Cooperative Living July 2021 - 31

GardenMuse | by Paula Steers Brown, Contributing Columnist
Vibrant, Voluptuous Hydrangeas
Big blooms make them a true showoff in any garden
ydrangeas produce some of the
showiest and longest-lasting
blooms in the plant world.
Beloved for the nostalgia they conjure,
hydrangeas also offer versatile forms
and habits for the modern landscape.
However, questions still circulate:
" When do I prune them? Do I cut on
old wood or new wood? " The answers
depend on knowing your species to
determine its growing requirements
for proper care.
BIGLEAF HYDRANGEA
Hydrangea macrophylla, or bigleaf
hydrangea, is the highly recognizable,
mophead type whose flower color is
dependent on soil pH. Lime produces
pinks, while acidic soil yields vibrant
blues.
Nikko Blue is a stalwart, reliable
variety that grows 4 to 6 inches in a
mounded form with flowers produced
on the previous year's growth.
Therefore, it should only be pruned
in summer, just after the plant has
bloomed and no later than early
August.
These plants love a sandy soil with
good drainage. Lacecap varieties are
bigleaf types whose flower centers look
like unopened buds surrounded by
open petals. The tight centers are sterile
Stunning blooms of
Nikko Blue last for months.
H
and attract bees. Lacecaps flower best
if you prune one-third of the oldest
branches each year. Situate bigleaf
hydrangeas in morning sun, but in
afternoon shade.
OAKLEAF HYDRANGEA
Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea
quercifolia) similarly flower on old
wood. As the name implies, the large,
serrated leaves resemble the foliage of
oaks, giving the shrub a commanding
presence. Their elongated white blooms
light up the shady areas where they
thrive, and their intense foliage colors
create a stunning show in the fall.
This variety, hardy in zones 5 to 9,
appreciates being well-mulched
year-round.
PEEGEE HYDRANGEA
One of the best varieties for the
heat and humidity of the South is
H. paniculata or peegee hydrangea.
Drought tolerant and hardy in zones
3-8, this hydrangea blooms on new
wood and so can be pruned in winter
and early spring before growth emerges
which can stimulate flower production.
Pruning can maintain a mediumsized
shrub or you can let it grow to
10 feet to provide excellent screening.
The August blooms are elongated,
cone-shaped, usually white (though the
popular Limelight is a celadon green),
then blushing with age to pink, red or
burgundy which persist through frost
One of the best
varieties for the heat
and humidity of the
South is peegee
hydrangea.
for months of irresistible flowers. When
the blooms dry like tissue paper, cut
them for wreaths or dried arrangements.
SMOOTH HYDRANGEA
The Smooth hydrangea (H.
arborescens), named for the texture of
its leaves, produces enormous globes in
white, pink and green. The best-known
variety is Annabelle, a pure white
fading to green. This cold-hardy type
requires partial shade and performs best
with even moisture. Blooming on new
wood, this species can even be pruned
to the ground to produce prolific
blooms or to maintain a smaller size.
OTHER SPECIMENS
Keep your old wood/new wood
rules in mind as you accommodate a
2003 introduction - Endless Summer,
a hybridized version of H. macrophylla
bred to be reblooming. It produces
blossoms from early spring through
fall and is exceptionally hardy in zones
4 to 9. These are great in climates
where cold can kill delicate buds.
Another more recent introduction,
the Forever and Ever series, is bred
to bloom on both old and new wood.
Even if it dies to the ground, it will
rebloom the next year. These selections
offer new ranges of color such as
Glowing Embers, which changes color
throughout the growing season. Old
or new, large or small, hydrangeas have
it all. 
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Cooperative Living July 2021

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