How to Prune Hydrangeas in 7 Simple Steps
- Step 1: Identify Species. Hydrangea contains more than 35 species of plants of the hydrangea family. Figuring out what...
- Step 2: Gather Tools. Cut with bypass shears carefully, at a right angle. Before you get started, make sure you have...
- Step 3: Remove Old Flowers. In autumn, hydrangea pruning can be omitted, just remove...
How to prune hydrangeas and when you should do it?
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. ...
What is the best way to prune 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 that provide nice winter interest in your landscape, so wait to prune these until late winter or spring. Some favorite panicle hydrangeas: Quick Fire® (H. paniculata ‘Bulk’ PP16, 812)
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.
Do hydrangeas need pruning?
While most hydrangeas are pruned in early spring, climbing hydrangeas are the exception and should be pruned immediately after flowering in summer. Simply remove the faded flower heads, cut back any dead or straggly stems, and shorten any wayward shoots to contain them in their space.
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How do you prune a standard hydrangea tree?
0:543:23How to Prune Your Hydrangea Standard - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo your first step is to remove and neaten up any branches. That were damaged by snow load or otherMoreSo your first step is to remove and neaten up any branches. That were damaged by snow load or other winter. Weather. So now that we remove the winter damage all we have to do is shorten the branches.
What is the best month to 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 do you prune a hydrangea step by step?
PRUNING HYDRANGEAS THAT BLOOM ON OLD WOODImmediately after flowering (and no later than July), prune flowering stems back to a pair of healthy buds.In late winter or early spring, prune out weak or damaged stems. ... Repeat the process every summer to rejuvenate your shrubs and control their shape.
Which hydrangeas should you not prune?
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 cut back 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. If your hydrangeas are not blooming, lack of pruning is often a reason.
Should I cut off dead hydrangea blooms?
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. Removing the spent blooms triggers flowering shrubs to stop producing seeds and instead put their energy toward root and foliage development.
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.
Do you cut off old hydrangea stems?
To rejuvenate the hydrangea, remove up to 1/3 of the older living stems down to the ground each summer. This will revitalize the plant. If necessary to control the size of the plant, cut back before late July to allow for buds to develop. Usually the plant will return immediately to its former size.
How do I tell what kind 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.
How do you care for an outdoor hydrangea?
Hydrangea Care TipsWater at a rate of 1 inch per week throughout the growing season. ... Add mulch underneath your hydrangeas to help keep the soil moist and cool. ... Apply fertilizer based on your specific hydrangeas. ... Protect against pests and disease by choosing cultivars with resistant traits.
Do you cut back hydrangeas in the fall or 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. They do not produce very much new growth until the following spring.
Do you cut off old hydrangea stems?
If it blooms on old wood (stems from the summer before the current one), its buds are being formed, and if you wait too late you may cut them off, meaning no flowers next spring. So these shrubs should be pruned immediately after their flowers fade.
How do I know if my hydrangea has bloomed on old 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.
The Big Leaf ( hydrangea macrophylla)
Two popular varieties, Mophead and Lacecap, come in blue, pink, and purple, with thick, shiny leaves. Mophead produces large, ball-shaped flower clusters, while Lacecap's clusters are flat and delicate.
Oakleaf ( hydrangea quercifolia)
This species has leaves that look like they belong on red oak trees and flowers that open white then turn pink. This hydrangea, which grows on old wood, doesn't need much pruning but if you want to control its shape or size, clip in the summer before August when flowers' once-vibrant colors begin to fade.
Smooth ( hydrangea aborescens)
One variety, Annabella, has big flowers that are actually made up of many small individual blooms. They start out green but turn white a few weeks later. This species' leaves are thinner than Mophead's and Lacecap's.
Peegee and Limelight (hydrangea paniculata)
This white species, which blooms on new wood, is most often cone-shaped and sharply pointed. It comes in many varieties, from small shrubs to small trees. Its leaves are rough and thin. Prune in early spring before it starts flowering.
Tree of Heaven and Mountain (hydrangea serrata)
It's got a similar look to Mophead but is a smaller shrub with narrower, pointed leaves. This flower, which blooms on new wood and can be pruned at any time after the new growth has started, is affected by a soil's pH: It produces lilac to pink flowers in alkaline soil and blue blossoms in acidic soil.
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 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.
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 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.
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 mountain hydrangeas have big leaves?
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 . Pruning should be done cautiously—or not at all, if not required control the shrub's shape. Blooming occurs on old wood, and the plant's pruning needs are minimal.
What is a repeat bloomer hydrangea?
This group of hydrangeas also includes the repeat bloomers, which bloom on both the old wood from the previous year and on the current season’s wood. A popular cultivar of the repeat bloomers is ‘Endless Summer' but there are many newer repeat blooming cultivars available in the trade.
What type of hydrangeas are grown in Maryland?
Types of hydrangeas and tips on pruning. 1. Bigleaf hydrangea, H. macrophylla. Blooming bigleaf hydrangea Photo: Pat Cox. This is the most commonly grown hydrangea in Maryland. It has attractive, lustrous leaves and large blue, pink, red, or purple flowers. These hydrangeas include two forms: the mophead and the lacecap types.
What is a simplified approach for hydrangeas?
A simplified approach, suitable for all types of hydrangeas, is to limit pruning to:
What are some examples of merit in macrophylla?
Some popular cultivars of merit in the species macrophylla include: ‘All Summer Beauty,’ ‘Altona,’ ‘Dooley,’ ‘Europa,’ and ‘Nikko Blue.’. However, new cultivars are introduced into the landscape trade every season. The flower color of the macrophylla species is dependent on soil pH.
How tall is a hydrangea?
Originally from the Orient, this is one of the largest hydrangeas. It can reach 25 feet high. It has brittle stems that may break under a load of white blossoms in windy weather or under heavy snow. Remove broken stems as they occur to keep the plant healthy.
When do hydrangeas bloom?
Hydrangeas that bloom on old wood from last year’s growth are the earliest to flower – before July. Those that bloom later in the season – after July – are flowering from blossom buds on new wood that is growing during the current year.
When do trailing vines bloom?
This may need to be repeated several times in the season as the vine quickly produces new stems. In central Maryland, it flowers in April and May on old wood from the previous year. To avoid reducing bloom, prune them after blooming.
When do oak leaf hydrangeas bloom?
Oakleaf hydrangeas ( Hydrangea quercifolia) flowers develop on old wood from last year’s growth. It blooms in June; therefore, to maintain a desired size and shape, they should be pruned soon after flowering. This will allow these beautiful native hydrangeas time to develop flower buds for the following year.
How to contact HGIC?
If this document didn’t answer your questions, please contact HGIC at [email protected] or 1-888-656-9988.
Do hydrangeas have buds?
Panicle hydrangeas ( Hydrangea paniculata) develop flower buds on new wood.
Do oak leaf hydrangeas need to be pruned?
Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) bloom on old wood. They should be pruned soon after flowering to maintain a desired height and shape.
Do hydrangeas bloom in the summer?
Flower buds will then form on new wood, and the Endless Summer® hydrangeas will repeat bloom throughout the summer.
Cultivation
- 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. Hydrangeas with this characteristic tend to bloom in early summer, and the flowers die by mid summer. At this point the shrub begins producing the buds that will bloom the following year. Hydrangeas that bloo…
- Prune just after the blooming peak. Since these types of hydrangeas start producing buds so…
Management
Varieties
Prevention
- 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 have trouble blooming. I…
Uses
- 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.
Culture
- 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.
Appearance
- 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…
Causes
- 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 cl...