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The Snow Queen Oakleaf Hydrangea features showy, elongated flower clusters up to 12 inches long on sturdy stems that won't bend even in soaking rain. The flowers start out white and gradually turn to a beautiful pinkish-purple color as they age. As with other oakleaf hydrangeas, the leaves of Snow Queen are deeply lobed, resembling the shape of an oak leaf, but the overall shrub is smaller than the species growing only 5 to 6 feet tall and wide. The large leaves (up to 8 inches long) are a deep green during the season turning to spectacular shades of purple, maroon-red, and bronze during the fall. Exfoliating bark provides winter interest in the garden.

Growing in a mound 5 to 6 feet tall and maybe a little wider, the Snow Queen Hydrangea is an excellent selection for smaller garden spaces where larger oakleaf hydrangeas won't fit. In larger landscape spaces it is ideal for use as a specimen, grouped in clusters, or as an attractive, colorful hedge that provides year round color and interest. It is right at home in partly shaded woodland borders or cottage and cut flower gardens. Also a nice addition to white color themed gardens and tropical-look gardens.

Suggested Spacing:  4.5 to 5 feet apart for solid hedge;  10 feet or more apart for space between plants

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Cold Hardiness Zone 5a, where this Hydrangea is not reliably winter hardy, you'll be happy to know that it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and place back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Snow Queen Oakleaf Hydrangea is easy to grow and resistant to pests and diseases. It thrives in any location from full sun to deep shade in moist, rich, well-drained soil. In hotter climates of the South some afternoon shade or lightly filtered sun is recommended.

Note:  Oakleaf hydrangeas typically require little to no pruning. They are best left alone. That said they can be pruned to remove a stray branch or to reduce size. Snow Queen is a Hydrangea quercifolia (oakleaf) species that produces its flowers from buds that formed on "old wood" (during the previous year).