oak leaf hydrangea

[bj taylor]

I've never grown it before. I love hydrangeas and they aren't happy here, but this is one is can grow in Texas

 

[thistlebloom]

I love oakleaf hydrangea too. They are only marginally hardy here. I had one for four or five years that was getting big, and it was so beautiful in the fall when the leaves turned burgundy, but we had two hard winters back to back and I lost it.

Is that yours in the pic BJ? It's very pretty!

 

[bj taylor]

yep, it's mine thistlebloom. it's in it's second year. i'm happy to have it.

 

[ninnymary]

I've had one for a couple years. The plant looks healthy but never blooms. This year we made a smaller top deck so now it gets more sun. Hopefully it will bloom.

Mary

 

[luis_pr]

Wow! I like those oakleafs too and am surprised you have not gotten bloomage, Mary! One note of caution... the flower buds are developed in the July-August time frame and remain invisible until the Spring. Could you be pruning it after the buds have developed but before it has bloomed?

The only problem I have had here in Texas is that they do not like wet feet and we have clay soil. About 5 years ago, we got months of rainy weather... from March thru June and I lost an Alice Oakleaf to root rot. The planting location at the time gave it dappled sun, had amended soil but it was definitely tough when we were getting over 2-3 inches week after week after week, for months on and on and on. Pretty unusual.

I suggest that if you have to prune, do it anytime (a) after it has bloomed and (b) before the end of June. Not over-fertilizing it and not planting it on dense shade should help too. I am trying a Pee Wee Oakleaf now and it is doing fine. I also want to try Ruby Slippers; both are "dwarfs" (around 3-4' in locations with a long growing zone).

I am betting you will have some nice Fall foliage as they get great leaf color in October-ish (the more sun, the better as far as producing nice color at he end of the growing season.

Good luck, Mary.

 

[Nyboy]

I love any hydrangea, they have such showy flowers! Luis you seem to know your hydrangeas weclome, do have grow any others?

 

[ninnymary]

Welcome to TEG Luis! Thank you for your advise, it is always appreciated I've never pruned it so I think it was just getting too much shade. The deck on top was really shading it except for a couple of hours in the morning. It gets a lot more sun now so I'm hopeful it will bloom.

What color is the ruby slippers? Red? I'll keep my eye out for it. I like the fact that it doesn't get too big. Living in the city, my yard is small but I think I might be able to squeeze it in someplace! lol.

Mary

 

[luis_pr]

Thanks, Nyboy. I do not have as many hydrangeas as I would like to grow. Here in Texas (D/FW), I HAVE to give them afternoon shade and shaded spots are at a premium in the yard. I just wish the trees grew faster.

Most of the ones I have are H. macrophylla mopheads and lacecaps. The lacecaps are Fuji Waterfall and a Nikko Blue that oooobviously is not Nikko Blue. Some oakleafs and arborescens (smooth hydrangea).

Thanks, ninnymary. Ruby Slippers (RS) came out approx last year courtesy of the US National Arboretum. It is a shade of dark pink. No chance at a true red yet. Another one called Munchkin was released at the same time but its shade of medium pink did not trip my trigger. Both are not supposed to be as big as "regular" oakleafs either but Munchkin is estimated to be slightly smaller than RS (RS: 3.5'H by 5'W versus M: 3' by 4.5').

 

[baymule]

Welcome Luis!!

 

[bj taylor]

hi luis. welcome. we are close neighbors. i'm just a little south of fort worth. you sure know your hydrangeas. we could use some of that rain you were talking about. things look pretty good, but there's been no runoff for a long time.