How to Know When to Prune a Hydrangea
By Richard Corrigan
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In a warm, Mediterranean climate, most hydrangeas don't need to be pruned every year. But when you do prune your hydrangea plants, it's important to prune them at the right time. Pruning hydrangeas during the wrong season can reduce or even prevent blooming for the year. Timing can be tricky for hydrangeas, because some varieties bloom on old growth, while others bloom on new growth.
Determine what type of hydrangeas you have. Hydrangeas can be divided into three categories: old-wood bloomers, new-wood bloomers and continuous bloomers. What time you prune depends on which of these varieties you are growing.
Prune old-wood hydrangeas after they finish blooming in summer and before they start developing their next bloom buds. Old-wood hydrangeas bloom on woody growth from the previous year rather than on the current year's new, green branches. Common old-wood varieties include big-leaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) and oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia).
Prune new-wood hydrangeas any time of year except when they are preparing to bloom. These hydrangeas bloom on the current year's new growth, which means that pruning them as they prepare to bloom prevents them from blooming. Common old-wood varieties include PeeGee hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata "Grandiflora") and Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens "Annabelle").
Wait until after the last bloom of fall to prune continuous-blooming hydrangeas. These varieties bloom continuously on both old and new growth, and the most common is Endless Summer big leaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla "Endless Summer").
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Plant hydrangeas in a location where they have room to grow and spread. This allows the plants to bloom for years at a time without the need for pruning.
If you are unsure of what type of hydrangeas you have, the safest course is to wait until after the plants bloom and prune only the stems that have already finished blooming.
Richard Corrigan has been a full-time professional writer since 2010. His areas of expertise include travel, sports and recreation, gardening, landscaping and the outdoors. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from SUNY Geneseo in 2009.
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1 What Kind of Pebbles Should You Use for Indoor Plants?
2 How to Trim Hydrangeas
3 The Season for Hydrangea Flowers
4 The Treatment for Hydrangea Rust