Hydrangea quercifolia
Common name: 
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Pronunciation: 
hi-DRAN-je-a kwer-si-FOH-lee-uh
Family: 
Hydrangeaceae
Genus: 
Hydrangea
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Broadleaf deciduous shrub, 4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m), irregular mounds, stoloniferous, exfoliating bark.   Leaves, opposite, lobed (resembling oak or maple leaves), 6-20 cm long, base often truncate or sometimes subcordate, margin serrate, whitish to brownish tomentose on underside, upper surface dark green in summer turning red, orange, purple in the fall and persist.  Young stems and buds brownish tomentose.  Flowers white, in large clusters (outer flowers sterile and inner ones fertile) in early and mid-summer, turn brown in fall and persist.
  • Sun to part shade; best in fertile, moist, well-drained soil, with cool root environment.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 5     Native to Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi.
  • quercifolia: oak (Quercus)-like leaves;   folia, foliage
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: southwest corner of Snell Hall, next to service road.
Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit, flowering

    plant habit, flowering

  • plant habit, flowering

    plant habit, flowering

  • plant habit, flowering

    plant habit, flowering

  • leaves

    leaves

  • leaves and immature flower clusters

    leaves and immature flower clusters

  • flower clusters and leaves

    flower clusters and leaves

  • flowers

    flowers

  • plant habit, with remnant flower clusters

    plant habit, with remnant flower clusters

  • flowers clusters after bloom

    flowers clusters after bloom

  • leaves and flowers, fall

    leaves and flowers, fall

  • bark

    bark