There is a heated discussion currently taking place in the horticultural world over the use of native plants versus exotic plants.  Some consider natives a better choice for the environment because these plants attract and support a variety of native wildlife (including beneficial insects).  Being native, they can also be more adaptable to our climate, but this argument can be made of some exotics as well.  A plant is considered native if it was present in North America before 1492, and an exotic would be any plant that was introduced after this date. 

     I wrote about one of my favorite native trees, the Eastern Redbud, in the March issue of grEen news.  This gave me the notion that I would use this forum to occasionally highlight some of our best natives, and in this issue it will be the Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia). The Oakleaf's natural range is from Georgia through the Gulf Coast states and up into Tennessee, but it also does very well in Virginia gardens. It was valued by European collectors and was one of the first North American ornamentals sent back to Europe.

     This native gets both its common and Latin name for its most distinguishing feature, its foliage, which does indeed look like the leaves on an Oak.  In the spring the new growth emerges from dormancy with a fuzzy brown appearance, which soon changes to green.  In the fall of the year the foliage is spectacular, turning burgundy to purple or red-orange.  It is one of the few Hydrangeas that actually has good fall color, and even if it didn't flower, this alone would be reason enough to grow it.

     Blooming begins in mid to late May into June, and the flowers are held in large cone-shaped panicles that can grow anywhere from 4 to 12" long by 3-6" wide.  The flower color is white but as they age they can turn a dusty pink to burgundy and will last on the shrub until fall.  Flowers develop on old growth, so it is best not to prune the Oakleaf hard.  If you do need to prune, simply remove some of the older stems all the way to the ground in late winter.  You can also cut the whole shrub back immediately after the flowers are no longer "fresh" in early summer.  In winter the bare branches show off their cinnamon colored, flaking bark.

     Oakleaf Hydrangeas prefer light shade in our climate, and this can provided by tall pines, or can be found on the east side of the house where they would be protected from the afternoon sun.  However, they are very adaptable to a wide variety of light conditions.  They prefer a fairly rich topsoil that has been amended with a good amount of organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure.  Like all Hydrangeas, Oakleafs prefer moist soil, but it must drain well.  If possible avoid overhead irrigation, which can promote leaf spot.  Most varieties will get 4-8' tall (maybe larger with age) and tend to sucker forming a large colony.  If they are happy, Oakleafs can live for generations.

     There are many cultivars (cultivated varieties) of Oakleaf Hydrangea.  One of the most desirable is 'Snowflake', which has impressive 12-14" long panicles of double blossoms.  'Snowqueen' has a compact habit, and its blooms are held upright and do not nod down like most other varieties.  'Alice' has 10-14" long panicles and tends to be more vigorous, and can also take more sun than others.  If you prefer a smaller plant, 'Sikes Dwarf' and 'Pee Wee' both grow less than 3' tall.  Another interesting dwarf is 'Little Honey', which not only stays small but also has bright golden yellow foliage - very choice!  There are many other varieties to pick from, and we usually have several in stock.

     This is one plant that I would recommend for any garden in southeastern Virginia, and if you don't have room for one, perhaps you should take something else out.  If you are interested in learning more about this plant, or about any other type of Hydrangea, I highly recommend the book, Hydrangeas for American Gardens by Michael A. Dirr.