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Plant of the Week
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Latin: Hydrangea quercifolia
Shrubs that flower in the shade in the middle of summer are about as rare as
the proverbial hen’s teeth, yet the oakleaf hydrangea does that, and so much
more.
This deciduous shrub grows up to 6 feet tall and 7 feet wide with a coarse and
bold character. Its leaves take the shape of a black oak leaf, except they are
two times larger, often growing to 10 inches. In the fall, the foliage turns a
beautiful red to maroon color. One of the nicest features of the oakleaf
hydrangea is its many trunks continually peel away, leaving behind trunks in
various shades of cinnamon, orange and brown.
The flowers of oakleaf hydrangea are produced in July in fat, terminal clusters
from 6 to 12 inches long. Oakleaf hydrangea flowers begin life as a creamy
white, but during the next month, they change to a light and then dark pink. By
October, the flower heads change to a paper-bag brown and are excellent for
dried flower arrangements.
The oakleaf hydrangea was first discovered and named by John Bartram in the
latter half of the 1700s, while he and his son William were exploring southern
Georgia and Florida. Bartram was a self taught botanist who was the first to
ship many of our native plants back to an eager English gardening public which
simply couldn’t get enough of this country’s floral bounty.
Oakleaf hydrangea has a native range from the Carolinas to northern Georgia and
across to Mississippi. While widely considered a native plant, it is not found
wild in Arkansas.
Oakleaf Hydrangea is one of the five plants that were chosen as a 1999 Arkansas
Select plant. The Arkansas Select plants were chosen from the group of plants
nominated by experts across the state such as nurserymen, greenhouse producers
and university and extension personnel. These plants were judged to do well
across the state, to be relatively underused in gardens and to be pest free. All
five Arkansas Select plants will be available from most Arkansas greenhouses and
nurseries this spring at the appropriate planting season.
The name "hydrangea" translates from its Latin roots as "water loving," but
fortunately the oakleaf hydrangea is much more tolerant of dry soils than most
hydrangeas. While plants do best in good soil with a moist root run, such as
near creek beds, they will also flourish in drier sites. They are best grown
where they get high, filtered shade or on the north or east side of buildings.
The oakleaf hydrangea is hardy throughout the state and will grow as far north
as Philadelphia. They have a coarse texture in the landscape so make good
companion plants with other coarse textured plants such as hostas.
By: Gerald Klingaman, retired
Extension Horticulturist
- Ornamentals
Extension News -
March 26, 1999
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