I love my oak leaf hydrangea, or Hydrangea quercifolia, now in bloom, along with the similar oak leaf varieties illuminating lightly shaded spots throughout my neighborhood. Its cone-shaped flower panicles are enormous; each one covered with creamy white florets. They make wonderful cut flowers—a symphony in fresh white and green. Eventually, of course, the panicles that don’t end up in an indoor arrangement age to a gentle buff pink and become candidates for an afterlife as dried flowers.
Even when the flowers go beyond buff pink and fade into the beige range, the big, oak-y leaves remain, completely covering the shrubs and hiding the cinnamon-colored exfoliating bark. The stems have their moments of glory in winter, but before that, in fall, the leaves turn vibrant scarlet to burgundy-purple, depending on variety. All in all, oak leaf hydrangea, a native of the American southeast, puts on a really big show in all four season.
The only downside of traditional oak leaf hydrangeas is that the big show generally appears on a big shrub. Mine is about seven feet tall and at least six feet wide. It would get even bigger if I allowed it to have its own way. Without rigorous discipline, it would also sucker into a thicket. Those habits and dimensions are acceptable in my generous growing space, but many people simply do not have that kind of room, even for a plant that repays the gardener’s efforts in every season.
Fortunately breeders have heard the cries of all those people with small spaces and big yearnings for flowering shrubs. Newish, improved oak leaf varieties have shrunk to sizes that will work in small growing spaces or even in large containers. All the traditional virtues are there. The flower panicles are not quite as large as those on the species plants, but are still showy. The leaves redden nicely in fall and the bark exfoliates attractively.
Consider the appropriately named ‘Munchkin’, selected by horticulturists at the U.S. National Arboretum, ‘Munchkin’ matures into a petite three by four foot shrub, while sporting flower panicles at least six inches long. The florets are as snowy white as those on larger oak leaf varieties and age to the same lovely pink. ‘Pee Wee’, another dwarf, is about the same size, with somewhat darker red fall leaves. Both like the same lightly shaded surroundings that please their giant relatives.
Even smaller is little ‘Sykes Dwarf’, which tops out at two feet by four feet and would look lovely in a large, frost-proof terra cotta container or, if you want to avoid backaches, a terra cotta look-alike made of lightweight materials. Like other large and small oak leaf varieties, ‘Sykes Dwarf’ bears flower panicles that are lightly fragrant–another plus, indoors and out.
For something just a little bigger, try ‘Ruby Slippers’, so-called because its flowers age from pink to dark red as time goes by. As with all hydrangeas, they most likely end up tan, but the dark red color must be very striking. ‘Ruby Slippers’ is medium-sized, maturing to between three and five feet tall and five to six feet wide. If your space limitations necessitate minimizing the shrub, regular pruning can keep it on the small side of those dimensions.
All hydrangeas are water hogs and oak leaf types are no exception. When you plant your diminutive varieties, water them in well and mulch with at least two inches of organic material, spreading the mulch in a two foot radius all around the plant’s base. As with trees, arrange the mulch doughnut style, rather than creating a mulch volcano with the mulch touching the stems. During dry spells, water daily. If the hydrangea is not getting enough moisture, it will tell you immediately by conspicuously drooping leaves. If you leave the plant in this mournful state, both of you will pay a high price.
Gardeners always wonder when to prune hydrangeas of all kinds and often approach the task with a terror normally associated with public speaking or taking a new driver out for parallel parking practice. This kind of fear is unwarranted. Dwarf varieties need less pruning than their larger relatives. When they do need to feel the touch of garden shears, the rule of thumb is the same as with all flowering shrubs. The best time to prune is after the flowers have faded and before the plant sets new buds. If you love using the dried panicles, prune the plant by harvesting armloads of the buff pink flowerheads.
Smaller oak leaf hydrangeas are perfect anchors for shady garden areas. You can even create a miniature woodland landscape with a combination of small trees, shrubs and perennials. Little ones, like ‘Sykes’ Dwarf’ have a mounding habit and could be used in a more formal way, filling containers that flank lightly shaded walkways or seating areas.
If you have coveted a neighbor’s oak leaf hydrangea or simply wanted some of those lush, glorious flowers for yourself, the time has come to indulge. Local nurseries and garden centers may carry a dwarf variety. You can also try ForestFarm, P.O. Box 1, 14643 Watergap Road, Williams, Oregon 97544; (541) 846-7269; www.forestfarm.com. Catalog free to U.S. customers.