Oakleaf Hydrangea Care Guide: How to Grow Oakleaf Hydrangea

Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is a deciduous, flowering shrub with large, cone-shaped clusters of flowers and leaves that can grow up to a foot long. Vibrant green foliage and a lengthy bloom time make this hardy, drought-tolerant plant popular, even outside the southeastern states like Florida and Louisiana where it grows naturally.

Oakleaf hydrangea blooms in late spring and early summer through fall, and its flowers can fade to pink or tan over time. In the fall and winter months, its foliage color may change from green to vibrant red or purple.

Oakleaf hydrangeas come in many varieities, each with distinctive flowers.

1. 1. ‘Gatsby Gals’: Slightly smaller than most types of oakleaf hydrangeas, this cultivar features white flowers that are attractive to pollinators in early summer.
2. 2. ‘Snowflakes’: Double blossoms layered on large flowerheads make this cultivar appealing to the eye.
3. 3. ‘Ruby Slippers’: Particularly suited to small areas, this compact hydrangea features white blooms in summer that turn pink later in the year.
4. 4. ‘Snow Queen’: Cinnamon-colored bark and bronze red leaves in the fall add warmth to every garden featuring this cultivar.

Oakleaf hydrangea tends to be much more adaptable than the French hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) and can survive in sandy soil with very little attention if necessary.

• Climate: In North America, oakleaf hydrangeas can grow in cooler regions down to USDA hardiness zone five. However, they thrive when planted in moist soil before early spring in regions that have lots of heat in the summer.
• Light: Oakleafs can withstand partial shade to full sun, but more afternoon shade in the summer will result in longer blooms later. These deciduous shrubs should ideally grow where they get direct sunlight in the morning and shade in the afternoon.
• Watering: Moist soil is key for sustained success when your oakleaf hydrangeas are first taking root in your garden, but the species is drought-tolerant once established.
• Mulch: A summer mulch helps retain soil moisture and is especially useful in warmer regions.
• Pruning: You may have to prune oakleaf hydrangeas to keep them small enough for the space and promote new growth. Oakleaf hydrangeas bloom on old wood—the branches grown the previous year—so pruning at the wrong time of the year could limit the next year's buds. Typically, pruning in July or early August is ideal.

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