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We bought a house earlier this year and it came with some plants that are wildly overgrown. Including two oakleaf single blossom hydrangeas (I believe, see pictures to help me out). I know these need to be trimmed down this season before August but I am lost on the correct approach for such large plants. My plan is to trim out dead branches now. Then at the end of July cut the top of the plant down to 8' and cut out at least 1/3 of the stems. I'm waiting until the end of July since most of the blooms and leaves are on the top of the plant and I don't want to look at bare sticks all summer. I hope to have bushy plants next year.

Has anyone seen such huge plants? I didn't even believe they were Hydrangeas. Thanks for any help.





Thank you [url]https://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com[/url] for identification.

They appear to be too large to be oakleaf hydrangeas. I considered maybe a Limelight Hydrangea but the blooms are round. Have you considered if they are vibirnums, like the vibirnum snowflake? Vibirnums bloom this time of the year (spring), ahead of oakleafs and paniculatas. They have erect and then arching stems growing to 12 feet tall and wide. Unlike most viburnums and like oakleaf hydrangeas, snowball has a distinctive three-lobed leaf almost reminiscent of a maple leaf.

Picture:
https://www.fiftyflowers.com/site_files/FiftyFlowers/Image/Product/Viburnum-Snowball-White-Flower-350.jpg

Information:
https://www.arhomeandgarden.org/plantoftheweek/articles/snowball_viburnum_4-11-08.htm

Good call. After looking at some images I believe they are vibernums. Thanks!

I just found this older post discussing the two getting confused:
[url]https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=916[/url]