What is the difference between a hydrangea tree and a hydrangea bush?

The main difference between a hydrangea shrub and a tree is training, pruning and proper care. The ideal time to prune is early spring. Remove old twigs that didn't produce healthy growths and remove suckers from the trunk of the tree.

How tall does hydrangea tree get?

If you are thinking about growing hydrangea trees, check your hardiness zone. Tree hydrangeas thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8a. Planted appropriately, they can grow to 25 feet (7.6 m.) high and 20 feet (6 m.)

What types of hydrangea trees are there?

There are six common types of hydrangeas: Bigleaf, Smooth, Panicle, Oakleaf, Mountain, and Climbing Hydrangeas.

How long does a hydrangea tree take to grow?

Though they are fast growing shrubs, it can take 2-4 years for hydrangeas to reach their full size. Some are faster to mature than others.

Can you keep a hydrangea tree small?

Keep your tree neat by cutting branches short enough that they each have only two or three nodes (small bumps on the branch that signify growth). Your hydrangea tree will need a lot of sun, but provide some shade on especially hot summer afternoons.

Hydrangea Management

Where is the best place to plant a hydrangea tree?

Many people plant hydrangeas in beds next to their homes or fences. This is because hydrangeas love the warm morning sun, but they dislike the heat of the afternoon. The best place to plant hydrangeas is in a sheltered location with sunny mornings and shady afternoons.

Should I prune my hydrangea tree?

Pruning in late fall or early spring before new growth begins will bring new blooms all summer. Big Leaf and Oakleaf hydrangeas should be pruned no later than early fall, otherwise you may cut off buds preventing any blooms come summer. For these types of hydrangeas, it's best to prune immediately after flowering.

Can you split a hydrangea tree?

It's a main way hydrangeas expand their territory. If you don't see any shoots or are getting pieces without roots, entire hydrangea plants can be dug and split into two or more pieces. Look for natural separations in the root ball - i.e. junctures between where main stems are poking up.

How big do dwarf hydrangea trees get?

Dwarf Varieties

It grows 6 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide, smaller than normal-size paniculatas, which are usually 6 to 10 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide. Another dwarf plant is "Little Quick Fire" (Hydrangea paniculata "Little Quick Fire"), hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9, with pink flowerheads.

What is the most popular hydrangea tree?

Mophead Hydrangeas

This hydrangea type is perhaps the most popular—and its flowers typically bloom in blue, pink, or purple, explains Eddie Zaratsian, floral expert and owner of Eddie Zaratsian Lifestyle & Design. Believe it or not, you actually have some say over which color your mopheads become.

What colors do hydrangea trees come in?

The bloom colors are what really make the hydrangea stand out: They range from pink to blue, including all shades of lavender to violet to purple, as well as green and white.

Which hydrangea is the prettiest?

Limelight hydrangeas are known for their large blooms that gleam in full sun. The new Limelight Prime panicle hydrangea does everything better than the original Limelight, from bud to bloom and beyond.

Can you turn a hydrangea bush into a tree?

Hydrangea trees do not naturally grow into the shape of a tree. Left to their own devices, all hydrangeas will grow into shrubs with multiple stems. The only type hydrangea that can be made into a tree is Hydrangea paniculata. Nurseries prune them into single trunk trees when they are very young.

How much room does a hydrangea tree need?

Without any shade, they are more susceptible to wilting and bleached leaves in hot summer temperatures. When can I plant my hydrangea tree? Plant your hydrangea tree in the spring or fall, in a hole as deep as the root ball and two times as wide, leaving between 3-10 feet between plants.

Is a hydrangea tree fast growing?

Hydrangeas are classified as rapid growers, or 25 or more inches per year until the plant reaches maturity. A "tree" format plant will become at least 3 inches wide at a point 4 1/4 feet high and grow at least 13 feet high.

What happens if you plant hydrangeas too close together?

Planting them closer means that separate plants will touch sooner, and then overlap at maturity. The result is a lush wall of foliage and flowers that is hard to resist! It may be tempting to plant them close together, but make sure you're not planting them too close.

When should hydrangeas be transplanted?

Authorities agree that the BEST TIME to transplant hydrangeas is when they are dormant, i.e. after most of the leaves have fallen off the hydrangeas. When I lived in SC we transplanted hydrangeas in late November to late December, but if your ground isn't frozen, January and February are fine, too.

What happens if you don't prune hydrangeas?

What happens if you don't prune hydrangeas? If you don't prune hydrangeas then they can eventually resemble a tangled mass of woody stems, and the flowers will become smaller and less showy. Regular pruning of hydrangeas helps to maintain their shape and also encourages new growth and a better display of blooms.

Do you deadhead a hydrangea tree?

You should deadhead hydrangeas throughout the flowering season as flowers become spent. This will keep it looking neat and it will help the plant preserve the energy that it needs to create new blooms. Don't stress over this, simply remove spent blooms as they become dry.

How long does a hydrangea tree bloom?

Its creamy white blooms arrive in late summer and fade to green during fall. This unique Hydrangea tree will tolerate almost any condition. The bloom time is lengthy and stretches from summer through fall. The flowers of the Limelight hydrangea are upright and elongated and up to 12 inches long.

Why is my hydrangea tree not blooming?

The primary reasons hydrangeas don't bloom are incorrect pruning, bud damage due to winter and/or early spring weather, location and too much fertilizer. Hydrangea varieties can be of the type that blooms on old wood, new wood or both.

What plants go with hydrangea trees?

Shrubs To Plant With Hydrangeas

Azaleas, hollies, yews, mahonia, gardenia, loropetalum and boxwood shrubs will look good planted in front of hydrangeas. Azaleas blossoms will provide early color. You can select your favorite blossom color since the azalea blooms will have faded before your hydrangea is flowering.