When to prune hydrangea, smooth (H. arborescens: Annabelle, Incrediball)
Late winter, while dormant (before buds break). Blooms on new wood; can be cut back hard in late winter. Leaving taller stems gives sturdier stems for heavy heads.
| Type | shrub |
|---|---|
| Blooms on | new wood |
| Bloom season | early-mid summer |
| When to prune | Late winter, while dormant (before buds break) |
| Stop | No heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before your first fall frost |
Avoid
Pruning after new growth is well along.
Example dates
| Place | Dates |
|---|---|
| Austin, TX (78701) | Jan 13–Feb 24 |
| Atlanta, GA (30303) | Jan 27–Mar 10 |
| St. Louis, MO (63101) | Feb 4–Mar 18 |
| Chicago, IL (60614) | Feb 13–Mar 27 |
| Denver, CO (80202) | Mar 5–Apr 16 |
| Seattle, WA (98101) | Jan 16–Feb 27 |
Every ZIP page has its own dates. Find your ZIP.
Find bypass hand pruners: Lowe's · The Home Depot · Amazon · DoMyOwn
Retailer links are plain search links. We don't earn anything from them today; if we join a retailer's affiliate program later, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Sources
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Hydrangea
- University of Georgia Extension: B961: Pruning Ornamental Plants in the Landscape
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Pruning Shrubs
Summarized in our own words from public extension publications.
Never miss a frost: get The Dial
Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
- Soil-temp heads-up
- Weekly yard to-dos
Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.