How to Prune Lace Cap Hydrangeas

Lace cap hydrangeas belong to the oak leaf or Hortensia quercifolia genus of hydrangea shrubs. They produce flowers in white pink and blue that have a large central pincushion of tightly spaced tiny blooms surrounded by a lacy halo of larger florets in the same hue. The leaves are serrated on the borders and relatively large in size. Lace cap hydrangeas flower on the previous year's wood so they should be pruned immediately after they finish flowering before new buds are set.

Things You'll Need

• Secateurs
• Long handled loppers

Instructions

1. Harvest fresh blooms at their peak throughout the season for use in cut flower arrangements in the house or as gifts. Cut the bloom on the desired stem length placing the cut on the bias just 1/4-inch above a leaf axis or bud.

2. Inspect the lace cap shrub each time that you water to remove any damaged branching or foliage and to keep an eye out for signs of disease. Remove any of these problems that you find down to healthy wood and discard the cuttings.

3. Prune after bloom each year to remove up to one-third of the oldest branches in the shrub down to the main branch or crown of the plant. Place the cuts evenly throughout the shrub to preserve its natural shape and maintain a tidy look.

References

• North Carolina State University: Pruning Hydrangeas