Fighting Off Pests Check your plant for pest activity. Other Fun Facts about Limelight Hydrangeas. Staking is often needed to keep the trunk rigidly vertical during the first few years. Just be advised that a hard pruning is a restorative pruning that may take 2 years to bring them back up to heavy blooming stage. (If you want more – but not larger – blooms, leave more of the thinner, internal stems. Steps for Limelight Hydrangea Pruning. Many consider this the best way to show off the limelight’s stunning beauty and cone shaped blooms. The Limelight hydrangea may be pruned in fall, winter or early spring, but never in late spring or summer while the plant is developing flowers. When you prune a limelight hydrangea be sure to do it at the beginning of Spring or at the end of winter. Side branches that grow from the main stem can be shortened to a few leaves and left until the main stem reaches the desired height; these leaves will provide energy to the growing main stem. Limelight Hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) are among the more forgiving members of the hydrangea family with regard to pruning. How to prune panicle and smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata and Hydrangea arborescens). Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, Fine Gardening Magazine; Pruning Hydrangeas; Janet Carson, Hydrangeas! The remaining stubs will be only a couple of inches above the ground. Limelight hydrangeas grow on new growth, and should be pruned between growing seasons. These have flowers that are cone- or football-shaped, start out white or lime green and age to shades of pink and rose. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Auburn University in public relations/communication in 1995. It can be done though! Make cuts at an angle, so the wound is not horizontal which could allow rain water to collect. Since the panicle hydrangeas (including Limelight) bloom on new wood that develops in the current season, they can be pruned any time of the year without cutting off future flower buds. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Type of Hydrangea: When to Prune: Mophead Hydrangeas (H. macrophylla) June/July (after blooming) Lacecap Hydrangeas: June/July (after blooming) Oakleaf Hydrangeas (H. quercifolia) Spring or June/July (after blooming) PeeGee Hydrangeas (H. paniculata ‘Grandiflora’) Fall, Winter, or Spring: Limelight Hydrangeas (H. paniculata ‘Limelight’) The reason for this is that you want to prune prior to the new growth emerging. Native to the North American woodlands, it is… We want our limelight hydrangea to have a rounded crown atop a smooth, straight trunk – like a lollipop. Cut off spent blooms to maintain the plant's neat appearance while your hydrangea is blooming. The big thing is to not sweat it! Pruning – Panicle hydrangeas bloom on new stems that grow each year. A yearly pruning down to 18″-24″ results in fewer, and larger flowers. Copyright © 2020 Perfect Plants. A vigorous shrub that can mature at 6 to 10 feet tall and 5 to 8 feet wide, Limelight hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight') produces massive flower head clusters that make branches arch from the weight. Cut back to strong paired buds that are directed sideways, rather than towards the center and outside. Photo: University of Connecticut Plant Database. Pruning a limelight hydrangea into its form of the tree is not the easiest task. Prune Limelight back by one-third to one-half its size in late winter or early spring. Some people even hold off a bit longer in case there are any late frosts, so early spring is often an ideal time for pruning. Sanitize your pruners before you start. Constantly remove any other shoots that come up from the ground. Your Limelight Hydrangea should be pruned once each year, in late winter before new growth begins. Cut hydrangea canes all the way back to the ground in the late fall or early spring if large flowers are your top priority. But we can do better. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Shrubs that flower on new wood generally start blossoming later than old wood bloomers. Cut your hydrangea canes back to about half to one third of its height if you prefer sturdier stems and smaller flowers. Cut these back to … Cut the canes at an angle with your pruners, getting a clean cut that does not damage the remaining stub. Prune your Limelight in late winter or early spring, before new growth emerges. Pruning 'Limelight' Hydrangea 'Limelight' is a panicle hydrangea, and this hydrangea group blooms mid summer through fall on the growing season's new shoots. You can thin out or correct the pruning imbalance at the end of winter before the shrub starts growth again. However, it is easiest to prune them in the late winter or early spring, because all of the leaves will have fallen off and you will be able to see and access the branches easily. If your Limelight hydrangea grows quite large, a reductive pruning each spring may help control the size by summer's end. Limelight hydrangea care is easy, requiring just an annual pruning for optimal health. 10% Off on Digital Gift Cards At least once a year, shorten long branches growing on the upper third of the main stem by a third of their total length. We here at Perfect Plants already went through the motions for you and have a Limelight Hydrangea Tree for sale for those who do not want to try out this gardening endeavor. Pruning hydrangeas is often likened to pruning buddlejas which are cut down hard every spring once the worst of the weather is over. Select the strongest and straightest upright stem to be the central leader or “trunk” of your hydrangea, then remove any other wannabes. Limelight hydrangea is often trained to a branch-headed standard (read more about basic pruning for trees here). All Rights Reserved. Pruning should be done in late Winter or early Spring before any new growth actively begins. Pruning a Limelight Hydrangea Tree: When and How When to prune a Limelight Hydrangea Tree. To do this remove all the thinner stems, leaving just a framework of a few thick stems. Each year, prune your Limelight hydrangea back by ⅓ of its overall height to encourage new growth. Limelight hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’) usually stays around six to eight feet tall, but it can put on two to three feet of growth per season and get as tall as fourteen feet. The flowers appear in summer, first a light greenish cream and aging to creamy white. (This differs from a central-leader standard whose branches retain a more elongate and feather-like shape atop a clear stem.). Eventually we will want this central leader to be clear of any side branches for around two to four feet – your decision. Smooth (hydrangea aborescens) One variety, Annabella, has big flowers that are actually made up of many small individual blooms. A branch-headed standard is a tree or shrub pruned and trained to have a rounded “mop” head of branches atop a clear stem. Even a harsh winter or late spring frost can damage the… To prune the Limelight Hydrangea, simply cut off ⅓ of the total height of the shrub. ; Pruning Made Easy (Hopefully); Judith King. Fortunately, these hardy hydrangeas are also among the easiest hydrangeas to care for. Cut your hydrangea canes back to about half to one third of its height if you prefer sturdier stems and smaller flowers. If your Limelight hydrangea grows quite large, a reductive pruning each spring may help control the size by summer's end. Since it has no competition, the chosen trunk-to-be will grow faster and stronger, and soon will be a genuine trunk. 'Limelight' is occasionally attacked by slugs, … You should prune your Limelight hydrangea tree every year, either in late winter or in early spring before new growth starts to emerge. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in early winter and will flush out new growth in early spring. Although the florets look similar to those of bigleaf hydrangeas, Limelight has teardrop-shaped bloom clusters and blooming starts later in the summer. Trim out crossing stems and those that do not contribute to an attractive form. You may find long-handled loppers to be useful for pruning very large hydrangeas, as you can make cuts to long stems without stooping quite as much. Limelight Hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) are among the more forgiving members of the hydrangea family with regard to pruning. Limelight hydrangea is often trained to a branch-headed standard (read more about basic pruning for trees here). Dead or broken branches may be pruned off any time of year. Some people like to produce very large flower heads, up to 18 inches in length. Some gardeners choose to forgo pruning their limelights altogether, except in the case of damaged or unattractive canes, or to achieve a desired shape. If not, you may need to use a stake to keep the anointed stem growing straight up. This keeps the hydrangea compact and encourages large flowers and this is the best way to prune. Left on their own, hydrangeas tend to grow as rangy, unkempt, multi-stemmed shrubs. Dana Hall McCain is a freelance writer based in Dothan, Ala., and is a a regular contributor to numerous regional publications. The best time to prune any variety of hydrangea is mid- late winter. It may take a year or two. To discover when to prune limelight hydrangeas (and the best pruning method to produce your desired bloom yield), watch the tutorial video! We like to prune in late winter when the shrub is still leafless so we have the best view of the branch structure. Here’s how to prune your limelight hydrangea into a tree. Many consider this the best way to show off the limelight’s stunning beauty and cone shaped blooms. Cut your hydrangea canes back to about half to one third of its height if you prefer sturdier stems and smaller flowers. Because this shrub blooms on new wood, you do not want to potentially cut off any flower buds for the upcoming season. Oakleaf hydrangeas, Hydrangea quercifolia: This native hydrangea features cone-shaped white blooms that turn a … Limelight hydrangeas only bloom on new wood, so any heavy pruning or cutting back must be done in late winter or early spring before new growth emerges, since pruning … Plus, Orders Over $99 Ship for Free. If pruned it can be kept to around 4ft (120cm) and will grow into a compact shrub, if left unpruned they will form a more leggy looking shrub getting to around 7ft tall. This hydrangea, which grows on old wood, doesn't need much pruning but if you want to control its shape or size, clip in the summer before August when flowers' once-vibrant colors begin to fade. Paniculata hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata, which includes popular varieties such as ‘Limelight’) as well as smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens, best known for the variety ‘Annabelle’) bloom on new wood, meaning that same year's growth. Pruning Hydrangeas that Bloom on Old Wood Most shrubs that bloom on old wood should be pruned immediately after they are done flowering. Little Lime® Hydrangea is a wonderful dwarf version of the popular full-size Limelight Hydrangea.Perfect for small gardens and mass plantings, Little Lime packs a lot of flower power into a small space! You can prune limelight hydrangeas at any time of the year, because they are hearty plants. Blooms start out white or cream colored but as the flowers age, they take on a pinkish tinge. When to prune a hydrangea depends on when it sets its flower buds. Native smooth hydrangea. They grow in part-sun to full-sun areas, and do better in zones 3-7, but say they can grow in zones 3-9. These are paniculata (orpanicle, referring to the shape of the flower trusses) hydrangeas, as opposed to macrophylla hydrangeas, and so they are more cold hardy and easier to grow. If the buds are set in the fall, spring pruning will remove the entire season's bloom. This is sometimes referred to as "deadheading.". Even when cold winters kill stems to the ground, Limelight bounces back with new stems and flowers. It is ART! To form a hydrangea tree, the nurseryman chooses a young specimen with a robust central branch and begins to “prune it into submission.” He removes any other branches and also secondary branches that grow on the branch selected to be the future trunk. Flowers on panicle hydrangeas are panicle-shaped (cone-shaped), in contrast to the ball-shaped mopheads or flattened lacecaps. Pruning in summer during or after flowering to harvest flower heads may also be done on Limelight hydrangea shrubs. I’ve said many times that I have had more failures than successes, but I keep plugging away. While this may produce slightly smaller blooms, the stems will probably be sturdy enough to support them without additional staking. Late frosts tend to damage any new buds that come through after pruning. Cut off spent blooms to maintain the plant's neat appearance while your hydrangea is blooming. Make your pruning cuts just above paired buds; these buds will become two new branches growing opposite each other. Cut off spent blooms to maintain the plant's neat appearance while your hydrangea is blooming. Limelight Hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) are among the more forgiving members of the hydrangea family with regard to pruning. Tie it to the stake every few inches. Hydrangeas! We have pruning shears! Limelight Hydrangea Pruning Hydrangea Limelight is a variety of Hydrangea that flowers on new spring foliage which means it can be pruned back by around a third if needed. The Limelight hydrangea blooms on new growth, so it should be pruned in late winter, before new growth begins. Their name is Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ (common name Panicle hydrangea)- just check with your local nursery to see if they sell them in your area or you can buy them online at Amazon. But there are other options. Don’t let naysayers call your work of art a ‘ball on a stick’! Limelight hydrangeas that have gotten leggy and ungainly will respond to a pruning to within 18″-24″ above grade. We can turn this variety of hydrangea into a small tree. Remove side branches on the lower two-thirds of the main stem as they appear. Limelight hydrangeas are a cultivar with a longer blooming season than most hydrangea plants. Other than the modern repeat blooming hydrangeas, like \"Endless Summer\" and \"Lime Light\", most older hydrangeas set the next season's flower buds in either late summer/fall or during the growing season. Limelight hydrangeas grow on new growth, and should be pruned between growing seasons. Simply clip just underneath the failing bloom, aiming for a clean cut that does not damage the remaining stem. Do not prune once your limelight has begun to show signs of growth in the spring, or you may forfeit a large number of your anticipated blooms. Pruning. ). When the central leader is the desired height, cut the tip off to halt its growth. These lush flowering shrubs bloom each year on new wood, so you can prune them almost anytime--except when they are setting flower buds in the spring and early summer--without fear of eliminating next year's blooms. Big-leaf hydrangeas, Hydrangea macrophyla: These are the most common species and include the popular mopheads and lacecaps in wide-ranging colors of blue, violet, pink, purple, red and white.They bloom in early summer on old wood, so prune them after flowering. Fall pruning is best done only in mild winter climates, such as in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 and 8. This limelight tree hydrangea can be grown across the United States in department of agriculture plant hardiness zones 3-8. Schedule pruning in late winter or very early spring. Prune in late winter/early spring when your plant is winterized. Panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) include PeeGee hydrangeas and ‘Limelight’ hydrangeas. Your yard will thank you after pruning this shrub into its tree form or just purchasing the already trained tree. Hard pruning information & easy tips for growing large limelight hydrangea flowers, plus a limelight hydrangea centerpiece. Limelight hydrangeas are a popular and hardy flowering shrub with dramatic blooms that range from green to white to pale pink across a long flowering season. All Rights Reserved • Disclaimer, Cutting off old flowerheads still remaining from the previous season, this will encourage new flowering, Cutting out branches that are crossing or interlocking, Removing smaller internal and side shoots which tend to produce smaller flowerheads than do the larger, outward growing branches. However, hydrangeas that bloom on old wood finish flowering so late in the season that pruning them after they bloom doesn’t leave enough time for them to regrow and form flower buds for next year. HYDRANGEA PRUNING – ‘LIMELIGHT’ The second group of hydrangeas that flower on new wood are the panicle hydrangeas, sometimes called PG. Hydrangeas that set their buds late in the season are the most likely to have trouble blooming. If you’re starting with a good sized plant, you may already have a suitable central leader. My gardening career has seen its share of ups and downs. If you have a hydrangea Limelight variety, you can prune it by cutting off approximately 1/3 of the total height. Hydrangeas bloom on a single stem. Determine whether you want smaller, more numerous blooms or larger, fewer blooms. She writes features and columns on a variety of topics, including the outdoors, faith and health/wellness. Every time you make a cut, at least two more branches will develop below. Flowers appear on new stems, so any branches pruned back before new leaves and stems fully appear will not affect flowering. 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Best done only in mild winter climates, such as in U.S. of. Determine whether you want smaller, more numerous blooms or larger, blooms! A lollipop →, Fine gardening Magazine ; pruning hydrangeas that set their buds late in fall. Later than old wood most shrubs that flower on new wood generally start blossoming later than wood... Hydrangea, simply cut off ⠓ of the thinner stems, so branches... To within 18″-24″ above grade best done only in mild winter climates, such in... Are a cultivar with a good sized plant, you may already have a rounded crown atop clear... Of art a ‘ ball on a variety of topics pruning limelight hydrangea including outdoors!