Oakleaf Hydrangea / Hydrangea quercifolia
Family: Hydrangea / Hydrangeaceae
Characteristics: Oakleaf Hydrangea is a deciduous flowering shrub with coarse texture and medium to fast growth rate. Its form is round, with many upright branches. Large, fragrant, white, terminal flower clusters (panicles), up to 12 inches in length, are borne in May and June on the previous season's growth. Flowers fade to pinkish-white then light brown. Fall color is excellent and varies from red to purple. Bark on older plants exfoliates. The plant is stoloniferous and spreads outward over time.
Landscape uses: Use Oakleaf Hydrangea as a specimen plant or in groupings. Plant in moist, well-drained soils, and partial shade. Avoid planting in hot, dry sites. Prune after flowering.
Size: 6 to 8 feet high with a spread of 6 to 8 feet
Zones: 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Habitat: Moist, well-drained, acid soils, usually along streams. Found predominantly in the Piedmont.
Native to: Tennessee, the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
Comments: Several cultivars are available.