There’s a lot of confusion about when to prune hydrangeas. Q: I prune my mophead hydrangeas religiously every spring, and I never get any flowers!What am I doing wrong? But if your hydrangea is getting much too large or old, use the following method. These are also commonly known as French hydrangeas. The pH will determine the color of the flower in most cases. Both Mophead and Lacecap Hydrangeas benefit from pruning to keep shape and size under control, but neither actually ‘Need’ pruning. Removing dead stems and blooms is the only pruning that should be done for the health of the plant, and these can be removed at any time. Pruning: Mophead and Lacecap Hydrangea bloom on old wood. Hydrangea macrophylla- French or Bigleaf Hydrangeas. Both types require the same growing environment. Most mopheads grown today are blue or pink but a few varieties are white. Bigleaf hydrangea, H. macrophylla. You hear all sorts of advice: spring, fall, after they bloom, not at all, etc. It has attractive, lustrous leaves and large blue, pink, red, or purple flowers. Pruning Mophead and Lacecap Hydrangeas. Pruning Mophead and Lacecap Hydrangeas. Trim them every two to three years to maintain their basic shape and desired size. A spring pruning in March is preferable as the faded blooms can protect the shoots from the ravishes of winter. macrophylla) are some of the easiest, most reliable shrubs gardeners can grow.They flourish without fertilizer, chemicals or even pruning for that matter. This is the one practically all gardeners and flower specialists are familiar with best and on the off chance that you buy flowers from a flower vendor it is likely a mop head assortment. A popular flowering shrub, hydrangeas are easily recognizable for their lush blooms and hardy leaves.These perennials do best in well-drained soil in zones five to nine and grow from three to six feet tall. Lacecap Hydrangeas and Mophead Hydrangeas are both classified as Hydrangea macrophylla. Those two varieties are most often seen in pink or blue and bloom on second-year growth, better known as old wood. Mophead hydrangeas do not have to be pruned back unless they are very old. Common hydrangeas belong to four different species but there are 5 common types, each with slightly different pruning requirements. Simply deadhead in late winter or early spring by cutting last year’s spent flowers off and prune an inch or two down to the next set of healthy buds that should be developing. MOPHEAD HYDRANGEA CARE – PLANTING PRUNNING AND DEADHEADING – There are numerous famous hydrangeas yet one of the most mainstream is the mophead hydrangea.. 1. Types of hydrangeas and tips on pruning. These are the branches that have been on the plant since the previous season, not the newer growth from the current growing season. Blooming bigleaf hydrangea Photo: Pat Cox. Hydrangeas like ‘Pink Elf’ and ‘Glowing Embers’ can never turn blue. Another group of hydrangeas flower on buds that formed during the previous growing season. Endless blooming hydrangea varieties rarely require pruning. These hydrangeas include two forms: the mophead and the lacecap types. How To Prune Hydrangeas. A: Mophead or French hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla var. It has attractive, lustrous leaves and large blue, pink, red, or purple flowers. These hydrangeas can be pruned anytime after flowering, usually between November and March. Mophead hydrangeas are easily identifiable by their, large pink or blue blooms. Both are pruned the same way. More About Pruning Different Hydrangea Types. 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. There are several categories of hydrangeas and knowing what type you have will help you choose the best pruning method for your plant and your goals. If they are to be pruned, then the information and illustrations below will guide you through the very simple pruning operation. Bigleaf Hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla)Even though I’m located in Zone 5, my ‘Endless Summer’ mophead hydrangea—which usually has huge blue blossoms all summer long—was killed to the ground.Luckily, it has the wonderful ability to bloom on both old and new wood, so even though they were a bit later than usual, there were … Hydrangeas usually don't require yearly pruning. Before you reach for … And in fact, when you prune varies, depending especially on the species you’re growing. Standard. Pruning hydrangeas is actually quite simple once you know what type of hydrangea is growing in your garden. 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