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Oak-leaf Hydrangea

Tagged as: Four Season Landscape, Hydrangea, Intermediate Sized, shrubs

Botanical Name: Hydrangea quercifolia
Common Name: Oak-leaf Hydrangea

Updated 6/2012

Hydrangea quercifolia at The Morton Arboretum Hydrangea quercifolia fall color
form fall color

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Height: 4-6'(8') Spread: 4-6' Habit/Form: Upright mounded  Growth Rate: Slow to medium  Zone: 5-9

Cultural Requirements: Best in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic, organic rich soil. Mulch is recommended for keeping roots cool and moist. Prefers sun to part shade. Flower buds can be damaged in extremely cold winters. Flowers on old wood and should be prune after flowering; remove winter-damaged stems as soon as leaves begin to emerge in spring.

Ornamental Characteristics: This very handsome hydrangea is a shrub for all seasons. The deep green, sometimes glossy, oakleaf-shaped leaves are 3-8 inches long and turn a deep burgundy fall color that can persist into December. Large, 4-12-inch, cone-shaped panicles open white then eventually turn a purplish-pink. Older bark is a cinnamon-brown color and tends to peel off in strips.

Uses in the Landscape: Excellent for mass plantings, groupings, or even as a specimen.

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