This hydrangea is four years old. for the past three years it has gotten really heavy and I need to stake it which I don’t want to do. I prune it heavily in the spring to about 3 – 4 feet. should I prune it more or less.
Thank you.
Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners with your question.
According to the Limelight Hydrangeas’ breeder: “To prune the Limelight Hydrangea, simply cut off ⅓ of the total height of the shrub. Prune your Limelight in late winter or early spring, before new growth emerges. Because this shrub blooms on new wood, you do not want to potentially cut off any flower buds for the upcoming season. You can also trim off any dead or sick branches during the year as needed. Pruning this shrub helps the plant grow a strong base with upright branches that are strong enough to hold all of the large flower heads. It also encourages the plant to put more energy towards growing flowers that flourish from June to September.”
For more information and references:
- https://plantaddicts.com/limelight-hydrangea/
- https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c313
- https://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/paniculata.html
- https://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/index.html