The Bold & The Beautiful
|
Common Name: oakleaf hydrangea
Botanical Name: Hydrangea quercifolia Form: upright, multi-stemmed, irregular, mounded Family: Hydrangeaceae Genus: Hydrangea Species: quercifolia Plant Type: deciduous shrub Mature Size: 6 to 8 feet tall & wide Growth: fast Origin: Southeastern USA Hardiness Zone: 5 to 9 Foliage: dark green, leathery, coarse, simple 5-7 deep lobes, red, bronze to purple fall colours, undersides are a greyish-silver Flowers: fragrant, creamy white changing to purplish-pink, up to 12” long x 5” wide, cone-shaped panicle clusters, non-showy fertile florets surrounded by 5 large showy sepals, persist into winter Fruit: dry, dehiscent capsules that turn brown when mature Stems: mature branches peels, cinnamon colour, leaves opposite, brown fuzz on new growth Exposure: part sun to shade Soil: moist, humus rich soil with good drainage Uses: cut flowers, hedges, shade gardens, winter interest, specimen, accent, woodlands, informal hedge, mixed border, foundation Attracts: butterflies, bees & other pollinators Invasive Tendencies: produces suckers Tolerates: moist soil and shade Propagation: seeds, cuttings, air layering, suckers Pruning: late summer, early autumn Problems: no serious diseases or insects Comments: There are not many shade loving plants that are as bold and beautiful as oakleaf hydrangeas with their magnificent huge, pleasantly scented, creamy-white, jacquard-like blossoms. This North American deciduous shrub thrives where the soil is moist and rich, along creeks, ravines, streams and in damp forests. Oakleaf hydrangeas are so named because their large deeply lobed foliage resemble oak leaves. The undersides are a contrasting silver colour. In fall their thick, leathery, green matte leaves turn shades of purple, red and bronze. The size of their leaves depends on how much shade they receive; the shadier it is, the bigger the are growing up to 12 inches in length. Their gorgeous blossoms consist of two types of flowers: non-showy and showy. The non showy florets are the true and complete flowers with stamens and pistils. They are surrounded by larger petal-like cream-coloured sepals. As the sepals age they turn shades of pink and dry on the plant turning crispy and brown. The flowers linger for months offering a point of winter interest. Pruning Since flowers appear on second year and older, mature stems, prune in late summer or early fall. Cutting them back any later, in spring or winter, removes their flowers. Cut off any old, non-flowering, spindly, dead, winter damaged and broken stems in early spring. Note it is not necessary to cut them back every year as they will produce flowers regardless. Don’t try to cut them back too far to keep them small as they are genetically big plants and they will not respond well, nor will they flower if cut back too far. Winter Protection Oakleaf hydrangeas prefer a sheltered location away from winter winds. In USDA Zones 5 and less, provide winter protection. Wrap plants with layers of burlap, frost blankets or sheets. 
|