Hydrangea Pruning

This has been a popular question from friends and clients this week.

Hydrangea pruning falls into two main groups:

Group One: Mopheads (such as Endless Summer), Lacecaps, and Oakleaf
This group blooms on OLD WOOD. Pruning should take place in June or July, soon after spring bloom, so as not to lose next seasons' blooms. Remove dead blooms at any time, long stems before August, short stems after.

Group Two: H. arborescens (Annabelle-Large Leaf) and H. paniculata (Limelight, PeeGee types). Prune these any time EXCEPT spring for arborescens, summer for paniculata.

For a great reference sources and more details, see:

http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/pruning.html

As with all plants, prune any dead stems when you discover them to keep your plant healthy!

Next week, I'll focus on new plants to consider this year. Happy pruning!

Lyn