Hydrangea Pruning Cheat Sheet
| Hydrangea Type | When to Prune | Where Flowers Appear |
| Bigleaf (H. macrophylla) | Summer, after flowering | On old growth |
| Oakleaf (H. quercifolia) | Summer, after flowering | On old growth |
| Panicle (H. paniculata) | Late winter, before spring growth | On new growth |
| Smooth (H. arborescens) | Late winter, before spring growth | On new growth |
Full Answer
How to prune hydrangeas and when you should do it?
When to prune popular hydrangea varieties?
- Bigleaf hydrangeas. Bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea Macrophylla) have very long, large dark green leaves up to 8 inches. ...
- Smooth hydrangeas. Smooth (wild) hydrangeas (H. ...
- Panicle hydrangeas. Panicle (peegee) hydrangeas (H. ...
- Oakleaf hydrangeas. Just like the name suggests, oakleaf hydrangeas (H. ...
- Mountain hydrangeas. Mountain hydrangeas (H. ...
- Climbing hydrangeas. ...
How and when to prune hydrangeas?
- Bigleaf, Mopleaf or Lacecap hydrangeas ( Hydrangea macrophylla and H. serrata)
- Oakleaf hydrangeas ( H. quercifolia)
- Use the images at http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/identify.html to help you identify what kind of hydrangea you have before you start making any plans to prune your plant.
How to prune your Hydrangea?
Method 1 Method 1 of 2: Pruning Hydrangeas that Bloom on Old Wood
- Determine if your hydrangea blooms on old wood. This is another way of saying that your hydrangea produces new spring blooms on last year's buds.
- Prune just after the blooming peak. Since these types of hydrangeas start producing buds soon after blooming, in late summer and early fall, it's essential to prune them just ...
- Remove old blooms. ...
When should hydrangeas be pruned?
What time of year to prune hydrangeas
- You might be pruning simply because the hydrangea is too large and needs to be cut back.
- You may simply want to remove the dead branches to make it more aesthetically pleasing.
- There could be some branches that are overlapping, crossing one another and causing the plant to grow in an unstructured fashion.
- You might be preparing for winter.
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What month do you prune hydrangeas?
Trimming should be done immediately after flowering stops in summer, but no later than August 1. Do not prune in fall, winter, or spring or you could be cutting off new buds. Tip-pruning the branches as leaves emerge in spring can encourage multiple, smaller flower heads rather than fewer larger flower heads.
How far back should you prune hydrangeas?
Let these plants grow a season or two before doing any serious "hard" pruning. Once the shrub is established and has a couple of growing seasons under its belt, prune these hydrangeas in the spring down to the ground, or not at all if you want a larger shrub. Flower buds will grow on this season's growth or new wood.
Should hydrangeas be cut back every year?
Prune these hydrangeas only after bloom in the summer and not in the fall. Old wood hydrangeas start developing their bloom buds for next year in August and September. If you don't prune your hydrangeas real soon, then it is better to wait until next year. Otherwise you won't have any blooms next spring.
Which hydrangeas should not be pruned?
Hydrangeas that bloom on old wood do not need pruning and are better off for it. If you leave them alone, they'll bloom more profusely the next season.
What happens if you don't prune hydrangeas?
What happens if you don't prune hydrangeas? If you don't prune hydrangeas then they can eventually resemble a tangled mass of woody stems, and the flowers will become smaller and less showy. Regular pruning of hydrangeas helps to maintain their shape and also encourages new growth and a better display of blooms.
How do you trim hydrangeas for the winter?
1:062:53Pruning Hydrangeas For Winter - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo what we're going to do is we're going to clip this spent flower off this old flower on thisMoreSo what we're going to do is we're going to clip this spent flower off this old flower on this hydrangea. So we redirect growth to the two buds. Right below it.
Should I cut off Brown hydrangea blooms?
Are the blooms on your hydrangea shrubs fading or turning brown? No need to worry – this is simply a sign that it's time to remove the flowers, a process called deadheading. When you deadhead hydrangeas, you aren't harming the plants at all.
How do I know if my hydrangea has bloomed on old wood?
0:234:12How to Tell if Your Hydrangea Blooms on Old Wood - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou might notice that they have the same prominent buds which is an indicator that they bloom on oldMoreYou might notice that they have the same prominent buds which is an indicator that they bloom on old wood um and that means you do not have to print.
Should I cut off Brown hydrangea leaves?
However once the flower buds and newer leaves have turn brown there is not much you can do to revive them. Therefore cut back any growth that has been damaged by the frost and trim back to healthy growth.
How do I know what type of hydrangea I have?
If the flower buds open a green color, then turn white, and as they age turn green or greenish brown, you have an arborescens type. If the flowers open white and stay white until they get old, then you probably have a macrophylla type. White flowering macrophylla types are less common, but they do exist.
Should you deadhead hydrangeas before winter?
Should You Deadhead Hydrangeas in Winter? There is one time of year when deadheading a hydrangea may not be a good idea, and that's right before winter. Buds for next spring's blooms grow just below the old dead blossoms, and leaving them in place can provide the buds with good protection from the elements.
What is an old hydrangea?
An old Hydrangeas has a lot of bare branches and looks past its best
When do hydrangeas start producing buds?
These Hydrangeas start producing flower buds from around August onwards and retain them until the following summer when they flower. Pruning after August may be cutting off the new flower buds, hence cutting off next years flowers.
Do you have to prune climbing hydrangeas?
Pruning Climbing Hydrangeas. Climbing Hydrangea. Pruning is not necessary and should be avoided if possible but should you choose to prune them then be warned it may affect the flower for a year or two as they do flower on last years growth.
Do you need to prune a mop head hydrangea?
If you have mop head, lacecap or oak leafed hydrangea (if there flowering blue or pink there probably mop head Hydrangea) then you do not need to prune them. If you do need to prune them to revive an old plant or reduce its size, prune straight away after flowering to ensure they will flower the following year.
What is the color of a big leaf hydrangea?
Bigleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) The bigleaf hydrangea often has flowers whose color changes with the soil pH: blue in acid soil and pink in alkaline soil. However, there are also a few varieties that simply stay white. Its leaves are coarsely serrated and glossy, dark green.
When do hydrangeas bloom?
This is the most common hydrangea variety. Also known as panicle hydrangeas, peegees display massive snowball-shaped flower clusters in mid- to late summer. The flowers start out white and slowly turn pink, drying and remaining on the plant long after the leaves have fallen. Flower buds occur on new spring growth.
How long do big leaf hydrangeas bloom?
Bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) have exceptionally large, long serrated dark green leaves (up to 8 inches) and they bloom for an extended period through mid to late summer. The flower color is affected by soil pH; acid soils cause flowers to be blue; alkaline soil causes pink flowers. Along with the large leaves, bigleaf hydrangeas are identified by the large, rounded flowers that bloom in summer. This is one of the species that bloom on old wood; you'll prune this just after the plant is finished flowering.
What is a mountain hydrangea?
Mountain Hydrangea (H. serrata) Mountain hydrangeas are small flowering shrubs with narrow, pointed leaves and flattened flower heads. This plant is sometimes confused with Hydrangea macrophylla because of their similar flowers. However, this type doesn't have the big leaves of Hydrangea macrophylla .
When do hydrangeas turn pink?
The flowers start out white and slowly turn pink, drying and remaining on the plant long after the leaves have fallen.
How to keep blooms from faded?
Spent flowers can be trimmed away as they fade to keep the plant looking tidy. Simply clip away the blooms using bypass pruners.
Do smooth hydrangeas bloom?
Smooth hydrangea, including the popular cultivars H. arborescens 'Grandiflora,' 'Annabelle', and 'Incrediball®', doesn't usually have any problems blooming, though its white flowers aren't as showy as we normally expect from hydrangeas. It's a round shrub with leaves that are somewhat rounded with a pointed end, paler on the underside than on the top. Blooming on new wood, smooth hydrangea does well with fairly aggressive pruning.
What happens if you prune a hydrangea at the wrong time?
If you prune at the wrong time, you could be cutting off next year’s blooms!
How tall do hydrangeas get?
Their white flowers are round and can reach 12 inches in diameter. The popular cultivar ‘Annabelle’ grows to be 3-5 feet tall and can be used to light up a shady path or as a mass planting at the edge of the woods. It is hardy to Zone 3. Smooth hydrangeas can be pruned back to the ground in the fall or early spring.
What is the blue hydrangea called?
My other blue hydrangea is a lacecap-type, called ‘Let’s Dance Starlight’ , but instead of the huge, mophead-type of flower cluster that ‘Endless Summer’ has, the lacecap hydrangea bears a flat blossom made up of many small, fertile flowers surrounded by a few showy, sterile flowers. It is also hardy to Zone 5 and blooms on both old and new wood.
What is the best hydrangea to grow in New England?
One of the oldest and most reliable favorites is ‘Grandiflora’, also known as Pee Gee hydrangea. Native to China and Japan, it was the first Asian hydrangea cultivar introduced to the United States, in 1862. They were a big hit during the Victorian era. The flowers start out a creamy white and turn a rosy pink as they age. They can be dried and look lovely in a winter arrangement. Find out how to dry these lovely hydrangeas here.
When do oak leaf hydrangeas bloom?
It blooms a little later than the other hydrangeas, beginning in August. Its flowers are large panicles that start out white and turn dark pink as they age.
Can you prune a lacecap hydrangea after it blooms?
Both mophead and lacecap hydrangeas are considered bigleaf or macrophylla hydrangeas, so they can be pruned right after flowering by cutting back the flowering shoots to the next bud.
How to keep big leaf hydrangeas blooming?
Even under the best of circumstances, bigleaf hydrangeas can suffer winter damage, and protection is usually required to achieve maximum blooming potential. To protect the buds, simply surround hydrangeas with a mesh cylinder, taking care not to damage any buds, and fill it up with fallen leaves. The leaves may provide enough insulation to keep flower buds alive through the winter. This winter protection should be removed only once the buds begin to expand in the spring.
Where do smooth hydrangeas grow?
Smooth hydrangea(Hydrangea arborescens) Smooth hydrangeas are native to Eastern North America and are well suited to most New Hampshire gardens. They have a mounded growth habit and white to pale pink flowers that bloom mid-summer. Unlike bigleaf and mountain hydrangeas, smooth hydrangeas bloom on new wood and will tolerate heavy pruning. Old flowers from the previous year can be removed in late winter through spring. Old stems will flower, but the flowers will be small. For larger, more robust flowers, prune stems to the ground in the spring.
Is a mountain hydrangea the same as a big leaf hydrangea?
Mountain hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata) Mountain hydrangeas look very similar and are closely related to bigleaf hydrangeas. Mountain hydrangeas have a more delicate branching structure and flowers that are slightly less showy than their relative. Flowers develop on old wood, so do not remove stems until new growth begins in the spring when you can determine which buds are still viable. Reblooming types are increasingly available and provide more reliable blooms. Though reported to be slightly more winter hardy than bigleaf hydrangeas, mountain hydrangeas will also benefit from winter protection measures.
Do oakleaf hydrangeas need pruning?
Oakleaf hydrangeas also bloom on old wood, so only remove dead or damaged branches in the spring. In general, oakleaf hydrangeas do not require much pruning. As needed, thin stems and reduce plant height after new growth has begun.
When should I prune hydrangeas?
Hydrangeas that bloom on new wood (i.e., new growths) should be pruned in late winter or early spring or in fall as they enter the dormancy phase. Hydrangeas that bloom on old growths should be pruned only after flowering. Cutting old woods down in fall or early spring will have you looking at a bloomless season.
How to Keep Hydrangea Bush Small?
Sometimes it’s a challenge to keep hydrangeas at a reasonable size. If conditions are favorable in your garden, hydrangeas will quickly take up all available space until they reach their expected size.
How fast do hydrangeas grow?
Hydrangeas are classified as rapid growers, with some varieties growing an average of 25 inches per year until they reach maturity. Other hydrangea varieties, such as the Hydrangea paniculata can grow up to 2 feet per year.
How big do oak leaf hydrangeas get?
Oak-leaf hydrangeas. 96 inches. 96 inches. As you can notice, most hydrangeas will spread as much as their height is, except for climbing hydrangea varieties and panicle hydrangeas that have a smaller spread compared to their height. This can give you an idea of the space you need to allocate in your garden to these plants, ...
How big is a paniculata tree?
Some paniculata varieties qualify as tree forms, having canopies of 18 to 20 feet wide and reaching heights of 10 to 15 feet.
Do panicle hydrangeas need sun?
Find the ideal location for your hydrangeas based on light requirements (e.g., plant panicle hydrangeas in full sun or afternoon sun or smooth hydrangeas in partial shade)
Do hydrangeas need pruning?
Although hydrangeas don’t require annual pruning, there are times when a little pruning is necessary, either to cut back on its size a bit or to reinvigorate a hydrangea bush that is doing poorly. First, you need to determine whether your hydrangea variety blooms on old wood or new wood.
Cultivation
Management
- When to prune a hydrangea depends on when it sets its flower buds. Other than the modern repeat blooming hydrangeas, like \"Endless Summer\" and \"Lime Light\", most older hydrangeas set the next season's flower buds in either late summer/fall or during the growing season. Hydrangeas that set their buds late in the season are the most likely to hav...
Varieties
- The popular mophead hydrangea, also known as bigleaf or florist hydrangea, is sometimes easy to recognize because it is the one whose flower color changes with the soil pH: blue in acid soil, pink in alkaline. There are a few varieties that simply stay white, making it much harder to categorize them from the flowers.
Prevention
- Bigleaf hydrangeas are the variety most susceptible to winter bud injury. If you live in an area with severe winters or your plant is exposed to winter winds, you might need to offer it some winter protection, to protect the flower buds. Tying the branches together and wrapping them with burlap isnt pretty, but it could mean winter survival. Remove the burlap when the buds begin to swell.
Uses
- It's probably not surprising that oakleaf hydrangea is easily recognized by its oakleaf-shaped foliage. Since its major attraction is its foliage, loss of bloom is less disappointing than in other varieties. Oakleaf hydrangea also blooms on new season growth and can be pruned in late winter or early spring, while dormant, to remove dead wood. If it has experienced winter dieback…
Culture
- Peegees do not require hard pruning to the ground. New flower buds will be set on new spring growth. Some gentle pruning in late winter or early spring will not only keep the plants from becoming overgrown, it will also encourage more new growth and hopefully more flower buds. You can deadhead the flowers, as soon as they become unattractive and clean up the overall sh…
Appearance
- Tea of Heaven is a small shrub with narrow, pointed leaves and flattened flowerheads. It is sometimes confused with Hydrangea macrophylla because the flowers can look like lacecaps and/or be blue or pink, but it by no means has big leaves. Hydrangea serrata also blooms on new wood and should be pruned in late winter or early spring.
Causes
- The stunning climbing hydrangea is the type you see slowly making its way up a tree or support. It is a vine, not a shrub and requires little to no pruning. Once climbing hydrangeas become established, they can grow quite vigorously and may need occasional summer pruning to stay in bounds.