The oakleaf hydrangea, also known as Hydrangea quercifolia, is a deciduous shrub that grows to about 2 meters tall and 3 meters wide. It can be grown in zones 5 to 9.
How To Plant Oakleaf Hydrangea
Here is the complete process explained in detail on how to plant oakleaf hydrangea:
Step 1:
1. Dig a hole twice as wide and just as deep as the root ball.
Step 2:
2. Spread out the roots and fill in with soil, making sure to keep the crown of the plant about 3 inches above ground level.
Step 3:
3. Backfill with soil, tamping down gently to remove air pockets.
Step 4:
4. Stake plants if necessary (depending on your climate).
Tips for How To Plant Oakleaf Hydrangea
Here are 5 things to take care of with respect to how to plant oakleaf hydrangea:
1. If you have purchased a bare root plant, it is important to get it into the ground as soon as possible. This is because the roots of bare root plants are very susceptible to drying out.
1a. Soil temperature should be at least 45 degrees F when planting your hydrangea.
1b. Make sure that your soil is well drained before planting your hydrangea.
2. Plant your hydrangea in a sunny spot with good air circulation and plenty of room for it to grow into its mature size (6-8 feet tall). If you have other trees or shrubs growing nearby, make sure there is enough room for them to grow without crowding each other out!
3. It’s important not to water your hydrangea too much! The leaves will rot if they stay wet for too long. Make sure that you give it just enough water so that the soil stays damp but not soggy! You can check by sticking your fingers into the dirt near the base of your plant every couple days and make sure that it isn’t dry or wet before watering again!
4. Once you have planted your hydrangea, mulch around its base with composted materials such as leaves or bark chips so that moisture stays close to the roots and doesn’t evaporate too quickly from their surface area! Mulching also helps keep weeds away from their roots so they don’t compete with them for nutrients in the soil!
5. When you are ready to prune back your hydrangeas, wait until late winter/early spring when they are dormant (no longer growing) then cut off any dead or damaged stems down to about 6 inches above where new growth begins on healthy stems and remove any suckers below this point on healthy stems as well!
FAQs
Interesting Facts About Hydrangea
Here are 5 things you should know about hydrangea:
1. Hydrangea is more than the shrub we know and love for its showy blooms. The shrub, which is native to Asia, has been cultivated in the US since at least 1813. Today, there are hundreds of species with different flowers and leaf shapes.
2. Hydrangea’s botanical name is hydrangea arborescens and it belongs to the Saxifrage family (Saxifragaceae). It’s sometimes called a “wild hydrangea” because it can be found growing wild in the forests of North America.
3. The shrub grows best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9 but can be grown as an annual or houseplant elsewhere. It grows quickly—up to 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide—and requires little maintenance other than occasional pruning and staking when young plants become leggy or top-heavy with blooms.
4. There are two types of hydrangeas: mophead (Hortensia) and lacecap (Macrophylla). Mopheads have larger flowers that appear on arching branches; lacecaps have smaller flowers on stiffer stems that point straight up from the plant’s center. Both types are popular garden plants today, but they were once considered weeds by early settlers who brought them over from Europe for decorative use in their gardens after noticing how pretty they were growing wild in fields along roadsides throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic states (where they still grow today).
5. Hydrangeas make excellent cut flowers because they last longer than most other flowering plants when placed in a vase filled with water (although some varieties will last longer than others). They also make great additions to flower arrangements because they come in so many colors—from white through pink, red, purple, blue, lavender and even black!
Oakleaf hydrangea is a deciduous shrub that grows best in USDA hardiness zones 5 – 8. This plant is typically planted in the spring and fall, as it needs to be planted before the ground freezes. You can also plant oakleaf hydrangea in the summer, but you will have to water it more often.
Plant oakleaf hydrangea when the soil temperature is above 50 degrees F. The best time to plant oakleaf hydrangea is after your last frost date. If your area does not have a last frost date, wait until the end of May or early June to plant your oakleaf hydrangea.
How much sun does an oakleaf hydrangea need?
Oakleaf hydrangea needs full sun for optimal growth and flowering. It will grow in partial shade, but it will not bloom as well without enough sunlight. If you live in an area with hot summers, you may want to consider planting your oakleaf hydrangea where it gets some afternoon shade. This will allow it to get the sunlight it needs while protecting it from intense heat during the hottest part of the day.
How far apart should you plant oakleaf hydrangeas?
Oakleaf hydrangea is a large shrub that grows best in full sun. The leaves are large, leathery, and dark green with wavy edges. The flowers have a similar color to the leaves, but they’re smaller and more delicate. They’re also fragrant and appear in clusters at the ends of branches in late spring. Oakleaf hydrangeas grow best in zones 5-9. This variety is hardy to -25 F (-32 C).
Plant oakleaf hydrangeas about 3 feet (1 m) apart for optimal growth. You can plant them closer together if you want to create a hedge or screen effect, but it may take longer for the plants to fill out into a thick mass of greenery. Keep your plants well watered during dry periods to encourage healthy growth.
Because of their size and their need for good drainage, oakleaf hydrangeas are not the easiest plants to grow. However, if you follow our advice below, we think that you will be successful.
Oakleaf hydrangea care: How to plant and grow them?
In order to have a healthy oakleaf hydrangea tree, it is important to provide it with the right growing conditions. These include:
Sunlight : Oakleaf hydrangeas like full sun. They can tolerate partial shade but they will produce fewer blooms. If your climate is cloudy or rainy all year long, you should still consider growing an oakleaf hydrangea since they are deciduous shrubs that drop all their leaves in winter when there is no light anyway.
In fact, many gardeners who live in areas with mild winters (zone 6 or above) keep their oakleaf hydrangeas pruned back almost completely every winter so that they do not lose too much foliage during the cold months. This way they also get some winter color from the bare stems before new growth starts in spring.
Oakleaf hydrangeas like full sun. They can tolerate partial shade but they will produce fewer blooms. If your climate is cloudy or rainy all year long, you should still consider growing an oakleaf hydrangea since they are deciduous shrubs that drop all their leaves in winter
The oakleaf hydrangea grows quite fast. The plant can reach a height of up to 4 feet in a year or two. It is also known for its dense and compact growth habit. It is important that you prune the hydrangea regularly to maintain its compact growth habit. You should prune it at least once per year, preferably early spring, to control its size and shape.
How do I care for oakleaf hydrangea?
The oakleaf hydrangea requires full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil. Water the plant regularly during dry periods during the growing season, but make sure not to overwater it. Oakleaf hydrangeas are susceptible to root rot if they are over watered, so be careful about watering them in winter when the soil is cold.