What kind of hydrangea is a PeeGee?
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora,’ also known as PeeGee, features large white flower heads that fill this fast-growing shrub. A time-proven variety, it can be grown as a single-stemmed tree specimen or as a multi-stemmed shrub. The flowers are good for cutting and drying. Paniculata hydrangeas, commonly known as PeeGee hydrangeas, are sought after for their large, unique shaped blooms that will grow and bloom in a wide variety of climates & do best in the sun.Pee Wee’ is an oakleaf hydrangea cultivar which is most noted for its compact size (typically grows to 3-4′ tall and 3′ wide). It is an upright, deciduous shrub with a rounded habit.Grandiflora’, commonly called peegee hydrangea, is a vigorous, upright, rapidly growing, somewhat coarsely textured, deciduous shrub which grows 10-25′ tall. Features conical, terminal flower panicles (typically 6-8 long) consisting almost entirely of sterile florets.Grandiflora’, commonly called peegee hydrangea, is a vigorous, upright, rapidly growing, somewhat coarsely textured, deciduous shrub which grows 10-25′ tall. Features conical, terminal flower panicles (typically 6-8 long) consisting almost entirely of sterile florets.Panicle hydrangeas – also known as peegee hydrangeas, hardy hydrangeas, and Limelight hydrangeas, are the easiest to grow, most adaptable of all hydrangeas.
What happens if you don’t cut back your hydrangeas?
Here’s what could happen if you don’t cut back your hydrangeas: Reduced flower size and showiness: Over time, unpruned hydrangeas can develop a leggy appearance with fewer flowers. This is because new flower growth typically happens on younger stems. But NEVER prune these hydrangeas to the ground, otherwise you’ll cut off all of next year’s blooms. If your hydrangeas bloom on “new wood” you can deadhead them if you’d like…but then in late fall or early spring you can more aggressively prune them back.The summer months require no pruning for your hydrangeas, but they will eventually require you to deadhead. As the summer progresses, your hydrangea blooms will start to fade. Once this happens, feel free to remove the spent blooms by using a process called deadheading.When it comes to pruning, the two main varieties of hydrangea are: those that produce blooms on the previous year’s growth (old wood); and those that produce flowers on new growth. Both types are best pruned in February-March, but the method is different for each.Hydrangeas that bloom on new wood can be safely pruned in late fall once the plants have gone dormant or in early spring. Next year’s flower buds won’t be formed until late spring the same year they bloom, so there is no risk of removing the buds if you prune in fall or spring.By removing spent flowers correctly and at the right time, you encourage healthy growth and continuous blooming throughout the season. Deadheading, or removing spent flowers, is an important maintenance practice for hydrangeas that encourages larger, more abundant blooms.
Can you cut hydrangeas right back to the ground?
Deadhead all old flowerheads, cutting back to the first pair of strong buds below a flowerhead. Remove any dead, damaged or crossing stems. On older plants, cut back one or two old stems to ground level to encourage the plant to produce new growth. Deadheading is the simple act of removing faded flowers to encourage more blooms. It’s a quick task you can do with pruning snips as you walk through your garden. Pruning, on the other hand, involves more extensive trimming to shape the plant and promote overall health.For a basic rule of thumb, deadhead your spent flowers and stems back to ¼ inch above a new lateral flower, lateral leaf or bud. This encourages new growth and healthy foliage.Deadheading is the simple act of removing faded flowers to encourage more blooms. It’s a quick task you can do with pruning snips as you walk through your garden. Pruning, on the other hand, involves more extensive trimming to shape the plant and promote overall health.While pruning is a selective and targeted technique — its goal to remove unproductive, unhealthy, or otherwise undesired plant tissue — the more specific practice of deadheading eliminates “spent” blossoms from plants so new ones can take their place.
When to cut back PeeGee hydrangeas?
For these types of hydrangeas, it’s best to prune immediately after flowering. Paniculata or PeeGee hydrangeas offer a bit more flexibility, but in general, they should be pruned in early spring before new growth appears. Other hydrangeas such as climbing hydrangeas may require very little pruning. Prune These Hydrangeas in Late Summer or Early Fall These varieties bloom on new wood or a combination of new and old wood. Prune them as soon as blooms fade in late summer or early fall. If you see buds forming on old branches, don’t prune. Those are next year’s flowers.What Happens If You Don’t Prune Hydrangeas in the Fall? Nothing. Your hydrangea may thank you with prolific blooms next year because you didn’t prune it. This season’s flowers will slowly dry up and, throughout the winter, blow off and away.Cut back new wood hydrangeas in the fall As their name suggests, new wood hydrangeas produce flowers on the new growth. These new stems grow each spring and, as such, mean that fall is the perfect time to prune new wood hydrangeas. New wood hydrangeas that you should cut back in the fall include: Panicle hydrangeas.
How to prune hydrangeas in the fall?
Hydrangea paniculata (panicle hydrangeas) bloom on “new growth” and should be pruned by removing 1/3 of its older branches and cutting back 1/3 of its total height in late fall or early spring. Oakleaf Hydrangeas “If you prune in the fall, you’ll significantly impact next year’s growth by accidentally removing many new buds,” Berendsen says. Moreover, this plant doesn’t typically need pruning very much. Unless your oakleaf is extremely overgrown, heavy pruning is not needed for this shrub,” she says.Shrubby hydrangeas should be pruned in late winter or early spring,’ says Paul. This is because the flower heads act as protection from frost for new buds.The hydrangea, which grows on old wood, doesn’t need much pruning. If your oakleaf is outgrowing its dedicated space, cut back no more than one-third of the stems after the plant flowers in June or July, says Becker. Weak and dead stems can also be removed in late winter or early spring.Pruning is very simple for Invincibelle Wee White hydrangea: just cut the whole plant back by about one-third its total height each spring, just as the new growth begins to appear on the stems. This serves to preserve the woody base while encouraging new growth for maximum blooms.
Which hydrangeas should not be cut back in the fall?
You can cut hydrangeas back in the fall, the only ones you cannot are ones that bloom on new growth- you have to be on the lookout for buds. Mountain Hydrangeas Like bigleaf hydrangeas, leave your mountain hydrangea’s (hydrangea serrata) blooms on the plant until spring. Doing this will help protect young shoots and buds.No, you will not hurt a new wood hydrangea plant if you decide not to deadhead it. The blooms will naturally fade and fall off on their own over time. In fact, leaving the spent flowers can add winter interest and, on old wood hydrangeas, even protect the plant’s new buds from frost.Lacecap hydrangeas are hardier than mophead types and can be deadheaded after flowering, but it would be best to do this no later than August, cutting back to just above a pair of leaves. This will give any new growth encouraged by pruning enough time to mature and toughen up ahead of winter frosts.If properly maintained, these shrubs can grow between 4 and 12 feet tall, and live for decades, sharing their frothy blooms most of the summer. Hydrangeas are long-lived shrubs, sometimes living for up to 50 years if properly cared for.