Oakleaf hydrangea 'Pee Wee'

Questions about oakleaf hydrangea 'Pee Wee'

Does oakleaf hydrangea 'Pee Wee' need sun or shade?

Oakleaf hydrangea 'Pee Wee' 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 'Pee Wee' 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 'Pee Wee' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers mid June to early 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 'Pee Wee' be planted?

3 ft (90 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 3½ ft (100 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 'Pee Wee' plants do I need?

At 3 ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 1 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 4 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 4 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 'Pee Wee' 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. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

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

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

• False spirea 'Sem': the same job in a bed, the same flowering time and the same colour; 4 in wider, fine leaves, not bold.
• Summersweet 'Hummingbird': the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; belongs in the middle, not at the back, flowers mid July to mid August.

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 'Pee Wee'?

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 'Pee Wee'?

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

• Japanese anemone: from mid August to early October, 3 ft tall.
• Lilyturf: from early August to mid September, 16 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Hosta 'Guacamole': from early August to late August, 24 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.

What does oakleaf hydrangea 'Pee Wee' look like in winter?

Oakleaf hydrangea 'Pee Wee' 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 'Pee Wee' good for bees and butterflies?

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

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