Gatsby Glow Ball™ Oakleaf Hydrangea
Shrub
- Dwarf hydrangea with tidy, rounded habit that looks amazing in containers!
- Native hydrangea with showy white flowers & fiery fall foliage.
- Salt-tolerant, great option for urban landscapers.
- Zones 5-9, sun/part sun, 3-4′ tall x 3-4 ′wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
It's easy to recognize with the big, oak-shaped leaves and fragrant white flowers from oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia). This native hydrangea is also one of the few with stunning fall foliage color, turning a stunning red color when temperatures begin to drop. It requires no pruning and is tolerant of heat and shade, making it easy to grow.
Details
Common name: Oakleaf hydrangea
Zone: 5 - 9
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ hours), Part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: 3-4' tall x 3-4 ft. wide
Flower color: White, green
Foliage color: Green, turns red in fall
Season of interest: Summer-fall
Bloom time: Midsummer, early fall
Features: Heat tolerant, fall color, container plants, low maintenance, native, pollinator-friendly, salt-tolerant, Proven Winners, small spaces
Uses: Flower gardens, landscaping, specimen, flowering hedge, pollinator gardens, native plant gardens
How to Grow
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ hours), Part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Water: Average. Oakleaf hydrangeas do not tolerate overwatering or poor drainage.
Space: Min. 4 - 5' apart
Fertilizing: If desired, fertilize in early spring, once the ground has thawed, with a granular rose fertilizer.
Winterizing: Oakleaf hydrangeas are very hardy and easily withstand harsh winters, so they need no special care. A good 2-3" layer of mulch helps protect the shallow roots. Do not cut back or prune oakleaf hydrangeas (see below for more info).
Maintenance: Oakleaf hydrangeas bloom on old wood, which means they have their flower buds for the following season all through winter, so they should not be cut back. It is best to avoid pruning or trimming them all together, though you may selectively remove branches to develop a nice shape and silhouette if desired.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
I understand that plants can experience shipping stress, and I was prepared for some transplant shock. What I was not prepared for was receiving a hydrangea that had effectively been cut back to a stick, especially at this price point.
The issue wasn’t just that the plant was stressed. The aggressive pruning removed nearly all of the growth, setting the plant back significantly and likely delaying its development by a year or more. When purchasing a mature hydrangea, I expect to receive a plant that has a reasonable chance of performing and growing in the near term, not one that has essentially been reset to square one.
What made the experience worse was customer service. When I contacted the company with concerns, I was told this was normal and to reach back out if the plant ultimately failed to survive. After attempting to continue the discussion, my replies were effectively blocked, leaving me without any meaningful support or resolution.
I can accept shipping stress. I can even accept the occasional plant arriving below expectations. What I cannot accept is paying premium prices for a heavily cut-back plant and then receiving dismissive customer service when raising legitimate concerns.
Based on my experience, I would not order from Hydrangea.com again.
Our friendly customer service team is here to help! Just contact us at [email protected] with your order number and photos of the plants. After further investigation, we will be able to better assist you. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/hyd-guaranteed
For a quart size this hydrangea was very full. Have planted and is doing well.
I ordered the Oak Leaf Hydrangea for my niece. It arrived in a timely fashion, and was beautiful! She was thrilled with it! It was my first time ordering a plant. Would definately reccomend.
This little plant suffered on its trip to me and arrived woth several dried and crumpled leaves. I’m going to give it a good try and hope for the best!
Hello! We’re sorry that you received plants that are not up to our standards. We try our best to provide excellent plants, but some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control. That’s why we have a 60-day guarantee on all of our orders. Please email your order number and pictures of your plants to us to start the claims process. We look forward to helping!
The plants were small, but healthy. I planted them with biotone 2 weeks ago and they have doubled in size already. Too small to expect blooms. Next year I expect a bumper crop of blossoms!
Can these be cut for a bouquet?
Yes, Hydrangeas like the Gatsby Glow Ball™ Oakleaf Hydrangea can be cut for a bouquet! For more information on how to keep cut Hydrangea flowers fresh, chek out this blog post:
https://blog.greatgardenplants.com/hydrangeas-for-cut-flowers-how-to-keep-them-fresh/
Do the deer eat oakleaf hydrangeas
Yes, deer generally tend to much on hydrangea flowers, including oakleaf hydrangeas! To shop deer-resistant shrubs, check out our collection here:
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/collections/deer-resistant-shrubs