Who doesn’t LOVE hydrangea? It’s one of most planted and easily recognized flowering deciduous shrubs. They are so versatile, adding appeal to nearly every garden style: pollinator, cottage, English, border, foundation, and even container gardens. Within the genus there are species and types with important differences to understand when choosing the best hydrangea for your garden. Read on to learn more.
There are two species of hydrangea, one blooms on old wood and one on new. Within the species there are types. We’ll dig into those below, too.
These species of hydrangea bloom on last years’ growth in spring. They include these types: bigleaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla) and oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia). Mountain hydrangea (H. serrata) can bloom on both old and new wood.
Prune old wood hydrangea after they bloom in the summer. Why? Because the old wood holds the flower buds that will open in the coming summer, pruning before they bloom would remove the flower buds.
Recall tip for pruning hydrangea: old wood after, new wood before.
Commonly called: bigleaf, mophead, and lacecap hydrangea
How to identify it: rounded habit, flower clusters can be lacecap (flattened) or mophead (round), dark green leaves 4-8” long
Commonly called: oakleaf hydrangea
How to identify it: upright habit, pyramidal shaped blooms of white flowers that change to pink, broad 3-7 lobed leaves (that resemble oak leaves)
This species of hydrangea bloom on their new growth in spring. The types include panicle hydrangea (H. paniculata) and smooth hydrangea (H. arborescens). Mountain hydrangea (H. serrata) can bloom on both new and old wood.
Because new wood blooming hydrangea produce flower buds from young, new growth the buds don’t yet exist in the branches during winter. So, this species can be pruned in late winter and early spring before the new growth begins.
Recall tip for pruning hydrangea: old wood after, new wood before.
Commonly called: panicle hydrangea
SHOP FOR PANICLE HYDRANGEA
How to identify it: upright habit, conical flower clusters, oval dark green leaves, weight of flowers typically causes branches to arch downward
Commonly called: smooth hydrangea, wild hydrangea
How to identify it: widely branched (like a small tree), broad, sharply toothed leaves, white flowers in flat clusters
Some varieties bloom on new wood, some on old wood, but for best overall blooming, avoid pruning and protect plants on spring nights when frost or a freeze is expected.
Commonly called: hydrangea
How to identify it: rounded habit, similar looking to big leaf hydrangea with smaller flowers and leaves, flowers form lacecap clusters and often with a marginal ring on the florets, with toothed, dull green leaves
