How to Prune Mop Head Hydrangeas. They grow very fast as well so if you space them appropriately you can use them to cultivate hedges quickly. The nickname mopheads (H. macrophylla) is descriptive of the shape of their blooms. Florists also make good use of Hydrangeas as potted houseplants. A bush can be trimmed by cutting back stems close to a node. The mophead hydrangeas can grow incredibly tall and incredibly wide. Prune H. macrophylla (Big Leaf, Mophead, Lacecap) in summer or early fall when the blooms are spent. Mophead and Lacecap Hydrangeas should only have light pruning, never cutting more than one-third of the stems every year. And it all starts with determining whether they flower on old or new wood. You’ll find mophead hydrangea care easiest if you plant them in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. Both types require the same growing environment. 5. Share on Facebook; Share on Twitter; Share on Pinterest; Share on Whatsapp; Share on Blogger ; Email to a friend; As a general rule, hydrangeas are best pruned in spring. As mentioned at the start of this article mop-head and lace-cap require minimal pruning as they produce flowers on old wood. Bigleaf Hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla)Even though I’m located in Zone 5, my ‘Endless Summer’ mophead hydrangea—which usually has huge blue blossoms all summer long—was killed to the ground.Luckily, it has the wonderful ability to bloom on both old and new wood, so even though they were a bit later than usual, there were still many blooms. If you’re curious about how to prune hydrangeas, grab your shears and let’s garden! The rounded mophead is composed mostly of ray florets. To print out our handout about pruning lacecap and mophead hydrangeas, click here. How to Prune Hydrangeas in the Fall. Lacecap Hydrangeas and Mophead Hydrangeas are both classified as Hydrangea macrophylla. Remove up to ⅓ of the stems each year. How to Prune Hydrangeas. Big leaf hydrangeas. The Farmers Almanac and many other resources recommend pruning old wood hydrangeas prior to August 1st to be sure you don’t remove forming buds. These shrubs thrive on minimum maintenance as long as they are planted in appropriate sites. Prune in late winter and early spring. One drawback is that different cultivars require different pruning styles and many gardeners don’t know how and when to prune them. Hydrangeas are a very sought after plant, and have been for many years. Q: I prune my mophead hydrangeas religiously every spring, and I never get any flowers!What am I doing wrong? Bigleaf hydrangeas/Hydrangea macrophyla (including the subcategories of mophead, lacecap, and mountain); ... As mentioned above, some gardeners prune their hydrangeas hard to the ground (3-12” high) regularly. When to prune hydrangeas Proper timing for pruning is the key to keeping hydrangeas flowering to their best potential. And in fact, when you prune varies, depending especially on the species you’re growing. Your objective also determines how you prune it. Pruning mophead hydrangeas When Should You Prune Hydrangeas? Mophead hydrangeas are easily identifiable by their, large pink or blue blooms. Many a Christmas display is set off with an arrangement of metallic sprayed seedheads. Most of these bloom on what's called "old wood" — growth from the year before. Prune mophead and lacecap varieties in spring and other varieties in summer. The group is split into two distinct flower types – The Mopheads and the Lacecaps. Simply deadhead in late winter or early spring by cutting last year’s spent flowers off and prune an inch or two down to the next set of healthy buds that should be developing. Which Month should I be Pruning Mophead Hydrangeas? 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