Do hydrangeas look good in winter?

If the air temperature doesn’t go below 0 degrees (zone 7) there is no need for winter protection. In colder climates, wrap or completely cover marginally hardy hydrangeas. However, it’s good to note that the newer varieties of mop head/big leaf hydrangeas bloom on both new and old wood. Good for them, good for us!

What happens to hydrangeas in winter?

Most hydrangeas are deciduous, and it is quite normal for them to lose their leaves in the late fall to winter. As soon as the spring days warm up, you should see the buds starting to swell and to leaf out. They are best pruned in late winter or very early spring and can be cut to the ground each year with no damage.

Do hydrangeas bloom in winter?

Hydrangea paniculata, better known as panicle hydrangea, typically offers a flowering season from late spring to early summer, but plants retain the blossoms until they shatter, which can occur as late as winter. In different parts of the country, the same types of hydrangea flower at different times due to climate.

Do hydrangeas look bad in winter?

Hydrangeas don’t look very nice in the winter. And they look even worse in the Spring! The old branches look dead at the end of winter (even though they’re almost always just dormant); and they are unattractive for a while.

What month do you prune hydrangeas?

Autumn is the time to ‘dead head’ or prune off spent flowers. Winter is the main period of pruning (wait until frosts have gone in cooler zones though). Losing their leaves for us makes it easy to see what we’re doing!

What happens if I don’t prune hydrangeas?

To prune or not to prune hydrangea causes a bit of stress for new gardeners but the only real damage you can do is to reduce the flowering ability of your plant for the following season if you prune back too hard. The flowers of the lacecap hydrangea can just be taken off as and when they fade; no stress there at all.

How do you prune hydrangeas for winter?

Instead, trim back overgrown branches by up to one-third of their height to maintain the shape of the shrub, and cut any dead, damaged or crossed branches back to the base of the affected branch. You can cut back a badly overgrown ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea to just above soil level in winter after the shrub goes dormant.

When to cover hydrangeas?

In areas that rarely have frost you only need to cover the hydrangea with a burlap bag on the days or nights when frost is predicted, removing it afterward.

What to do for a frozen Hydrangea?

While your hydrangea may not look its best, there is a way to save frozen hydrangeas. Place clipped leaves into a plastic bag and clear away any dropped leaves from the base of the plant as well. Discard the bag rather than adding to the composter. Allow the plant to grow undisturbed for the first year after the damage.

Will Hydrangea freeze?

In the event of a freeze or if you are growing your hydrangea in colder climates, the plant must be protected to survive. Hydrangeas form their flower and leaf buds in fall, so freezing temperatures can kill off the buds before they have a chance to flower.