Organic Gardener

Easy-Care, High-Impact Hydrangeas

Author: Susan Harris

Mophead hydrangeas may be beloved, old-fashioned plants but they require more water than most shrubs, so gardeners concerned about water conservation need alternatives.  Lucky for us, two other species of hydrangeas are just as beautiful (I think you'll agree) but less demanding in the watering department, and they're even hardy in colder regions than those mopheads.

Hydrangea quercifolia  (Oakleaf)
Named for its huge, oakleaf-shaped leaves, this Southeastern American native shrub is increasingly popular for SO many reasons - like that it thrives in total shade, and can handle full sun, too, though it needs more water in sunny spots.  It can reach an impressive 12 feet tall and wide and it's hardy to -20° F. (U.S. Zone 5).  Its long cone-shaped white blooms look great for months and in the winter its exfoliating bark provides some much-needed "winter interest."  In the fall its leaves, as large as 8 inches long and wide, turn a glorious burgundy.  And given enough space to reach its full size, it requires no pruning whatsoever.  Oh, and need I mention it grows fast and is remarkably pest-free?  Whether alone or massed, they're simply spectacular all year.

Popular varieties include ‘Snowflake' (pictured), considered the showiest by some.  For smaller sites there's ‘Snow Queen' at 4 to 6 feet tall by 6 feet wide, or ‘Pee Wee' the smallest at 3 to 4 feet tall by 3 feet wide.

Oakleaf hydrangeas bloom on last year's buds so if you must prune, do it within a month of blooming so as not to remove the next year's blossoms.  I don't prune mine at all, except for any damaged branches.

Hydrangea paniculata
Another low-maintenance, high-impact beauty hails from China and Japan and is similarly pest-free and easy to grow, though it requires a good half-day of sun. Also a fast-grower, this species is hardy to even colder climates - to U.S. Zone 4 (-30° F.).

The long white blooms of H. paniculata appear in July and also look great for months, and because it blooms on the current year's buds, any pruning should be done in late winter before new growth appears.  You can simply prune away old, damaged or errant branches, or cut back the whole plant to achieve a better shape or to reduce shrub size.  Or to encourage the largest possible blooms you can cut the whole plant back to the ground.

The ‘Tardiva' variety has white cone-shaped blooms in mid-summer and grows to 15 to 25 feet tall by 10 feet wide, so give it plenty of space.  Tardivas are often pruned at the nursery to tree or ‘standard' form.

The ‘Limelight' variety has stunning pale green color flowers, is hardy even to Zone 3 (-40° F. ), and grows to 6 to 10 feet tall by 5 to 8 feet wide.

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Susan Harris

Susan is a Gardening Coach, GardenRant blogger, Master Gardener, garden writer, and activist for urban and suburban greening. She is an active writer and contributer to the gardening community.
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