Home Gardening

Native plants may be most outstanding
Mississippi Gardens Newspaper and Web Column - May 12, 2003

It's great to live in Mississippi where each day is an opportunity to see outstanding plants in bloom or displaying attractive foliage. In Mississippi gardens and landscapes we are happy to use exotic plants from tropical climates or even woody ornamental trees and shrubs from the Far East (i.e. evergreen azaleas). Many of these plants were brought to us by adventuresome horticulturists or given by generous gardeners from other continents. However, when all is said and done, some of our most beautiful, versatile, durable and trouble free plants are native Southern plants like the magnificent oak leaf hydrangea.

If you're looking for something special to add to your landscape, consider a plant that has "unique" and "fabulous" written all over it. The oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) has been well known for its beautiful creamy white flower panicles and superb fall color ever since William Bartram introduced it to us in 1803. Since then it has become a very popular landscape shrub from the South to the Midwest.

Oakleaf hydrangea is so called because of the oak-like appearance of the sizable dark green leaves that are unique in appearance all summer. With the onset of autumn, the leaves get even more interesting as they turn to shades of red, orange-brown and purple. They eventually fall from the plant exposing stems with exfoliating bark. Depending on the cultivar you select, the flower panicles, which appear in early summer, could be 12 to 15 inches long and several inches wide. They are simply gorgeous and remain attractive into late summer and fall as they fade to purplish pink and then finally to brown.

Oakleaf hydrangea can tolerate a wide range of soil types, but does not like wet, poorly drained soils. It is best used in combination with evergreen shrubs in the shrub border or en masse for special effect. I have also seen it used very nicely as a specimen shrub. Oakleaf hydrangea may be planted in full to part shade. It prefers fertile, well-drained, acidic soil and partial shade as opposed to hot, dry locations.

Garden centers in Mississippi usually have oakleaf hydrangea in their inventory during spring to early summer until stocks run out. Seedling types are very good but improved cultivars are also available. Some to look for include 'Alice', a huge specimen that may grow 12' high and as wide with large flowers. 'Dayspring', 'Snowflake' and 'Snowqueen' are selections that have earned the Mississippi Medallion Award for outstanding color, size and performance. 'Pee Wee' is a smaller, more compact version that may only reach 2 or 3 feet in height and width. It is a better choice where space is limited.

Native plants, like oakleaf hydrangea, have earned a place in the landscape not just because they were here first but also because they are some of the most outstanding plants for Mississippi Gardens.

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These archived columns were written by Kerry Johnson, a hobby gardener, former weekly newspaper columnist and an Area Extension Horticulture Agent for 11 coastal counties in Mississippi.