Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Tried and true native!

Everyone knows hydrangeas, but do you grow oakleaf hydrangeas?  These plants are native to the southeast and grow fantastic throughout Tennessee.  Typically growing anywhere from 6-8 feet tall, there are dwarf varieties.  Oakleaf hydrangeas are a plant that has a different interest each season!  In the summer, they have beautiful clusters of white flowers.  Fall time brings about the bright red foliage that the leaves will turn.  Cinnamon colored bark will be shown throughout the wintertime, after the leaves drop.  Springtime is when the entire cycle starts again!  


This variety is called 'Snowflake'.  It was one of the first hose in hose double blooms on an oakleaf hydrangea.  A hose in hose double means the petals are layered upon each other.  This bloom is also extremely long, as noted in the picture!


Here's a variety called 'Vaughn's Lillie', and it is a very full cluster of blooms.  This variety will stay shorter only staying around 5' tall.  When this plant is younger, the blooms have a tendency to weigh the plants branches down.  I would suggest cutting off the first year or two of blooms to help the plant grow stronger!


Last, but not least, is 'Little Honey'.  This oakleaf hydrangea is the only form with golden foliage!  Some people absolutely love golden foliaged plants, and this nerd is one of them!  It still blooms white, but who cares, because the foliage is fantastic.  Requirements for sun/shade seem to be a little different for this variety.  If this plant receives too much sun it may burn a little, if it receives too much shade the foliage to turn a lime green.  


There are some fantastic oakleaf hydrangeas coming out each year!  Two that are gaining in popularity are 'Munchkin' and 'Ruby Slippers'.  'Munchkin' is said to remain around 2-3' tall, and 'Ruby Slippers' have a bloom that turns a bright pink after opening originally white.  These two varieties were bred at the Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, TN, and will be the ones to watch in the future!

No comments:

Post a Comment