Oakleaf Hydrangea

Hydrangea quercifolia

Oakleaf hydrangea is the native shrub we recommend more than almost anything else. The large white panicle blooms open in June and age through cream and parchment to tan and rose, eventually drying on the plant in rich parchment tones that look beautiful through winter. The leaves are striking. deeply lobed like a giant oak leaf. and in fall they turn orange, scarlet, and burgundy in combinations that are genuinely dramatic. After leaves drop, the exfoliating cinnamon-brown bark reveals itself, keeping the plant interesting until the next spring. It's one of very few native shrubs that delivers meaningful ornamental value in all four seasons. Native pollinators work the flowers through summer, and the dense structure provides nesting cover for birds year-round.