In the middle of spring, the flowers of the oak leaf hydrangea put on quite a show in our native plants garden. Large flowers produce multiple small green, then white florets. These flowers can be 6 to 12 inches long!
This shrub gets its name from the oak-shaped leaves that can grow as long as 10 inches!
Oak leaf hydrangeas are a mounding shrub, meaning they put out lots of branches from the base of the plant. It’s perennial and can grow in zones 5b through 9. This hydrangea is native to several southeastern states (AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, and TN – as well as DC) and it is a hardy plant in these areas.
It is a perennial and a fast grower, blooming on the previous year’s growth. If you decide to prune your shrub, be sure to do it in late summer after the blooms are done. This will allow the shrub some time to put on more growth for flowers the following year.
As you can see, our hydrangea is getting some sun. They prefer part-shade but tolerate morning sun very well. It is drought tolerant and there are no major concerns with diseases or pests. Talk about an easy plant to grow!
In the fall, the leaves turn a lovely reddish-brown and the flowers dry and persist on the plant. It makes for a beautiful addition to the fall garden.
