Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen'

Oakleaf Hydrangea is an attractive deciduous shrub native to the American South. Bold, large, oak-shaped leaves give this hardy plant an almost tropical appearance. Leaves emerge light green in spring, darken to a deep green, then turn the most beautiful shade of deep red in fall. This shrub pleases through all the seasons: peeling cinnamon-colored bark nicely complements the dried flower panicles.

Flowers on old wood; prune just after flowering to maintain shape if desired.

'Snow Queen' is similar to the straight species, however it has stronger stems and a slightly more upright, rounded form. It is also more floriferous. Long panicles of mostly sterile white flowers appear in late spring and slowly fade to a beautiful pink as they age.

*Hardy to zone 5, but should be sited in a protected location or otherwise protected in the first few years as it becomes fully established. We sited ours behind a porch where it is safely protected from strong winter winds.

Distinctions: Winner of an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticulture Society; Great Plant Picks, Pennsylvania Horticulture Society Gold Medal

Zones: 5* to 9

Family: Hydrangeaceae

Type: Deciduous Shrub

Height: 4 to 6 ft.

Spread: 6 to 8 ft.

Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade

Soil Conditions: Rich, moist but well-drained soil

Bloom Time: May to July

Bloom Color: White changing to pink

Native Range: southeastern US

Image Credits:

• Image 1 (flowers) Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
• Image 2 (leaves) Plant Image Library from Boston, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
• Image 3 (pink blooms) Plant Image Library from Boston, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
• Image 4 (fall color) Ali McEnhill at The Old Dairy, Rhinebeck, NY