Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is a shrub native to damp woods and riverbanks from Georgia to Louisiana, including the Florida Panhandle. It is hardy in Zones 6 to 8 and prefers part sun in northern zones and shade in southern zones.
Oakleaf hydraneas are great multiseason plants, offering large flowers in late spring and early summer, plus colorful fall foliage. Its shaggy bark keeps this deciduous shrub interesting in winter.
Many cultivars are available. Here are a few favorites:
'Flemygea', aka Snow Queen — Pictured. Upright 8-inch white flowers become pink as they age. The shrubs gets 6 feet tall and is wider than it is high.
'Alice' — The largest cultivar available. It reaches 15 feet tall and wide and is a vigorous grower. Its flowers can be over a foot long.
'Pee Wee' and 'Sikes Dwarf' — Relatively small cultivars, reaching 4 to 6 feet tall and wide. Good fall color. Flowers are 4 inches long.
'Brido', aka Snow Flake — An 8-foot-tall shrub with abundant double flowers that often cause the branches to bend with their weight. Flowers are white.
Image courtesy Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
