Get essential tips for growing oakleaf hydrangea, a native shrub with color-changing flowers and eye-catching fall color.
The flowers often persist on the stems into winter and make excellent dried pieces for seasonal arrangements.
The green leaves develop fall colors ranging from orange to red to purple at the start of autumn.
Credit:Robert Cardillo
Mature stems have attractive peeling bark that resembles cinnamon sticks.
Here’s how to plant and grow an oakleaf hydrangea in your garden.
These shrubs vary in mature size.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Avoid direct midday sun.
Planting in an area withprotection from winter windsmay help remedy this concern.
Avoid planting in the most extreme heat of summer if possible.
Credit:Carson Downing
Dig the hole no deeper than the root ball of the plant.
It is better to plant the plant too high rather than too low.
Robert Cardillo
Oakleaf Hydrangea Care Tips
Oakleaf hydrangea is an easy-to-grow shrub in average-to-fertile, moist soil.
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
It grows best in partial shade, limiting the intense midday sun.
Established plants are very drought tolerant.
Light
Oakleaf hydrangeas perform best in partial shade.
Ask your local nursery about the best light conditions for oakleaf hydrangea in your region.
Water when the top 2-4 inches of soil is dry.
Limit watering the leaves (overhead watering) to reduce the likelihood of foliar diseases.
Excessively moist soil for prolonged periods can lead to root rot.
Established plants in many parts of the country may need little or no supplemental water throughout the season.
Apply 2 inches of mulch around the plant to protect the delicate roots from drying out.
Avoid letting mulch touch the stem of the shrub.
As with all woody plants, this can lead to stem rot.
Excessive humidity may cause the plant todevelop powdery mildewor other foliar diseases.
Fertilizer
Oakleaf hydrangea needs fertile soil to thrive.
Plants grown in the proper location will require little or no additional fertilizer.
Avoid working the compost into the soil to limit root disturbance.
Pruning
Oakleaf hydrangeas lookbest with minimal pruning.
This is not a formal shrub nor a candidate for aggressive shaping or shearing.
Oakleaf hydrangeas develop the next season’s flower buds in late summer.
Pruning late in the season will reduce next year’s flower display.
Oakleaf hydrangeas may develop irregular growth, particularly in heavy shade.
Think of this as an asset rather than something to struggle against.
Enjoy the natural beauty of this plant.
Smaller selections can be used in large planters, although these shrubs are best grown directly in the ground.
This plant is often grown in partially shaded and protected locations with poor airflow.
Monitor your plants for powdery mildew and prune back surrounding plants to increase air circulation as needed.
Another common problem is bacterial leaf spot.
This disease presents itself as reddish-brown spots on the surface of the leaves.
Minor infestations are unsightly but not deadly.
Bad cases will cause the hydrangea to shed its leaves, weakening the plant.
Avoid overhead watering and provide good airflow around the plant to limit the formation andspread of the disease.
Pesticides containing copper sulfate or copper octanoate may be effective at controlling leaf spot.
Carefully read the label and apply as directed.
Oakleaf hydrangeas are also susceptible to root rot.
Here’s how to do it.
Munchkin Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifoliaMunchkin was introduced by the U.S. National Arboretum.
This petite form works well in smaller yards where traditional selections may overpower the space.
Zones 6-10
Hellebore
Carson Downing
Hellebores(Helleborusspp.)
provide a deep green skirt when planted at the base of oakleaf hydrangeas.
Zones 4-9
Witch Hazel
Witch hazels(Hamamelisspp.)
are excellent plants for the mixed shrub border, a common location for oakleaf hydrangeas.
The yellow and gold fall color accompanies the rich reds, purples, and oranges of oakleaf hydrangeas.
Frequently Asked Questions
No.
Oak trees are a member of the genusQuercus,while oakleaf hydrangeas are in the genusHydrangea.
The wordquercifoliacan be broken down intoquerci- oak andfolia- leaf.
The leaves of oakleaf hydrangea resemble the leaves of red oak trees.
Unlike bigleaf and mountain hydrangeas, oakleaf hydrangeas do notchange color in response to soil pH.
Instead, grow oakleaf hydrangeas for their inherent beauty and leave the soil acidifiers andgarden limein the garage.
Yes, although they are typically clump-forming plants, they will eventually spread out over time.
However, they are not aggressive spreaders like some other types of hydrangeas.
These gorgeous, flowering shrubs attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.
However, the aroma that they produce also attracts small flies that could damage their leaves.
These shrubs are more deer-resistant than other hydrangeas.
However,deer might still grazeon their flowers or shoots, which could prevent this plant from flowering.
North Carolina State University Extension.
