Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hyolia)drangea quercif

Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

Oakleaf Hydrangea is the only hydrangea native to North America — a four-season shrub of extraordinary beauty that earns its place in the Louisiana garden through spectacular white flower panicles in summer, rich burgundy fall foliage, exfoliating cinnamon-colored bark in winter, and bold oak-shaped leaves year-round. It is a plant of the deep South, native to the ravines and bluff forests of the Gulf Coastal Plain.

Botanical Profile

• Family: Hydrangeaceae (Hydrangea family)
• Native Range: Southeastern United States from Georgia to Florida and west to Louisiana and Arkansas; native to Louisiana ravine forests and bluff margins
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9
• Mature Size: 4–8 feet tall and wide
• Bloom Time: May–July
• Sun: Part shade to full shade
• Soil: Moist, well-drained, rich; tolerates clay

Ecological Role

Oakleaf Hydrangea flowers support native bees, bumble bees, and butterflies. Its dense thickets provide nesting cover for woodland birds. The exfoliating bark provides nesting material for birds and habitat for beneficial insects. It is a larval host for several native moth species.

In the Cajun Heritage Garden

Part of the Jardin — Heritage Garden collection at Big Mamou Enterprises, Oakleaf Hydrangea is a true four-season native shrub — the only hydrangea that belongs in a Louisiana heritage landscape.