{"id":17697,"date":"2026-03-05T10:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T09:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/everpress.everapps.dev\/plant-care\/pruning-hydrangeas\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T10:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T09:30:00","slug":"pruning-hydrangeas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/everpress.everapps.dev\/en\/plant-care\/pruning-hydrangeas\/","title":{"rendered":"Pruning hydrangeas the right way"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pruning hydrangeas the right way<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

The most common reason for a hydrangea without flowers is the wrong cut. Yet the rule is simple once it is clear which group your plant belongs to: some hydrangeas set their buds the previous year, others only in spring on the fresh growth.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Species<\/th>Flowers on<\/th>Pruning<\/th>Timing<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Bigleaf hydrangea<\/td>old wood<\/td>faded flowers only<\/td>March<\/td><\/tr>
Lacecap hydrangea<\/td>old wood<\/td>faded flowers only<\/td>March<\/td><\/tr>
\u201cEndless Summer\u201d<\/td>old and new wood<\/td>moderate<\/td>March<\/td><\/tr>
Panicle hydrangea<\/td>new wood<\/td>hard<\/td>February\u2013March<\/td><\/tr>
Smooth hydrangea<\/td>new wood<\/td>hard<\/td>February\u2013March<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Group 1: bigleaf and lacecap hydrangeas<\/h2>\n\n\n
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These hydrangeas already carry next summer’s flower buds at the shoot tips. Pruning in spring would remove them completely. So in March only the dried flower heads are cut back to the first strong pair of buds, plus frozen and very old shoots close to the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An exception is the hydrangea \u201cEndless Summer\u201d<\/a>: it also flowers on new wood and forgives a harder cut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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\n\n \"Illustration:\n \n
The flower buds sit at the shoot tips.<\/figcaption>\n \n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Group 2: panicle and smooth hydrangeas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These species flower on this year’s wood and tolerate hard pruning \u2013 it even encourages particularly large flowers. In late winter all of last year’s shoots are shortened to two or three pairs of buds. Weak shoots and shoots growing inwards are removed completely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Always cut just above a pair of buds<\/li>\n\n
  • Cut at a slight angle so water runs off<\/li>\n\n
  • Remove old, woody shoots at the base every few years<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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    For clean cuts, sharp bypass shears are the right tool \u2013 they do not crush the shoots and the wounds heal faster.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n