Hydrangea arborescens
Smooth hydrangea (hydrangea arborescens) flowers on this year’s wood. The buds grow again every spring so you need to prune a hydrangea arborescens (the smooth hydrangea) in March, as soon as there is no longer any chance of frost.
The flowers on a smooth hydrangea are pretty and decorative in the winter too. They dry nicely and stay looking good in your garden all through winter. Smooth hydrangea can also be pruned lightly before the start of winter but don’t cut back further than to 60 cm – in order to prevent frost damage to the plant.
When all chance of further frost has passed, you can prune your smooth hydrangea properly. If you cut hard back, the flowers will get even bigger. Young hydrangea bushes are best cut back to just 20 cm above the ground. Larger and somewhat older plants can be cut back to 40 cm above ground.
Smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) is also called sevenbark.
