Oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin'

Questions about oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin'

Does oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin' need sun or shade?

Oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day), part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun) and part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning).

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, rich in organic matter, and a good soak in dry spells. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin' grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 9. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late June to late August. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin' be planted?

3½ ft (110 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 4½ ft (130 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 3½ ft (100 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin' plants do I need?

At 3½ ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 1 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 3 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 3 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as one, planted singly: it is the bed's structure, and everything else is arranged around it.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin' poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: mild toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. Leaves and buds can cause vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten.

Rated from NC State Extension and the ASPCA. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin'?

These come closest to doing what oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin' does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Summersweet 'Hummingbird': the same job in a bed and the same colour; 8 in narrower, flowers mid July to mid August.
• Dwarf fothergilla: the same job in a bed and the same colour; 8 in narrower, flowers late April to mid May.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin'?

They may. NC State does not list it as resistant to deer or rabbits. Where they visit, protect it, or plant it among ones they avoid.

What flowers after oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin'?

Oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin' is over by late August. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Garden chrysanthemum: from mid September to late October, 24 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Japanese anemone: from mid August to early October, 3 ft tall.
• Sedum 'Autumn Joy': from mid August to mid October, 24 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.

What does oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin' look like in winter?

Oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin' drops its leaves and stands as bare branches. That is when to see its shape, and to prune it if it needs pruning.

Is oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin' good for bees and butterflies?

Oakleaf hydrangea 'Munchkin' is visited by pollinators, butterflies and songbirds.

It is native to the United States (this is a named variety of the native plant).