November Shrub of the Month-Oakleaf hydrangea
Hydrangeas are some of the most versatile shrubs for St. Louis. There is a hydrangea for just about every garden location. Wet and shady, full sun and dry, Dry shade! Tight spots and large spots. And even better, some of them can offer incredible four-season interest. Tops on the four-season interest list are the oakleaf hydrangeas.
The crisp white panicles of oakleaf hydrangea (hydrangea quercifolia) bloom earlier in spring than other hydrangeas. Some cultivars like ‘Ruby Slippers’ May Shrub of the Month-Ruby Slippers Hydrangea (garden-lou.com) have flowers that age to pink after the white stage but before the parchment brown stage that lasts all winter atop the beautiful cinnamon-colored bark with its great peely texture.
The oakleaf hydrangeas are tough plants, taking full sun and blazing heat from parking lots to part-shade with little fuss. They are hardier than the familiar big-leaf hydrangeas with their pink and blue flowers that rarely flower in St. Louis after a hard winter. Still, oakleaf hydrangea can suffer from the same loss of flowers if the winter is especially harsh.
Oakleaf hydrangeas are low maintenance, with no shearing required. They can get a wild free-form shape that will benefit from some light, corrective pruning occasionally, but other than that, are super easy.
Size varies depending on the cultivar. Most top out around 6-8’ high and wide, so give them plenty of room. Full sun to partial shade is fine, but a little winter protection is appreciated.
The best trait has to be the long-lasting fall color. When I say “fall color,” I mean ALL the colors; red, purple, yellow, orange, and green can appear simultaneously on the same leaf. Some plants turn mostly red-a great compliment to your exterior holiday decorations.
What I love about this plant;
-Four-season interest.
-Beautiful flowers from white to pink.
-Great bark.
-Winter interest with the bark and persistent flower heads.
-outstanding fall color!
-Low maintenance.
-Adaptable to many garden situations.
What’s not so great;
-Can occasionally have flower or stem loss due to harsh winters. Oakleaf hydrangeas bloom on “old wood,” forming buds in the fall.
-The larger specimens can get unruly shapes, which can be corralled by corrective pruning.
-Incorrect pruning times can cut off the flower buds for the next season. If you have to prune, do so by late spring, right after they flower (For those cultivars that turn pink, prune when the blooms are still somewhat white.)
Comments or questions? Email Garden-Lou at gardenloustl@gmail.com
Words and photos by Jo Batzer
© Jo Batzer, garden-lou.com-2023, All rights reserved.
