I have an hydrangea panniculata Tardiva (I believe) which has grown great for several years but was getting too tall for the space. In a moment of insanity "someone" cut it this fall to just a foot above the ground - no leaf nodes present. It is doomed?
Over pruned hydrangea?
Not if all hydrangeas are the same.
I was backing up rapidly from an advancing snake and landed on the hydrangea (it was a direct hit) and broke off almost all of the branchs at varying heights but I don't think nearly 12 inches left on any branch. This was after it bloomed --old dried heads were still on it. This was a few years back and today it is alive and well. When this happened it was right 'crispy' from the cold snaps we had --- so maybe that had something to do with it's survival. Another time my husband wanted to replace the lattice around the deck and he hacked (really hacked) it down and out of his way. Again - no issues. I am not sure what variety we have but is is a mop head type.
It should come back--I think hydrangeas are one of those shrubs that can be cut to the ground and come back. Since it was cut back so severely it's possible it may not bloom this year, although H. paniculata is one of the species that blooms on new wood so it may still be a possibility to get some blooms.
It should bounce back but also you can consider moving it to a space where it has enough room to show off.
Thanks for the information. And, I am doing exactly that - moving it to where it has more space. I just wanted to wait until I had a good
idea it would recover.
My neighbor's friend paid a visit from afar and fell in love with a Tardiva, which she couldn't find locally. Together they hacked the poor thing so it would fit in her suitcase and it's thriving.
When this hydrangea sprouts from the roots, it will be a good opportunity to train it as a STANDARD, if you would like to. Choose the strongest, most vertical sprout and cut off all the others back to the base. That will focus all of the plant's energy on the one shoot which will grow like a weed, possibly up to 5' the first year. It will probably not send out any side shoots from this one leader, but if it does, prune them off. When the shoot gets to the height you want, cut off the growing tip (or wait until next year) and that will encourage lots of side shoots. Leave only those within the top 8" or so of the new "trunk" and it should fill out nicely next year.
If you don't want a standard, I'm confident that you'll have a nice shrub by this summer. They are very tough, and the existing roots will help new shoots grow rapidly.
Either way, it'll be fine.
Thanks again everybody. I just went out and replanted it with
confidence. It will have more room and less competition from one of my cedar trees, which can only be good for it.
I may not train it as a standard - will see how things go, but I appreciate the information regarding how to do it.
Now, I need to find room for my new baby hydrangeas I bought this fall! Luckily, (and intentionally) they are all small varieties.
I ALWAYS prune my Tardiva severly......I was told by the nurserywoman I bought it from they flower better if you do. I would say I cut mine back 80%. I've had it about 6-7 years and each year it grows a little bigger. By the time it flowers, it's about 5 feet tall by 6 feet diameter. I always cringe when I'm hacking it back though.....kim
It is a few weeks later and I see sprouts all over the plant. I am
thrilled it is okay !
Terrific. They are strong plants and take so well to pruning.