Hydrangea Pruning Guide
BIGLEAF HYDRANGEA
Hydrangea macrophylla
Avoid pruning except to remove old blooms and dead stems in early spring. Soil pH can influence flower color from red to pink in alkaline soils and from purple to blue in acidic soils. Some series of bigleaf hydrangeas feature repeat blooms.
MOUNTAIN HYDRANGEA
Hydrangea serrata
Avoid pruning except to remove old blooms and dead stems in early spring. Soil pH can influence flower color from red to pink in alkaline soils and from purple to blue in acidic soils. Mountain hydrangeas bloom throughout summer.
SMOOTH HYDRANGEA
Hydrangea arborescens
Cut back by up to a half in early spring to remove old flowers and encourage new growth. Smooth hydrangeas are also often called ‘Annabelle’ hydrangeas.
PANNICLE HYDRANGEA
Hydrangea paniculata
Cut back by up to a half in early spring to remove old flowers and encourage new growth. These are great hydrangeas for beginners as they are tough, reliable and produce dozens of big showy flowers on strong sturdy stems.
OAKLEAF HYDRANGEA
Hydrangea quercifolia
Avoid pruning except to remove old blooms and dead stems in early spring. This type of hydrangea features oak-shaped leaves, blooms are typically white and age to pink, and they have beautiful, burgundy fall foliage.
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