Gerson's Landscaping

Beds and trees · Framingham, MA

When to prune hydrangeas and shrubs in Massachusetts: a month-by-month list

Most hydrangeas that won't bloom were cut at the wrong time. UMass Extension has the timing for each type. Here it is, with the shrubs most Framingham yards have.

By Gerson's Landscaping · Updated · 2 min read

The short answer

  • Bigleaf and oakleaf hydrangeas: prune right after they bloom in summer. Cutting them in fall or spring removes next year's flowers.
  • Panicle and smooth hydrangeas: prune in late winter or early spring, before the leaves come out.
  • UMass says don't prune shrubs after mid-August, because new growth won't harden before winter.

Hydrangeas, type by type

UMass Extension sorts hydrangeas by when they set flower buds. Find your type, then the month.

  • Bigleaf (the blue or pink mopheads common in eastern Massachusetts): right after bloom, in summer. Trim winter-damaged stems in late spring, after leaf-out.
  • Oakleaf: right after bloom, in summer.
  • Panicle (such as the cone-shaped white ones): late winter or early spring, before leaf-out.
  • Smooth: late winter or early spring. It can be cut back to 6 to 12 inches above the ground.
  • Climbing: usually only to remove damaged wood.

Other shrubs, by season

  • Late February or March: shrubs that bloom in summer, such as butterfly bush, rose of sharon and hybrid tea roses.
  • Right after flowering: spring bloomers, such as forsythia, lilac, rhododendron, andromeda, viburnum and mock orange.
  • Never after mid-August.

The one-third rule for old shrubs

An overgrown shrub doesn't need to be cut to a stump. UMass suggests taking out one third of the old wood the first year, half of what is left the second year, and the rest in the third year.

Why hydrangeas don't bloom

UMass names three reasons: too much shade, pruning at the wrong time, and winter or frost damage to the buds, which is common with bigleaf hydrangeas.

Before cutting a bigleaf hydrangea in spring, wait for leaves. Green buds tell you which stems are alive.

Gerson's Landscaping is a landscaping business based in Framingham, Massachusetts, owned by Gerson E. Paniagua, offering lawn care, clean-ups, mulching, snow removal, stone walls and bluestone patios. Gerson speaks English and Spanish.

Sources

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