Which hydrangeas should be cut back?

Hydrangea macrophylla, Hydrangea serrata, Hydrangea quercifolia, and Hydrangea aspera can be cut back, in spring, as far as the first pair of buds. You are essentially removing the dead flower heads. You can also open the plant up a little and improve its shape by cutting back one or two of the oldest, largest stems.

How do I tell 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.

What time of year do you cut back hydrangeas?

Prune back stems to just above a fat bud — called a heading cut — in fall, late winter or spring. These plants have conical-shaped flower heads. I recommend leaving the dry, tan flower heads on the plant to provide some winter interest in your landscape, so I wait to prune these until late winter or spring.

Should I cut the old blooms off my hydrangea?

Removing the spent blooms triggers flowering shrubs to stop producing seeds and instead put their energy toward root and foliage development. This makes plants stronger and healthier, so by deadheading, you’ll be doing your hydrangeas a favor.

How do you know if your hydrangea blooms on old or new wood?

You can also check your hydrangea in the fall to see if any buds are starting to push out already. If there are buds already on the branches, then it blooms on old wood. If there are not yet buds in the fall, then it will push them out on new growth the following spring.

Which hydrangea blooms the longest?

Reblooming hydrangeas flower on both new and old growth, meaning you can enjoy flowers from June until the first frost. They’ll continue to bloom long after other flowering shrubs and perennials have stopped. Long lasting blooms of blue, violet, pink, white, or chartreuse add brilliant pops of color to any garden.

What happens if I don’t deadhead hydrangeas?

If you simply skip deadheading hydrangeas, no harm will come to your plant. At least nothing so serious that you should stress about it. Your hydrangea may not produce as many blooms as if spent blooms would have been removed, nor the blooms will be very large. But it will still bloom, regardless.

Should I cut off Brown hydrangea blooms in spring?

While some plants bloom on new growth, others primarily set flower buds on old wood. Regardless, it is best to wait to prune all hydrangeas until spring. In the fall, hydrangeas (and all trees and shrubs) are in the process of going dormant.

Do hydrangeas need to be cut back for winter?

4. No need to prune. If you trim your plants in fall or winter, you may mistakenly remove flower buds for the following year on bigleaf and oakleaf hydrangeas. Leaving the old flower heads on the plants will also add some interest to the winter landscape.

What are the different types of hydrangeas?

Hydrangea/Lower classifications

What does a panicle hydrangea look like?

Panicle hydrangeas are tough shrubs

The flowers are in clusters, kind of like a big lilac. They start out green or white, but most take on a pleasing pink tint as they age. Panicle hydrangeas look good throughout the seasons, even winter!

What is the difference between lacecap and mophead hydrangea?

Mophead hydrangeas (example above) have large dome shaped flowers. Lacecap hydrangeas (example above) have much flatter flowers which are also smaller than a mophead. Their appearance is far more delicate. The appearance of their flowers is the only significant difference between mopheads and laceheads.

Are there 2 types of hydrangeas?

FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: Plants, Design Ideas, Gardening Solutions & More! Some sources say there are 23 species of hydrangea, others claim there are 49 and still others say there are as many as 80! However many there are, only six types are commonly grown in American gardens.

Is panicle hydrangea the same as Limelight hydrangea?

Panicle hydrangeas – also known as peegee hydrangeas, hardy hydrangeas, and Limelight hydrangeas, are the easiest to grow, most adaptable of all hydrangeas.

Which is the easiest hydrangea to grow?

Oakleaf varieties are the easiest type of hydrangeas for beginners to grow. Why are oakleaf hydrangeas so easy? They aren’t picky! Oakleaf hydrangeas can tolerate colder weather, handle more sun, withstand drought, are more disease/pest resistant and grow in sandy soil better than other hydrangeas.

Is Limelight Hydrangea a panicle hydrangea?

The Limelight hydrangea is a type of Panicle Hydrangea. The Limelight Hydrangea flowers will start off lime green color, which is a perfect accent for hot summer days. As the blooms age, they turn to hues of cream, pink, red and burgundy.

What happens if you don’t prune Limelight hydrangeas?

A Limelight left to its own devices will have lots of growth on the top that eventually results in leggy and leafless lower branches. Big shrubs do and will grow big. Harder pruning may result in a finished size and height at the low end of their growth range.

How far back can you cut Limelight hydrangeas?

Each year, prune your Limelight hydrangea back by â…“ of its overall height to encourage new growth. Keep in mind that Limelight hydrangeas bloom only on new wood, so you don’t want to accidentally cut off any flower buds. If you notice any dead, damaged, or diseased branches, trim them throughout the year.

Should I deadhead my limelight hydrangea?

Since hydrangea blossoms are so big, deadheading a hydrangea makes a real difference in diverting energy to more important parts of the plant’s growth. You should carry out this practice all through the blooming season to encourage new blossoms and keep your plant looking fresh.

What pairs well with hydrangeas?

Shade tolerant perennials make excellent partners next to hydrangeas. Some of the best are hostas, ferns, foxglove & coral bells. Many upright hydrangeas create a shady area under their foliage. This is a great location for planting shade-loving hostas.

How do you make hydrangeas bushier?

A young Hydrangea should be pruned or pinched off to help encourage full growth. Wherever you cut or pinch off one growing tip, two stems will grow back. This is how you expand the base of the plant with support for those big, lush blooms.