Hydrangea quercifolia (Oak leaved hydrangea)

Hydrangea quercifolia W. Bartram

Hydrangea quercifolia Bartram

Oak leaved hydrangea, oakleaf hydrangea

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Rosales	Rose family and eight others
Family	Hydrangeaceae	Hydrangea family
Genus	Hydrangea	From Greek hydro, “water,” and angeion, “vessel”
Species	quercifolia	“With oak-like leaves”

About plant names...

Oakleaf hydrangea is native to North America.

Identification: Oakleaf hydrangea favors calcium-bearing soils and grows in open hardwood forests. Shrubs are up to 8' (2.4 m) tall, and about the same around. Bark is cinnamon-colored and felt-like, peeling when older. Leaves are dark green, opposite, lobed like oak leaves, longer than they are wide, up to 12" (30 cm) long. In the fall, the leaves are attractively colored, including a deep red-violet. Large (up to 12" (30 cm)) flower clusters contain many cream-colored, white or pinkish flowers. Individual flowers are about 1" (2.5 cm) around. Fruits are small brown capsules. See this Hydrangea comparison table.

By H. Zell.

Online References:

Hydrangea quercifolia at the Ohio State University PLANTFacts database

Hydrangea quercifolia on www.carolinanature.com

Hydrangea quercifolia on plantaddicts.com

Hydrangea quercifolia at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Hydrangea quercifolia at the University of Connecticut Plant Database

6/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
≈ 31 × 21" (78 × 52 cm)

Hydrangea quercifolia description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

8/31/2013 · Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, Virginia
≈ 15 × 10" (37 × 25 cm)

6/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
≈ 3½ × 2½' (1.2 × 0.8 m)

9/14/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
≈ 9 × 14" (23 × 35 cm)

9/14/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
≈ 15 × 16" (37 × 41 cm)

9/14/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
≈ 10 × 15" (26 × 39 cm)

Range: Zones 5-9:

About this map...