Wilted Hydrangea
POSTED BY PEGGY: Your big leaf hydrangeas have never been uglier. Their slimy, wilted leaves are hanging on by a thread. They are shades of brown, yellow and just plain ugly. They are overgrown and out of shape. They will not be tolerated.
Wait! Before you run for your Felcos, remember this: Big leaf hydrangeas set their flower buds in the fall. With each clip of your pruners, you are cutting off next year’s blooms. Big Leaf Hydrangeas bloom on “old wood” or the previous season’s wood. The not-so-attractive leaves will eventually fall off, but you must leave the gangly sticks for the Spring.
I’m sure you have heard of the ‘Endless Summer’ or ‘Forever and Ever’ Hydrangea varieties. These varieties bloom on “old” and “new” wood. They not only bloom on those spindly old stems that are left at the end of the season, but after they form new branches, these will set
Endless Summer Hydrangea
buds and bloom too. This type of re-blooming hydrangeas was discovered up North where it is hard to grow big leaf Hydrangeas. Winters north of us are so cold, that even the “old” branches are killed back. This means no blooms. You can imagine their joy upon discovering these new hydrangeas that bloom on old and new wood.
Other types of Hydrangeas mainly bloom on new wood. They can be pruned now if needed. Feel free to cut off the big heavy flowers of Oak Leaf Hydrangea (H. quercifolia) or Pee Gee Hydrangea (H. paniculata). Or leave them for winter interest. If the plants have grow too big, they can be pruned now or in March before they leaf out.
The ‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea ( H. arborescens) is the one with the huge lime green heads. She can be pruned anytime as it also blooms on new wood. The trick to pruning ‘Annabelle is to cut her to about 18-24″. This will make for thicker stems, better able to support those big heavy blooms.
The Almighty Oakleaf, Beautiful in Every Season
Hydrangea paniculata
Hydrangea 'Annabelle'
2 Comments
November 22, 2008 at 9:08 am
Hydrangeas are great shrubs in the garden, and this is a good reminder about timing your pruning.
I love the look of the hydrangea blossoms on the shrub for winter. In zone 3, I have to look for all of the winter interest my garden can get, to enliven the overall white theme.
Unfortunately, H. quercifolia is not reliable here, but H. arborescens and H. paniculata give all season interest.
November 24, 2008 at 9:49 pm
I am so glad to know that I can prune my oak leaf hydrangeas. Also great to know to leave the others alone. I have some wonderful varieties thanks to you all at Sugar Creek and want to make sure that I get the most bountiful blooms out of them next year. Thanks for this great guidance!