Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is an upright, broad-rounded, suckering, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub. In the wild oakleafs may grow 20 feet tall, but popular landscape cultivars typically grow 4-8 feet) tall. It is a wonderful shrub with multi-season interest. This Southeastern U.S. native shrub tolerates hot, humid weather and is not as winter hardy as some other popular hydrangea species (USDA hardiness zones 5-9).

In the 6-10 feet range:

‘Snow Queen’ flourishes with 4- to 12- inch-long creamy white double floral panicles in early summer that finish with a pinkish tint 6-8 weeks later in cooler northerly climes. Its red to burgundy fall leaf color is exceptional.

‘Snowflake’ is a popular standout for its double white panicles mostly showy sterile flowers. Shrub grows 5-8 feet tall and as wide and blooms in June for 6-8 weeks, gradually fading to pink and later to brown in late summer. Distinctive, deeply lobed, deep green oak-like leaves measure 8-inch long and are coarse textured.

‘Alice’, the largest of the three, struts 10- to 14-inch white-then-rose flowers. Alice was introduced by Dr. Michael Dirr. The shrub averages 6 to 8 feet in height but can reach 12 feet tall and wide in the South.

In the 3-6 feet range:

‘Pee Wee’ produces white flowers that turn pink in autumn. Shrub grows 4 feet high and 3 feet wide. White spring flowers fade to pink in early fall; its oak-leaf like foliage stays deep green through summer and turns bright red in early autumn.

‘Sike’s Dwarf’ is a dwarf mounded cultivar that matures to only 2-3 feet tall and to 3-4 feet wide. Its leaves and flower panicles are smaller. Elongated, conical white flower panicles (to 3-4″ long) of showy, mostly sterile, white flowers and gradually fade to light pink and then turn brown by late summer Its deep green, oak-like leaves (to 5” long) turn attractive shades of bronze, maroon and purple in autumn.

‘Ruby Slippers’ is a U.S. National Arboretum release. ‘Pee Wee’ is one of its parents. Large flower clusters emerge white, turn light pink, and mature to ruby red. Leaves turn deep mahogany red in fall. It typically grows 3-4 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide.

‘Munchkin’, another U.S. National Arboretum introduction, grows compact to 3 to 4 ½ feet tall and wide with rounded form and dark green leaves that turn deep burgundy in fall. Large clusters of white flowers stand upright above the leaves and later age to pink.

Gatsby Gal® is a semi-dwarf oakleaf hydrangea that grows 5-6 feet tall and wide. Its green, oak-shaped foliage and large fragrant blooms in summer, outstanding fall color.

Gatsby Pink^® grows 6-8 feet tall and boasts big, showy blooms that quickly transform from pure white to pink.

‘Little Honey’ is a petite grower with green-yellow leaves and snow-white cone-shaped flowers. Flowers are secondary to its standout chartreuse foliage. It grows 3-4 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide and performs best in full sun in northerly areas and in partial sun to partial shade in the mid-South. The aging flowers turn crimson at early autumn.