These are beautiful hydrangeas and unique insofar as they are the only variety that you can really shape into that of a tree. Caring for hydrangeas and knowing when to prune them can be confusing given the many varieties, but overall, they are hardy trees that will stay colorful and healthy if you follow a few pruning tips. Daily baking inspiration for the holidays and beyond! Pruning only needs to occur to keep a shrub well shaped, or after many years of growth to keep it manageable. A hydrangea tree is in fact a panicled or PG hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) specially pruned to take on a treelike shape. Prune a mature specimen of this hydrangea into a small tree to put the bloom display at eye level and to give 'Limelight' its star turn as a garden focal point. An Aviary That Lets Birds In, But Keeps Pests Out. It’s clearly a shrub; in its natural form, it looks nothing like a tree. 3. The only type hydrangea that can be made into a tree is Hydrangea paniculata. Certainly, but why not enjoy this fall’s bloom and cut them back severely in early spring. Martha Stewart may receive compensation when you click through and purchase from links contained on You can also prune a hydrangea into a tree shape on your own if you want, but it will take a few years. I know a lot, well… a little about a lot of things. Change ). General Hydrangea Pruning Instructions & Deadheading Tips. First … PeeGee hydrangeas are in the Paniculata family, so to speak. Of course, once you buy them, drastically pruning them every spring becomes the only way to control them. Choose a full-sun to part-shade location. Best Selling Hydrangeas. Many hydrangeas have interesting foliage and bark, but most are grown for their large, showy blossoms. Staking and tying your tree will help maintain structure and keep it safe. March 22, 2014 at 2:49 pm John, your information on pruning hydrangeas is the best on the web and I used your method last year for an over grown hydrandea paniculata (tree) – it was very successful. Q: I bought a "tree" hydrangea that's about 4 feet tall and pruned to one main trunk with branches coming out all around the top. Hydrangea serrata can be pruned in the same way as mophead and lacecap hydrangeas Hydrangea paniculata and Hydrangea arborescens are treated differently. Since it blooms on new wood (stems that have grown during the current season), prune in early spring before any flower buds have appeared. How to Grow Tree Hydrangea . I. You’re not doing anything wrong. Paniculatas dependably bloom on new growth every year in mid-summer, and the show is spectacular. ( Log Out / To train as a tree, choose one main shoot and secure it to a sturdy stake. Give the plant lots of room (most panicled hydrangeas are very big plants) and just let it do its thing. When you are ready to prune your pee gee hydrangea, bear in mind that these hydrangeas produce blooms on new wood so you need to prune it in the early spring before that new wood starts to develop upcoming buds.. To do this the first thing you need to do is clean up any of the shoots that are coming out of the ground. Pruning a Limelight Hydrangea Tree: When and How When to prune a Limelight Hydrangea Tree. Step 2 Cut away any spent flowers that have remained on the tree over the winter with pruning shears. Tree of Heaven and Mountain (hydrangea serrata) It's got a similar look to Mophead but is a smaller shrub with narrower, pointed leaves. Making the Cut. Having said that, however, one of … Fall Blooming. Prune as far back as you want right above the first leaf joints. Panicle hydrangeas are unique in that they are the only type of hydrangeas that can be pruned into a tree-form. Get inspired to make your porch your new favorite living space with these ideas designed to add a refined look to any outdoor space. This flower, which blooms on new wood and can be pruned at any time after the new growth has started, is affected by a soil's pH: It produces lilac to pink flowers in alkaline soil and blue blossoms in acidic soil. As much as I dislike the contemporary hydrangeas, they really are more forgiving with their pruning. The Best Time to Prune Hydrangea Trees. In your case, since your hydrangea tree is overgrown and the branches already bend under their own weight, it would be wise to prune it before winter. Credit: Prune in early spring before it starts flowering. Its leaves are rough and thin. Pruning hydrangea bushes is not necessary unless the shrubs have become overgrown or unsightly. This exact window is different in each hardiness zone, which means that gardeners in … Prune at the wrong time and you could be inadvertently cutting into next season's flowers. Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ pruned to form a tree. Tree hydrangeas or "PeeGee" hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) bloom on new wood, so they get pruned in early spring before new growth begins. Hydrangea paniculata and arborescens To maintain a permanent framework for these shrubs, each spring, cut back last year’s stems to a pair of healthy buds. Recent Articles. It is always a good idea to sterilize your garden shears before using them in order to prevent the spread of any possible illnesses that could be trapped on the blades from previous pruning. That’s because the dried flower heads of the panicled hydrangea have ornamental value over the winter, so you’ll want to keep them until spring. You can safely prune in the fall if your hydrangea varieties are Pee Gee, Annabelle, Grandiflora, Penny Mac, All Summer Beauty, Endless Summer, Limelights and Oakleaf. When to prune a Limelight Hydrangea Tree. They start out green but turn white a few weeks later. Share. Prune your Hydrangea paniculata tree in the early spring before new, visible growth begins to emerge. HOW TO PRUNE PEE GEE HYDRANGEA AT ITS BEST – In the event that you have a pee hmm hydrangea, otherwise called a tree hydrangea, you may be getting ready to prune it.. So its very disappointing when hydrangeas dont bloom for a season. It’s the nature of the plant. In a ideal world, the growers would only produce hydrangea trees from dwarf varieties, but it would take 2 extra years to create a saleable tree form, so they choose the easy way out. All Rights Reserved. Many people don't realize that a Tree Hydrangea is actually a Hydrangea shrub that was simply trained to grow as a flowering tree. Although there are different cultivars, one of the best known is Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora,’ known to its fans as Pee Gee hydrangea. Start by carving out a designated work area in your space. This species' leaves are thinner than Mophead's and Lacecap's. Oakleaf (hydrangea quercifolia) This species has leaves that look like they belong on red oak trees and flowers that open white then turn pink. Can I turn them back into bushes? In the summer, it forms at the tip of its branches large elongated clusters of white or lime-green flowers, depending on the cultivar, which gradually become pink or even reddish through the fall. In the summer, it forms at the tip of its branches large elongated clusters of white or lime-green flowers, depending on the cultivar, which gradually become pink or even reddish through the fall. Our fall-focused indoor and outdoor decorating ideas are guaranteed ways to make the perfect first impression when family and friends come calling on Thanksgiving—or any day during the season. Tree hydrangeas thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8a. Water the hydrangea tree generously but avoid overwatering. I think the best time to prune them is in the early spring though, because you really want to be able to see the buds to know where to snip. ; Hydrangea arborescens, commonly called smooth hydrangea, such as Incrediball. The only variety of hydrangeas that can be made into tree form are Paniculata hydrangeas, or for short PeeGee. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. If you are thinking about growing hydrangea trees, check your hardiness zone. I think the best time to prune them is in the early spring though, because you really want to be able to see the buds to know where to snip. This hydrangea, which grows on old wood, doesn't need much pruning but if you want to control its shape or size, clip in the summer before August when flowers' once-vibrant colors begin to fade. Although the only essential work is to remove dead wood in spring, these species flower more prolifically when pruned back annually to a framework of branches. The process of training a panicle hydrangea into a tree starts when the shrub is young. Most species need pruning to maintain their shape and produce flowers every year, but even if yours doesn't need it, you may want to prune for aesthetic reasons. My question is about the Little Lime hydrangea. Many people who use this variety to create a hedge around the garden will typically cut back within a few inches off the ground during the fall just so that the plants don’t become aesthetically displeasing during the winter. Wait until the plant has finished blooming for the year. Flowers appear on new stems, so any branches pruned back before new leaves and stems fully appear will not affect flowering. This plant can be trained as a small tree by judicious pruning but achieves its best form if grown as a large shrub with multiple stems. You can safely prune in … This can also be done in very late winter in warmer areas, after the last hard frost. There are, however, some which bloom on new growth, as well as others which bloom on both the old and new growth making pruning a little easier. Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home! These are lovely hydrangeas and interesting to the extent that they are the main assortment that you can truly shape into that of a tree. Know the Type of Hydrangea You Have. Deadhead spent flowers after blooming is complete. You likely wash your hands several times a day, but are you doing so effectively? this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. The only variety of hydrangeas that can be made into tree form are Paniculata hydrangeas.