade in the interior; the closer they are to the coast, the more light they can withstand.
There are no known disease or pest problems with H. quercifolia, and it grows slowly compared to other hydrangeas. As a result, it is a well-behaved garden citizen who does not require excessive care or water. All portions of the hydrangea, like those of other hydrangeas, are slightly poisonous if eaten.
Oakleaf hydrangea is known for its white, conical summer blossoms that can grow to be nearly a foot long. But it doesn’t stop there. Oakleaf hydrangea foliage takes on a fall coat of gorgeous, dramatic color, ranging from crimson to purple to bronze, as many summer-flowering shrubs wither and drop their leaves.
Although it is technically deciduous, it retains its leaves until early winter. The naked shrub shows off its rusty, peeling branches and stems when they fall. The shredded, cinnamon-colored bark of older stems, reminiscent of manzanita and Arbutus, adds winter appeal. New growth emerges in the spring, with a stunning color and texture and soft, silky hairs.
H. quercifolia can be used as a single specimen, in small groups, or as a landscape border.
It’s also used in mass plantings in some large gardens. There are identified types that are supposed to boost bloom size and shape while also producing larger plantssome reaching 15 feet in heightand should be picked with caution. ‘Snowflake’ is a popular choice, but the flowers are a touch heavy; ‘Pee Wee’ and ‘Sikes Dwarf’, both in the 4-6 ft. range, are recommended for smaller gardens. ‘Munchkin’ stays at a height of 3 feet and a width of 3 feet.
How long do oakleaf hydrangeas live?
Hydrangeas are long-lived shrubs that can live for up to 50 years if cared for properly. They prefer morning light but afternoon shade, and during the growing season, they require frequent watering. After the blossoms have faded, prune them in the fall so that they can develop on robust stems the following summer. Pruning hydrangeas when they’re flowering can harm them, resulting in a year of no flowers while the plants recover.