Pruning a hyndrangea Quercifolia

[purplejulia]

I have just had a friend round and she has asked me how and when should she prune her hydrangea. It is the oak-leaved variety called quercifolia. She has only had it a couple of years and she has never pruned it. It is still fairly small.

Any experts out there?

PJ

[andy]

I've never really pruned any Hydrangea...only to keep them in shape and to remove dead flowers in March.

Maybe someone else has tried it

[Rosefriend]

I am like Andy and never prune my H- macrophylla and H. quercifolia - infact unless it is to tidy it up it isn't recommended as you lose all the flowers for the coming year. The H. quercifolia can take a lot more sun I have found as well.

My H. arborescens Annabelle is the only one that get pruned back each Spring. I think this Hydrangea is marvellous - it will taken anything I throw at it - sun, shade, water, drought.....a great plant.

RF

[purplejulia]

Thanks Andy and Rosefriend for your advice.

I think my friend was asking about pruning because although she has only had it about a couple of years I think it is looking a bit tatty. She thought it might be the wrong time of year to prune it. Alternatively it might not being doing too well in her garden anyway.

I haven't seen her garden but when I get a chance I will take a look at it.

[Barbara]

arent you supposed to prune out the middle so it looks like a wine glass,
and let lots of air into the middle.
i'm sure i heard that years ago.

[Rosefriend]

I don't know whether you are supposed to Barbara but I do remember my Mum saying that to me many moons ago and also that the potato water (when having peeled them) always went onto the Hydrangea.

Last year because of the rain the Hydrangeas have shot up and mine do look a bit straggly at the moment as well.

RF

[Chuckles]

I've got a couple of mopheads and a couple of Lacecaps and usually trim them down to a couple of new buds any time now if they are getting to big, mine are all in pots. Found this though, which is a bit more specific for the different types.

Hydrangea quercifolia
These hydrangeas flower on old wood and therefore only require the removal of dead or damaged branches and stems in mid-Spring when leaf growth has begun.

Hydrangea macrophylla - Lacecaps
In general, lacecaps are hardier than mopheads and there is almost no need to prune other than cutting back damaged stems or branches to a healthy looking set of buds. Lacecaps will put a lot of effort into developing seeds though when the flowers die so it's best to remove flowers as soon as they are dead.

Hydrangea paniculata
It's fine to not prune this type of Hydrangea. If the plant has become too large simply prune to shape in late winter, they tolerate hard pruning. This will encourage larger panicles of flowers.

Hydrangea anomala subsp.petiolaris
This variety also requires no pruning. If the plant is becoming too large, prune shoots to a healthy set of buds as soon as flowering has ceased.

[beanie]

i usually prune my hydrangea down to about three ft and take out some of the older stms to ground level to stop it getting too congested in the centre. I've also read about loosing flowers if you prune but have found this not to be the case. can't help with the oak leaf variety as mine is only small so i havn't needed to do anything to it yet

[owdboggy]

H. quercifolia is one of the ones which is not pruned, except when it gets too big , as if! It is not so hardy as the others and does not make a big plant in any other than sheltered gardens. If you must prune then early summer, after all danger of frost has gone.