woodland shrub

Oakleaf hydrangea

Hydrangea quercifolia

Also known as Oak-leaf Hydrangea

Native to Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi

Florida Panhandle and Georgia to Louisiana

Light Full shade Sun tolerance
Moisture Moist Moisture preference
Zones 6–9 Cold to heat range
Bloom May–Jun Flowering time
Height up to 12 ft to 3.7 m
Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial

Full details, see below

In the garden

A woodland shrub for full shade and evenly moist soil. Its white flowers peak in May. At up to 12 ft, it needs room in shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 6–9.

Growing conditions

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

When it blooms

The Oakleaf hydrangea's white flowers bloom May to June, peaking in May. This early-spring ephemeral draws bees and beetles.

Oakleaf hydrangea blooms white, green & purpleFoliage

Pollinators & wildlife

Bees Common Eastern Bumble Bee

also Western Honey Bee, Eastern Carpenter Bee, Brown-belted Bumble Bee +3 more
Two-spotted Bumble Bee, Pure Green Sweat bee, Brown-winged Striped Sweat Bee
Beetles Margined Leatherwing Beetle

also Banded Longhorn Beetle, Strangalepta Flower Longhorn Beetle, Yellow-horned Flower Longhorn Beetle +5 more
Emerald Flower Scarab, Slender Flower Longhorn Beetle, Chestnut Longhorn Beetle, Red-winged Longhorn Beetle, Mournful Long-horned Beetle
Butterflies Silver-spotted Skipper also Red-banded Hairstreak, Milbert's Tortoiseshell, Celastrina ladon
Also visited by
- Flower flies:
  
  Eastern Calligrapher, Oblique Streaktail +1 more
  Thick-legged Hover Fly
- Wasps: Bald-faced Hornet
- Moths: Squash Vine Borer

Butterflies that use this plant

Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat: WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and MississippiUnited States (5): AL, FL, GA, LA, MS. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: Florida Panhandle and Georgia to LouisianaThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Growing conditions

Light: Full shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: MoistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 6–9The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil pH: 4.6–7.5The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
Water use: MediumHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
Salinity tolerance: NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance: MediumHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.

Growth & form

Height: up to 12 ft (to 3.7 m)Typical mature height.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: RapidA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Shape: Semi-ErectIts overall silhouette.
Root depth: 14+ in (36+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.

Flowers, foliage & fruit

Type: ShrubWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom: May–JunWhen it flowers.
Flower color: White, Green, PurpleThe bloom color, or colors.
Fruit/Seeds: ripens Jan–DecThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
Toxicity: None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.

Propagation & seed

Cold stratification: Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
Propagation: Bare root, container, cuttings, seedHow to start new plants.
Seed spread rate: SlowHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
Seedling vigor: MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
Vegetative spread: NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.