©2020 Walter Reeves / The Simple Gardener, Inc. All Rights Reserved. But those larger-than-life flowers can be a hydrangea’s downfall, literally. Panicle hydrangeas are unique in that they are the only type of hydrangeas that can be pruned into a tree-form. It takes a few seasons of careful pruning and training to create them, so they cost quite a bit more than a regular shrub-form panicle hydrangea. How do I prune … However, the wood won’t yet be fully developed and the stems can break under the weight of the blooms. Pee Gee hydrangeas bloom in white in the summer with the flowers aging into hues of pink and remaining on the plant well into fall. It’s is a very large shrub: most cultivars can reach 15 feet (5 m) in height and diameter if you allow them to grow entirely on their own. PG hydrangea 'Limelight' flower Photo: Pixabay. ‘Annabelle’, with its very round balls of white flowers, is the best-known variety. We offer affordable bare root Pee Gee Hydrangea trees and many others bushes, shrubs, and trees shipped at the best time for planting where you live. Once the branches are overgrown, it’s very difficult to prune the shrub back into a proper tree form. In the fall, after the leaves have fallen, surround the plant with a “cage” of chicken wire 1 to 2 feet (30-60 cm) high and fill it with dead leaves. To train as a tree, choose one … Although hydrangea pruning care differs, all hydrangeas can benefit from the removal of dead stems and spent blooms each year. It's already in it's second season and boy it's grown quite a bit and with promises of a load of blooms this season. Once everything is cleared away, select one to three of the most vertical trunks and remove all other vertical stems except them. PeeGee Hydrangeas have light green leaves that turn to yellow over the season, and sometimes even purple. Hydrangea Pruning for the Laidback Gardener 5. In the summer, it forms at the tip of its branches large elongated clusters of white or lime-green flowers, depending on the cultivar, which gradually become pink or even reddish through the fall. In locations where snow cover is abundant and reliable, it may bloom well in zone 4 all on its own, but otherwise, it’s best to consider winter protection. This variety produces cone shaped flower clusters as opposed to the round clusters of most other varieties. Hello everyone, I have a huge and lovely limelight pee gee hydrangea. Pruning to maintain the form, you can use it like a compact flowering tree. Pruning Hydrangea Trees. Grows to be 5.5-6′ tall, and 6-8′ wide. Grandiflora, known among gardeners as Pee Gee Hydrangea, is your best bet for growing a hydrangea tree. If you skip pruning for even one year, the tree top can get so large that the branches bend all the way to the ground! And I don’t offer winter protection, either, because I only grown varieties adapted to my conditions. Pruning hydrangea bushes is not necessary unless the shrubs have become overgrown or unsightly. PeeGee Hydrangea – Pruning Q: I’m having trouble with my hydrangea trees. Fire Light ® is the standard to measure all panicle hydrangeas! This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Hydrangea paniculata is one of the most cold-hardy species. A hydrangea on a trunk, somewhat like a living lollipop! Produces a showy tree form and white flowers that bloom from summer to fall. You can also prune a hydrangea into a tree shape on your own if you want, but it will take a few years. In many climates, it is therefore wiser to give the cage-filled-with-fall-leaves treatment described above to ensure abundant bloom. General Hydrangea Pruning Instructions & Deadheading Tips. This hydrangea is a near twin of the bigleaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla), but with thinner stems and smaller leaves. This is one of the largest hydrangeas. Paniculata hydrangeas are the only hydrangeas that can be pruned into a tree-form. Hydrangea trees, also known as standards or tree-form, are specially trained by growers to take on that unique form. New growth coming from those buds will leaf out and flower in August. Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora Typical heights are 8′ – 10′. Pruning Hydrangeas That Bloom on New Growth There are many ways to prune ‘Pee Gee’ hydrangeas. The Name: The Peegee hydrangea is a cultivar of the species Hydrangea paniculata. This guy’s three videos seem to make a lot of sense: Browse and purchase gardening books by Walter Reeves, plus select titles by other authors. And even if you don’t deadhead, note that the faded flowers will fall off all on their own when the plant begins to grow in the spring. This variety produces cone shaped flower clusters as opposed to the round clusters of most other varieties. ... Pee Gee hydrangea, H. paniculata. With this shrub, pruning reduces the number of blooms, but gives larger flower clusters. This past spring I pruned them down to practically nothing.They continue to grow massive flowers, causing branches to sag and break. To do this the first thing you need to do is clean up any of the shoots that are coming out of the ground. You hear all sorts of advice: spring, fall, after they bloom, not at all, etc. However, there are examples when these hydrangeas reached a height of 20 or even 25 feet. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage. Some encourage them to become small trees by removing deadwood and annually removing a third of the smaller lateral branches from the ground up. Pruning a hydrangea each year to just above a strong, outward-facing bud that is 18 to 24 inches off the ground gives the shrub's base a chance to mature and become woody so it … This past spring I pruned them down to practically nothing.They continue to grow massive flowers, causing branches to sag and break. The resulting stems will be thicker and the flower clusters smaller, giving a stronger plant not so prone to flopping. A desirable trait of all paniculatas is their tolerance for pruning. PeeGee Hydrangea – Pruning. Peegee hydrangea is the short form of its scientific name. And in fact, when you prune varies, depending especially on the species you’re growing. The branches sag too much. One cultivar, Hydrangea paniculata 'Grandiflora'--also commonly know as 'Pee Gee'--has a sturdy enough branch architecture and hearty growth habit to be suited to pruning into a standard tree. ... Pee Gee hydrangea, H. paniculata. Panicle Hydrangeas (H. paniculata) The hydrangeas grown most often in New England gardens are the panicle-types, since they are not only beautiful, but also very hardy, surviving Zone 3 winters with no problems. Autumn blooms turn pale green and pink. Pruning a pee gee hydrangea. In fact, ‘P’ stands for paniculata and ‘G’ stands for grandiflora. Apr 6, 2014 - Fall`s almost here. Check your hardiness zone, as hydrangea trees thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 8a. Video of the Day There are many ways to prune ‘Pee Gee’ hydrangeas. A fairly easy to grow hydrangea and one with a little difference is Hydrangea paniculata. Many gardeners think 'PeeGee' hydrangea is more attractive when pruned to tree form. Pee Gee hydrangea, H. paniculata. Pruning a pee gee hydrangea. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is … PeeGee hydrangea tree pruning should be done in late winter or early spring before growth has resumed. The process of training a panicle hydrangea into a tree starts when the shrub is young. However, this gives very large flower heads that tend to flop. The paniculata is the ONLY hydrangea that can be pruned into a tree form. Pruning Hydrangeas: A Simple Guide. Large white blooms throughout. The branches sag too much. How do I … In very old and declining hydrangeas, hard renewal pruning may be needed. Pee Gee Hydrangea (H. paniculata), also known as Panicle, usually flowers on the current season’s … Pictures of Hydrangea Varieties; Pee Gee Hydrangea Characteristic. One can prune them at any time except when they begin forming bloom heads in the summer. Hardy to zone 4. Hello everyone, I have a huge and lovely limelight pee gee hydrangea. It takes several decades for Pee Gee to achieve such a large size. He thinks I should trim it, but I'm afraid I will cut of next years blooms. Plant in full-part sun. Learn more about Monrovia plants and best practices for best possible plant performance. It’s best to try it in partial shade in rich, deep soil and in a sheltered spot protected from winter winds. Since these plants bloom on new growth, you’ll want to prune branches at the correct time. Along with pruning, properly watering your hydrangeas is crucial to helping them look their best. Pee Gee is a large shrub averaging six to eight feet tall, with some getting up to 20 feet tall and 20 feet wide if left wild. If you want to keep the shrub more compact, prune back severely in early spring. A: PeeGee hydrangea, Hydrangea panniculata ‘Grandiflora’, is often seen trained to be a small tree. I have had a pee gee hydrangea tree for only one season. Producing a hydrangea tree is time-consuming and adds greatly to the cost of the plant, so it’s quite a pricey item. A little hardier than its cousin, it is theoretically winter-hardy to zone 5. A hydrangea tree is in fact a panicled or PG hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) specially pruned to take on a treelike shape. Native to the North American woodlands, it is… With thoughtful pruning, it can be an attractive specimen as a shrub or a tree. In colder climates, these hydrangeas require very careful pruning, mainly consisting of removing dead wood in the spring, at snowmelt. With some pruning and proper care, it can grow up to 25 feet tall! Take heed, as pruning at the wrong time will risk a bloomless season. Thrives in partly sunny areas, and requires semi-moist soil for healthy plant growth. Aug 25, 2017 - Hydrangea paniculata “Grandiflora” is commonly known as Pee Gee Hydrangea. Remove broken stems as they occur to keep the plant healthy. Hydrangea paniculata is one of the most cold-hardy species. Only after you remove the mulch and the plant begins to grow should you consider pruning… and even then, remove only dead wood! Remove only winter-damaged branches and any that wander where you don’t want. This hydrangea suffers not only from winter cold, but also spring frosts. It has brittle stems that may break under the load of white blossoms in windy weather or under heavy snow. If you have older plants that aren’t blooming well, you can cut up to a third of the stems off at the base in late summer to encourage new growth. And I don’t offer winter protection, either, because I only grown varieties adapted to my conditions. Even when it breezes through winter with no damage, it tends to sprout almost immediately in spring, leaving the growing flower buds subject to late frosts. We’ve had a few cold spells in the past few weeks and some places have even had frost warnings. This is usually done by the grower or nursery, rather than by the home gardener – you can buy tree-form shrubs from the nursery. 4. How to Keep Hydrangeas From Flopping Over. Monrovia's Pee Wee Oak Leaf Hydrangea details and information. if you prune your hydrangea at the wrong time of year, you could cut into next season's blooms. Native smooth hydrangea. It'll reach up to 12' tall. 'Pee Wee' is an oakleaf hydrangea cultivar which is most noted for its compact size (typically grows to 3-4' tall and 3' wide). Even deadheading can harm the delicate flower buds that form just below the old flower head, so if you do prune after the flowers fade, make sure to prune just above a pair of healthy buds. Pee Gee Hydrangea 'Grandiflora' (Hydrangea paniculata) Join the Club to Manage Your Garden Plant Details; Basic Care Instructions ... Pruning Instructions. Like other hydrangea plants, pruning will be necessary to promote bloom and maintain shape. It'll reach up to 12' tall. Q: I’m having trouble with my hydrangea trees. If yours is overgrown and unpruned, follow these steps: 1. If one is attempting to grow a paniculata as a tree, the developing trunk and main top branches should not be removed. One of the oldest and most reliable favorites is ‘Grandiflora’, also known as Pee Gee hydrangea. By George Weigel/The Patriot-News Q: I bought a "tree" hydrangea that's about 4 feet tall and pruned to one main trunk with branches coming out all around the top. One of the many reasons I love hydrangeas is that they look good year-round (for a related post on year-round color, click here).Right now, their autumn colors are a highlight. It can reach 25 feet high. It is still a great variety in colder climates where other hydrangeas just can't grow. I can be hard to grow in colder areas (north of zone 6) because of its limited hardiness. HOW TO PRUNE PEE GEE HYDRANGEA AT ITS BEST When you are prepared, sort out where your plant begins to stretch out, where it takes on that umbrella overhang shape. This will give you a shrub about 5 to 6 feet (1.5-2 m) high with a decent amount of intermediate size panicles on stronger branches. How to Prune a Hydrangea Paniculata 'Limelight' into a Tree Form. Willmar, MN. H. paniculata grandiflora or “Pee Gee Hydrangea Hydrangea paniculata – Information and Care. The white flowers are changing to shades of pink and peach Even a day or two without water during the heat of summer can affect them, so be sure the soil they're in doesn't have a chance to dry out. I just let them grow, that’s all. Some people refer to panicle hydrangeas as “pee gee” (or “peegee,” or “pg”) hydrangeas. Photo: University of Connecticut Plant Database. Fruits and Vegetables. 2. Hydrangea pruning guidelines. Thanks for your advise, Judy Life is so much easier that way. It is an upright, deciduous shrub with a rounded habit. If one is attempting to grow a paniculata as a tree, the developing trunk and main top branches should not be removed. Now I can see that one side is longer than the other. Question by krhallstrom October 12, 2000. It can be spectacular when blooming in early August. It is a vigorous, upright, rapidly growing deciduous shrub and can easily be pruned or … 15 years ago. Here is a summary: These hydrangeas bloom on new growth that is produced in the spring. You'll get the best blooms in full sun, although it may require a little afternoon shade in zones 8-9. Not all hydrangeas are pruned at the same time, so it's important to know what variety you have before you go outside with those pruning shears. I want to harvest all of the blooms-probably close to 75--(now bronze in color)from my peegee hydrangea tree for drying. ‘Grandiflora’ is a fast-growing shrub that can reach 25 feet tall. If you notice that your hydrangea is wilting, give it a good soaking and it should perk back up quickly. Both mophead and lacecap hydrangeas are considered bigleaf or macrophylla hydrangeas, so they can be pruned right after flowering by cutting back the flowering shoots to the next bud. Once in spring is enough. ianna. If you do need to perform heavy pruning, perhaps on an older specimen that has outgrown its allotted space over time, the best time to do so is in summer, immediately after flowering. Paniculatas often get very large. A lot of the information above smacks of hard work, so you might wonder what I do myself, as a laidback gardener, when it comes to pruning hydrangeas. Any pruning is merely done to limit size or for aesthetic shaping by removing stray, broken, dead or crossing branches. Pruning hydrangeas can help them retain a pretty shape and produce beautiful blooms year after year. This shrub is easily recognized by its globes or domes of white flowers (there are now a few pink-blooming cultivars as well) which bloom at the tip of the stems starting in the middle of summer. On each small limb coming from the trunk(s) make a cut just beyond the first pair of buds. Pee Gee Hydrangea and Limelight Hydrangea Pee Gee has a bigger size. These hydrangeas bloom from branches produced the previous year, although some cultivars bloom also bloom to a certain degree on new wood, giving a second flush of bloom. 3. Hydrangea Pruning for the Laidback Gardener. http://www.landdesigns.com/blog/ - Newtown CT Garden MaintenanceThis video shows how to dormant prune the Panicle Hydrangea or Hydrangea paniclula. Pee Gee is bigger than Limelight. These will be the trunk(s) of the new tree. For very even bloom, giving branches all the same length, cut the plant down to 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm) in early spring or late fall. It is one of the hardiest hydrangeas … This past spring I pruned them down to practically nothing.They continue to grow massive flowers, causing branches to sag and break. back to top. See below some pictures of the pee gee hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) in the Front Border during all four seasons. A lot of the information above smacks of hard work, so you might wonder what I do myself, as a laidback gardener, when it comes to pruning hydrangeas. 'PeeGee' hydrangea is best suited to the far corners of a landscape or in mixed shrub borders. There’s a lot of confusion about when to prune hydrangeas. We developed this easy-to-grow, reliable panicle hydrangea in Michigan, selecting it for its huge, full flower heads and sturdy, strong stems. Oakleaf Hydrangea (H. quercifolia), zone 5. The mulch will keep the soil cold longer, delaying sprouting… and thus protecting the future flowers. By then, the thought you need to remember is that you are shortening the branches and you are doing that by roughly a few arrangements of hubs. Prune old wood in late winter or early spring. There are five species of hydrangeas, each with its own requirements. When you’re pruning the old branches off of a PeeGee, snip it above the little bump, that is the ‘bud’ on the branch, and this is where the new growth and new branch will sprout out. The branches sag too much. In very old and declining hydrangeas, hard renewal pruning may be needed. One cultivar, Hydrangea paniculata 'Grandiflora'--also commonly know as 'Pee Gee'--has a sturdy enough branch architecture and hearty growth habit to be suited to pruning into a standard tree. Pruning Hydrangea Trees. 8 … Any ideas how to maintain a nice shape? Regular Pruning Is Required PeeGee Hydrangeas Hydrangea paniculata Paniculata hydrangeas, commonly known as PeeGee hydrangeas, are sought after for their large, unique shaped blooms that will grow and bloom in a wide variety of climates & do best in the sun. It blooms throughout the summer on new wood or stem growth, so it is best to prune it during the winter or very early spring before it begins growing again. Paniculata hydrangeas are the only hydrangeas that can be pruned into a tree-form. There is a lot of grace in pruning a PeeGee hydrangea… They really want to live, and by pruning it, the energy they have to live will be even more concentrated on what you left them to put it into. Pee Gee Hydrangea Tree-pruning - Knowledgebase Question. Pee Gee Hydrangea is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. If you do need to perform heavy pruning, perhaps on an older specimen that has outgrown its allotted space over time, the best time to do so is in summer, immediately after flowering. Climbing Hydrangea (H. anomala petiolaris), zone 4. Pictures of Hydrangea Varieties; Pee Gee Hydrangea Characteristic. Leave this leaf mulch in place until there is no longer any risk of frost: until late May or even early June in most colder climates. Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora They can be left unpruned indefinitely, except to remove damaged or dead branches as they appear. PeeGee hydrangea tree flowering shrub is ideal as an accent, creating visual interest in your landscape. Cut back small limbs on your main trunk(s) to the first pair of buds. A good compromise is cut it back annually back to about 3 feet (1 m) (still in early spring). If this happens under your conditions, a lighter pruning many help, removing only the top 6 inches (15 cm) of the plant. Tardiva hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata Tardiva) is a panicle hydrangea hybrid that grows to about 12 feet (3.7 m) tall. Therefore they can be pruned in late fall, after they finish blooming, or in early spring. Bothers the heck out of DH, who likes everything to "even up." Also called French hydrangea, mophead hydrangea (those with rounded flower clusters) or lacecap hydrangea (those with dome-shaped flower clusters), this hydrangea is renowned for flowers that can be blue in acid soils and pink in alkaline ones. Pruning may be needed to remove dead branches, encourage bushier growth, promote more flowers, or maintain a specific size or shape. And there you go! ‘Grandiflora’ is a fast-growing shrub that can reach 25 feet tall. The peegee's white blooms will turn pink, and before the blooms fade in September they will turn a lovely bronze. 3. Hydrangea Pruning for the Laidback Gardener. Originally from the Orient, this is one of the largest hydrangeas. Planting. Pee Gee is a large shrub averaging six to eight feet tall, with some getting up to 20 feet tall and 20 feet wide if left wild. It’s technically autumn now which means, I know, don’t say it, winter is closing in. When you are ready to prune your pee gee hydrangea, bear in mind that these hydrangeas produce blooms on new wood so you need to prune it in the early spring before that new wood starts to develop upcoming buds. This makes the tree form panicle hydrangea more high maintenance than other hydrangeas … Pruning to maintain the form, you can use it like a compact flowering tree. What’s a pee gee hydrangea? Panicle hydrangeas (h. paniculata), also known as Pee Gee hydrangea, are the most sun tolerant hydrangea; they can take full sun in our climate.They bloom on new wood, therefore pruning should be done in early spring (about one-third of their total height) to ensure new growth develops. It can reach 25 feet high. However, since their dried flowers remain attractive all winter, it makes sense to prune them in early spring, just after snowmelt, rather than in the fall. Decide how tall you want your bush/tree to be when it blooms. After all, why prune off several month’s worth of beauty? Pee Gee Hydrangea will grow to be about 10 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. If you prune it down to 6 inches/15 cm from the ground, by late summer you’ll get a compact plant about 3 to 4 feet (about 1 m) with extra-large panicles, although only a few of them. The answer is simple: I don’t prune them at all. This hydrangea needs little pruning, except to remove any dead or damaged branches, including those damaged by winter cold. Since you’ll get 3′ of new growth each year, cut the height of the bush down to three feet below where you want the top to be. It is also referred to as PG hydrangea or tree hydrangea. The full name of the cultivar is Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora. The name gives it away, yes the flowers are held in large cone like panicles rather than … If you never prune them at all, or simply limit your pruning to deadheading (removing the faded flowers), they’ll still bloom well. Your hydrangea will remain about the same size and will flower reliably. The answer is simple: I don’t prune them at all. After ten years of growing, it reaches about 10 feet in height, with a width of 8 feet. Before you plant, set yourself up for success. Even so, its tender flower buds remain susceptible to damage from late frosts. Pee Gee hydrangeas bloom in white in the summer with the flowers aging into hues of pink and remaining on the plant well into fall. Choose a full-sun to part-shade location. Blooms emerge creamy-white and age to a vivid red for lots of summer color. The best time to prune is December-February. Note that pruning is never obligatory for these species. Bigleaf Hydrangea (H. macrophylla), zone 6b. You can safely remove spent blooms anytime. This hydrangea produces elongated clusters (panicles) of white flowers that turn increasingly pinker as fall advances. 15 years ago. It is a vigorous grower and can reach up to 25 feet tall but can be pruned shorter to maintain a better shape. Q: I’m having trouble with my hydrangea trees. You'll get the best blooms in full sun, although it may require a little afternoon shade in zones 8-9. This hydrangea needs little pruning, except to remove any dead or damaged branches, including those damaged by winter cold. Nov 19, 2014 - Arborday.org Tree Nursery. It bloomed well, but got heavy and drooped. Some encourage them to become small trees by removing deadwood and annually removing a third of the smaller lateral branches from the ground up. PeeGee Hydrangea – Pruning. Each winter thereafter, remove sprouts at the base of the tree. By George Weigel/The Patriot-News Q: I bought a "tree" hydrangea that's about 4 feet tall and pruned to one main trunk with branches coming out all around the top. Pruning Hydrangeas That Bloom on New Growth. These are called suckers. This hydrangea is not like the others and rarely needs pruning. To ensure bloom on this somewhat persnickety plant, winter protection is advised anywhere late spring frosts are possible. Peegee hydrangea is a large shrub or small tree from Asia that is best grown in organically rich, moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. 'Pee Wee' differs from the species in that it grows much smaller with smaller leaves and smaller flower panicles, and has a more restrained habit with less frequent suckering. ianna. Large, sometimes giant white flower heads reaching 6 to 18 inches long turn pinkish with age. If you want lots of flowers, prune little or not at all. Peegee hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) is a deciduous shrub that will display masses of big, showy blooms in midsummer after most shrubs have finished blooming for the season. Hydrangea paniculata, commonly called pee gee hydrangeas, do not require pruning. Cut back all of the branches to the ground. https://simpledecoratingtips.com/2015/05/01/tips-to-prune-a-peegee-hydrangea This hydrangea doesn't need a lot of pruning, but a light trim once a year will keep the plant looking neat. However, this term refers to a specific variety – a very old one known as Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’, which was shortened to simply the p in paniculata and the g in Grandiflora.As such, we prefer the more general term for our hydrangeas. Balls of white blossoms in windy weather or under heavy snow ) in the 6 to 10-foot range a size. Cut into next season 's blooms is young you plant, so it pee gee hydrangea pruning s quite pricey. 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