When to Prune Hydrangeas

You can prune hydrangeas that bloom on old wood right after they finish flowering. You can prune varieties that bloom on new wood in late winter or early spring.

There are six main types of hydrangeas:

• Macrophylla (Bigleaf)

• PeeGee (Paniculata)

• Oakleaf (Quercifolia)

• Smooth (Arborescens)

• Mountain

The truth is, most hydrangeas don’t require pruning! You can prune them to control the shape or manage the size and remove dead wood, but they will also grow happily and still look great if you don’t prune them!

Bigleaf, oakleaf, climbing, and mountain hydrangeas bloom on old wood and can be pruned immediately after they finish blooming before they start pushing out next years’ buds. 

Each year you can take out a few of the older and thicker stalks to control the size and shape of the plant and encourage new growth. By just removing a few of the oldest and thickest stalks, you’ll ensure you still get lots of blooms the following season. 

Panicle and smooth hydrangeas bloom on new wood and can be pruned in late winter or early spring. These types tolerate very hard pruning to control the size of the bush, and a bit of pruning in spring may encourage more flowers

The main thing to remember is that all hydrangeas, honestly, don’t need to be pruned. You can deadhead them or not. You can prune them or not. If you want large bushes, keep the pruning to a minimum.  I personally like to dead head in the spring. 

Quercifolia, common name Oakleaf hydrangea:

 Paniculata or PeeGee hydrangea:

Arborescens, common name Mountain Hydrangea:

Anomala petiolaris, common name climbing hydrangea: 

Macrophylla, common name bigleaf:

Arborescens, common name arborescens: