#OAK LEAF HYDRANGEA FULL#
#OAK LEAF HYDRANGEA PLUS#

Brilliant shades of crimson, purple, orange, gold, and bronze appear. Unlike mophead hydrangeas, soil pH doesn't affect the color of oakleaf blooms.Īs fall arrives, oakleaf hydrangea leaves put on a display of color that rivals blazing maples.

The elegant clusters combine large, showy florets with small, budlike flowers. Flower buds form long, cone-shaped clusters that crown summer landscapes with color.

Depending on the variety, the oak-like leaves can grow up to 12 inches wide. Oakleaf hydrangea's year-long parade starts in spring when dark green leaves unfurl. Oakleaf Hydrangea and Four-Season Interest Oakleaf's fall foliage is an autumn highlight. Protecting Oakleaf Hydrangeas From Insects.Oakleaf Varieties for Every Garden Size.Oakleaf Hydrangea and Four-Season Interest.In small spaces or large landscapes, these simple basics can help you make this low-maintenance native your own:

#OAK LEAF HYDRANGEA PLUS#

Native to the American Southeast, this outstanding shrub delivers all the benefits of native plants, plus year-round beauty to refresh and inspire. Though cultivars vary in size, many will grow over 8 feet in height, although they can be kept compact with pruning, and propagated via cuttings or layering.Īny way you grow them, however, oakleaf hydrangeas are beautiful and versatile shade-loving native plants for US gardens.Hydrangeas are one of America's favorite plants, but oakleaf hydrangea offers attributes that common garden hydrangeas don't. In natural assemblages, they grow well with magnolias, oaks, beech, and hickories, although they can successfully be planted under an array of tree species, provided attention is paid to soil pH.

#OAK LEAF HYDRANGEA FULL#

Thus, a soil blend with leaf mold, compost, and a helping of dolomitic lime can be the right mix for successfully planting oakleaf hydrangeas.Īs an understory plant, oakleaf hydrangeas will thrive in partial or full shade, delivering a large crop of flowers in a spot with cool morning sun and afternoon shade against the heat. Seemingly paradoxically, they also grow well in soils with more lime or chalk than other acidic soil lovers like rhododendrons or blueberries. Quercifolia comes from the Latin “quercus,” meaning oak, and “folium,” meaning leaf: this aspect of the name has been translated to the English common name of “oakleaf,” and speaks to the distinctive lobed shape of the leaves.Īs with many plants that live on the organic matter rich floor of the forest, oakleaf hydrangeas prefer a slightly acidic soil: with an ideal pH range of 5.0–6.5. Hydrangea comes from the Greek “hydor,' meaning water, and 'angos,” meaning cup: this tells you that the plant is a heavy consumer of water, and won’t tolerate a dry spot without significant irrigation. Both parts of this name say quite a lot about the plant. Numerous cultivars are available, so beyond shopping for the the distinctive leaf shape among the hydrangeas, look for the binomial name for the shrub: Hydrangea quercifolia. Boasting large panicles bearing cone-shaped clusters of off-white blossoms, these hydrangeas are unlike most of their relatives, which typically flower in a dome-like shape. Native to shady woodland habitats across the Southeastern United States, oakleaf hydrangeas are now a staple ornamental plant across USDA zones 5-9 in the temperate zone.

Oak leaf hydrangea