Hydrangeas for Long Island Gardens
Hydrangeas are a genus of over 75 species and 600 named cultivars that are native to a wide range of regions and countries, including Japan, Asia, Indonesia, Himalayan mountains, and the Americas. While hydrangeas can grow as climbing vines and trees, they are most commonly grown as shrubs. The plants can grow from 1 foot tall all the way to close to 100 feet tall as a climbing vine.
The name hydrangea comes from the Greek words “hydor” meaning water and “angos” meaning vessel. Which when put together roughly translates to “water barrel,” referring to the hydrangea’s need for plenty of water and its cup-shaped flower. The beautiful flowers produced by this plant are what makes them so popular. Hydrangeas put on a showy display from early summer all the way into fall. The flowers come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. Hydrangea blooms can be pink, blue, red, white, purple, and green. These beautiful flowering shrubs can grow in partial shade to full sun depending upon the variety.
Many people remember hydrangea shrubs from their childhood. Today gardeners are falling in love with them all over again. The great news is that we can now grow many hydrangea varieties that our parents and grandparents never even dreamed of. Some newer varieties grow in colder climates, some re-bloom throughout the season, some are so small they will fit into a perennial border, and others have amazingly large blooms and deep colors. There are different species of hydrangeas, each having their own unique characteristics and growing preferences.
Bigleaf Hydrangea | Hydrangea macrophylla
Bigleaf hydrangeas, also known as mopheads, are the most popular and widely used type of hydrangeas in the landscape. Most varieties have pink or blue flowers, although a few varieties are white. The color of the flowers (other than the white varieties) will be dependent on the soil’s pH. Acidic soils will produce purple/ blue flowers, while alkaline soils will produce pink flowers.
Hardy Hydrangea | Hydrangea paniculata
Hardy hydrangeas, also known as panicle hydrangeas, have been gaining popularity in the landscape due to their fast-growing, sun-loving nature. Also, their summer blooms are not subject to late winter/ early spring frost concerns. Most varieties produce flowers that emerge greenish-white and mature into various shades of pink, ranging from pale pink to deep cherry-red. The flowers are also not affected by the soil’s pH, so their blooms will keep their color year after year. Unlike other hydrangeas, paniculatas can be grown in the full sun if they receive adequate moisture. However, they prefer a little shade during the hottest part of the afternoon, especially if the conditions are on the dry side.
Smooth Hydrangea | Hydrangea arborescens
Smooth hydrangeas are best known for their large, creamy white flowers that bloom much earlier than other types of hydrangeas. The flowers typically emerge tight and lime green then open to a large head of creamy/bright white blooms. Some new varieties bloom pink. These hydrangeas can handle the full sun depending upon variety. However, most varieties prefer some relief from the sun mid-to late afternoon. If the shrub is in full sun, be sure to carefully watch the leaves for droopiness, which typically means it needs more water.
Oakleaf Hydrangea | Hydrangea quercifolia
The oakleaf hydrangea is a dramatic blooming shrub with four seasons of interest. It blooms best in areas where summers are somewhat hot, but it is winter hardy farther north than the macrophylla (mophead). Flower blooms typically emerge creamy white and mature to pink as fall approaches. A tremendous advantage of oakleaf is that it can thrive in much drier locations than its cousins. Bigleaf/mophead varieties can struggle in sandy soil or dry areas, but oakleaf hydrangeas thrive with little attention. The oakleaf hydrangea gets its name from the shape of its beautiful large leaves. These leaves often turn brilliant red, orange, yellow and burgundy in the fall if planted in a sunny location with a little afternoon shade. It can tolerate and even thrive in much sunnier areas than the bigleaf types of hydrangeas.
Climbing Hydrangea | Hydrangea petiolaris
Climbing hydrangeas can grow from 30 to 80 feet tall. However, you can prune these to shorter heights. The vines require heavy support to grow, and they will climb trees, buildings, arbors, trellises, pergolas, fences, and other taller structures.
Climbing hydrangeas can grow well in full sun to partial shade, however they prefer some mid-late afternoon shade. While plants that get more sun typically do bloom more, this is one of the few vines that can tolerate large amounts of shade, although it will not bloom as much in shaded areas. These plants typically bloom from early summer until late fall. The flowers are typically white, very fragrant, and similar to the blooms on bigleaf hydrangeas.
Hydrangea Standards | Hydrangea paniculata tree
Of all the small, flowering trees available, hydrangea trees are the most dramatic when in full bloom. They are easy to grow and bloom dependably year after year. Hydrangeas do not naturally grow into the shape of a tree; nurseries prune them into a single trunk when they are young. The only type of hydrangea that can be made into a tree is Hydrangea paniculata. Hydrangea trees can grow in the full sun if they receive adequate moisture. However, they prefer a little shade during the hottest part of the afternoon, especially if the conditions are on the dry side.
Pruning Hydrangeas
Knowing when and how to prune hydrangeas can be a little overwhelming with all the different types of hydrangeas available. The first step for knowing when to prune your hydrangeas is to determine what type of hydrangeas you have. Once you have determined which types of hydrangeas you have, it will be easier to understand how and when to prune them for maximum benefit. It is also important to know what the goal of pruning is. Are you trying to bring the plant down to a smaller size or just remove the spent blooms? This is an especially important question when referring to bigleaf/mophead, oakleaf, and climbing hydrangeas.
Bigleaf Hydrangea | Hydrangea macrophylla
Bigleaf hydrangeas produce their flowers on “old wood” or last season’s growth. These hydrangeas should be trimmed or pruned immediately after flowering as they set their flower buds for the following year in late fall. Any required pruning should be done in mid-summer. Never prune bigleaf hydrangeas in winter or spring, as you will be removing the flower buds for the upcoming summer.
Newer reblooming varieties such as ‘Endless Summer’ will bloom on ‘new wood’ or this season’s growth. These varieties should still only be pruned immediately after flowering. If you are trying to bring the plant down to a smaller size, you may have to sacrifice a few early fall flowers to accomplish the task properly. ** If you missed the timing for bigleaf hydrangea pruning and just need to remove the spent flowers from last year, wait until new growth begins in the spring. At this time, you will be able to see the new flower buds and can selectively prune the spent flowers without removing the new buds. **
Hardy Hydrangea | Hydrangea paniculata
Panicle or hardy hydrangea produces its flowers on ‘new wood’ or the current season’s growth. These hydrangeas should be pruned in late winter or early spring. You can cut these varieties almost back to the ground if you wish, although typically they are pruned down to between 1’-3’ tall. For hydrangea tree forms, prune back the head of the tree (or canopy) to 2’-3’ tall above the single trunk and 2’-3’ wide. Do NOT prune the single trunk.
Smooth Hydrangea | Hydrangea arborescens
Smooth hydrangeas are another type of hydrangea that produces its flowers on ‘new wood’ or the current season’s growth. These varieties should be pruned in late winter or early spring. Prune the plant back to between 1’ and 2’ tall as this will leave a good framework to support the upcoming summer blooms without the plant flopping over from the weight of its abundant flowers.
Climbing Hydrangea | Hydrangea petiolaris,
Oakleaf Hydrangea | Hydrangea quercifolia
Oakleaf and climbing hydrangeas are two types of hydrangeas that produce their blooms on ‘old wood’ or last year’s growth. These types of hydrangeas should be pruned immediately after flowering in late summer if needed. You may have to sacrifice a few early fall blooms if you are pruning the plant down to a smaller size to accomplish the task.
We are proud to offer a wide selection of hydrangeas. In fact, we offer over 25 different varieties, so you are sure to find the hydrangea that fits any garden location, condition, or size. From the ‘Endless Summer’ series of re-blooming bigleaf hydrangeas to the sun-loving panicle varieties, such as ‘Limelight,’ to the dwarf sun-loving varieties such as ‘Little Quick Fire,’ there is a hydrangea variety to fit any landscape.
We also offer delivery service to all Long Island, as well as planting/ installation services.
If you have any questions about hydrangeas, please stop by and see one of our professional and knowledgeable sales associates. And as always, feel free to give us a call!
