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Re: Oakleaf hydrangea & others

Jennifer,

H. quercifolia (Oakleaf Hydrangea) is a fairly slow grower, but in 7 to 10
years you can expect a shrub about 6 feet tall and as wide.  They tend to
sucker once well established and eventually form a colony if you let them. 
This is one of my very favorite shrubs; the leaves provide interest as they
unfold in spring and as they turn color in fall and the flowers are lovely.
 Their bark exfoliates, which I find interesting in winter, although their
form is very open when not in leaf.  They are rangy shrubs by nature and
really shouldn't be pruned to a 'shape', IMHO.

They prefer partial shade, especially, I should think in Alabama (my Mom
lives in Jacksonville AL, so I know it gets quite hot there) and will grow
in fairly heavy shade, where they may not flower quite as heavily.  

About the only thing that grows under mine are minor bulbs like Scilla,
Puschkinia and such as the hydrangeas cast extremely heavy shade when in
full leaf, and the lower branches sweep the ground.  I would think any of
the ephemeral spring flowering plants that go dormant in early summer would
do fine.  

I'm not so sure about most of the ornamental grasses who really want all
the sun you can give them.  There are some lovely grasses and sedges for
shady positions, like many Carex and Milium effusum 'Aureum'.  Bleeding
Hearts do well next to mine as do Aquilegia, Liriope, Euphorbia
amygdaloides, Digitalis, Pulmonaria, Lamium 'White Nancy', Hedera helix
(Ivy) and various other guys.  But, you don't want to put anything that
needs the least bit of sun or light after their leaf out directly under
them!

As for the Wisteria...keep an eye on it if it's on the ground.  It can
travel long distances while you have your back turned.  If it is growing on
the chainlink fence, I should think that would be attractive, although it
may pull the fence down one day.  I've been growing one up a rail support
on my deck and it has engulfed the support and twisted it ...the trunk is
about 8" in diameter now.   Keep it pruned and if you feel like it, try
training one stem as a standard tree.  You need to stake it very firmly for
a number of years and prune it to form a head, but I've seen it done and
it's quite attractive.	

Hope this helps,

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
http://www.suite101.com/frontpage/frontpage.cfm?topicID=222
Gardening Topic Index for Suite101:
http://www.suite101.com/userfiles/79/gardening.html


----------
> From: McCool, Jennifer <Jennifer.Hoard@HSV.Boeing.com>
> Date: Friday, October 03, 1997 5:42 PM
> 
> I have enjoyed reading the questions and answers for about a month now.
> I have also been very busy reading gardening books and catalogs.
> Recently, my husband and I moved from a sunny yard to a shaded yard
> (many oaks and hickory trees).  We are in zone 7.  We are in the process
> of re-landscaping (hence, all the reading). What my questions are:
> 1)  What is the growth rate of an oakleaf hydrangea?  We are purchasing
> 4-3 gallon shrubs (approx 2-3 ft across) for foundation plantings.
> 2)  While the shrubs are growing, what would make a good companion plant
> (both beside and under the shrubs)?  I was thinking of ornamental
> grasses.
> 3)  How well does spiraea van houtti do in the shade?
> 4)  The previous owners cut down a tree that was growing wisteria in a
> corner of the lot and now the wisteria is everywhere (on the ground,
> chainlink).  Any suggestions as to what to do with it?
> Jennifer, Zone 7, North Alabama

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