Hydrangea quercifolia or oak-leaved hydrangea

Family name: Hydrangeaceae

When this shrub works well it is glorious because of the generous,  heavy cream flowers, in conical panicles with numerous large sterile florets.  It likes the full sun or part shade, and will grow well in almost all aspects, sheltered or exposed.  Therefore it is versatile and can also thrive in most soils provided they are good and well drained.  It looks particularly attractive in  cottage/informal gardens,  flower borders and beds.  It is a good “filler” for a corner or back of a border and is nice and low maintenance!

Hydrangea can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs, or self-clinging climbers, with flowers in clusters usually comprising both small fertile and more showy sterile flowers; often good autumn colour

H. quercifolia is a spreading deciduous shrub with handsome, large, deeply lobed leaves turning red and purple in autumn. Flowers cream, in conical panicles with numerous large sterile florets.  This is a bushy shrub which may grow to 1 – 1.5 metres and with an ultimate spread of 1.5 – 2.5 metres.  It is green in the spring and summer and  bronze and purple in the autumn.

Hydrangea quercifolia photographed by Caroline Garland

Caroline Garland with Hydrangea quercifolia