Pruning a Limelight Hydrangea Tree (Hydrangea paniculata) 

Thank you so much for the helpful feedback -- I really appreciate it! And more importantly: I'm glad my video helped you! 👍😃

Glad to help Carrie! 😊 I’m envious that you have five of these - I bet they look gorgeous every Summer into Fall! 💚🌳

I'm so glad to hear it, because that's what pruning should be about: excitement to tidy up our shrubs and trees, knowing there's no way we can screw it up AND how much better the shrubs will look once they grow back for the season! Please keep me posted on how it goes! 👍 😃

You’re welcome! I love the flowers, and what’s great is that I’ll still enjoy those same flowers this Summer, even though the tree is now about 6 feet tall, versus the 10-15 feet height last Summer. And hopefully no more tropical storms either. 🙂

Thanks so much for your feedback Lancelyn! (I tend to fast forward through chit-chat myself, so that's probably why I don't do that in my videos!) 🤐 I'm so glad the video was helpful to you!

I agree with not wasting our time with chit-chat! It is so nice just to get to the topic quickly! I have been finding myself forwarding videos to cut through the fluff and stuff to find the topic listed in the headlines! Not fun!

I'm so happy to read this, Elizabeth! You are 100% correct: no need to be afraid, as it is pretty straight forward. You'll do just fine! 🌸

You're welcome Debra! Glad to help! 👍

My pleasure, as I love to help fellow gardeners -- especially with these Limelights which can feel overwhelming sometimes!

Thank you so much Bonnie! 😊 I love hydrangeas too! Which ones -- varieties -- are you favorites? Or do you love them all like me? I'm partial to my Pinky Winky hydrangeas the most, but now my Fire Light hydrangea is coming in second!

You're welcome Jennifer! I'm glad it's helpful!

And that's just what I needed to hear Andrea! So glad this helped and I hope you enjoy a wonderful season of blooms from your tree!

Oh Cathy, then you know how it felt last Summer when that tropical storm hit. Darn nature! Coincidentally, I'm editing my video on pruning Pinky Winky hydrangeas and hope to have it up in a couple of days!

You're welcome Robin -- and thank you for your feedback too! 😊 You're lucky to get some free Limelights for your own garden. 👍You can grow them into small multi-trunk trees by (over time) removing the lower branches so that the growth is higher. I think multi-trunk Limelight Hydrangea Trees are very pretty -- I'm a huge fan of multi-trunk trees, partly because they can be more stable in storms. But yes, it is also easy to keep them as shrubs too. As for pruning, yes this video works for the shrubs -- and I also have a video on pruning Little Lime Hydrangeas, which are the little brother to Limelight Hydrangeas. The pruning guidelines are exactly the same, so that video may be helpful to you as well. 💚🍃

You're most welcome Salin! Glad I could help, and I appreciate your feedback too! Enjoy your Limelight! 🌿

Whoo-hoo Cathe -- I'm so happy to read this! Thanks so much and if you still have any questions when you're pruning -- just pop back here and ask them!

Thanks Robin! 😊 They are fantastic trees, and once you know how to care for them, it makes it easier. I won’t say “easy” because truly that would jinx things! 😂 I’ve got a “playlist” of several videos about Limelight Hydrangea Trees, so if you ever run into problems, hopefully I’ve got a video to help. Otherwise, feel free to ask if you have a question! 👍🌳

Glad to hear it, and you’re welcome! 🙂

You're most welcome - I'm glad to help! And maybe some of those flowers can come indoors to enjoy as dried arrangements for the Winter season! 👍

I’m so glad, Sue! Enjoy your Limelight Tree! 💚🌿🤍

Thanks Joanna! Glad you enjoyed the video!

Thank you so much Ethel!

I'm so glad to hear this Dolly! I just published a new video on protecting my Limelight flowers (the dried ones still on the tree) from Winter snow. Not sure where you're located, but it might come in handy for you!

I'm so glad it was helpful Heather! Thanks for letting me know -- I appreciate it! 😀💚

I’m so glad Doris! 🍃🙂

You're most welcome Alicia - always glad to help!

Oh I'm so glad Tessa! Thanks for letting me know! 😊

@@GardenSanity yes. I am located in Ontario Canada near Toronto and I have two of these centered in my two front beds. I was never sure what I should do with the spent flowers and now I know I can leave over winter for some nice foliage. Thank you!

Oh the trees sound perfect in your two front yard beds, Tessa! What’s nice is that the dried flowers are so lightweight, so unless there’s a heavy snow to weigh them down, they will be fine on the tree. (Of course mine all blew off in the wind last Winter - the first time that ever happened!) 🤣❄️

You’re welcome! I left you another reply to your other comment on here too. Let me know if it helps or you have other questions.

Thank you Ethel! I appreciate it! 🌱🙂

You're welcome! We're all noobs in a sense, right? Any time I plant a new-to-me plant or shrub, I'm a noob too!

@@GardenSanity Ive worked landscaping, but not the maintenance side, so I've planted plenty. Not sure what happens after though lol.

@@bvyup2112 Sounds like you did the fun side! How many plants and shrubs do you think you've planted over time?

Thanks Dessy!

Thanks Jeromy! I like chapters in videos too, as it saves SO much time, so I try to use them in every video I film. Appreciate your feedback!

You're welcome Carrie! I hear you about wanting a healthy-looking shrub. When you say "a bit wimpy" exactly what are you describing? Is the leaf growth sparse? Not many flowers? In terms of hydrangeas, there are varieties that bloom on old wood -- and if you trim those back at the wrong time, then yes no blooms will appear. But luckily, Limelight Hydrangeas bloom on new wood, so there's no way to mess up with any pruning being done!

​@Garden Sanity For the limelight, the blooms are small. Most of the branches are a bit wispy (Like the one's you trimmed off) and few are thick and strong. That's good to know (about the trimming). It gets full sun, all day. I live in Zone 6.

I think your best bet is to give the Limelight a good pruning in the late Winter or early Spring, just when you see the buds are forming so you can see where to prune. For now? Enjoy the small blooms, be thankful you don’t have any super-large flopping over stems that might break, and if you feel the need to trim off some flowers, go for it! 🌱👍🏼

@@GardenSanity Will do! Thank you so much! Have a great week, Laura!

You too Carrie!

Hi Vikki! Thanks for your feedback -- I really appreciate it! 😊 As for pruning, I know how you're feeling! I've been itching to prune some of my overgrown shrubs and it's very hard to wait. But yes, you should wait until late Winter at the earliest. The tree is resting right now, dormant, so let it sleep for awhile longer before waking it up with a fresh pruning which will invigorate the plant to begin putting out its leaves and new stems. (But I completely know the feeling!!) 😉🌳

Huge apologies for not responding to you right away. When you see those little green buds sprouting where you said - where the trunk begins to first branch out - you can do one of two things. You can either leave them, and they will become new stems and branches over time; or you can remove them if you prefer to not add any new branches to the tree. Sometimes these new stems might appear lower on the main trunk than you'd prefer, so it is OK to remove them without harming the tree. It isn't uncommon to see new buds sprout right out of the main trunk. I get them every year. For the most part, I will leave them, and watch to see how they develop. If they become just a spindly stem by the following year, then I'll just remove them when I do my annual pruning. But if it turns into a nice strong stem, I'll keep it. (And if these buds are lower down on the main trunk, I'll remove those.) I hope this helps, and again my apologies in the long delay.

Hi Madelaine, Does the green growth you’re seeing at the bottom of the tree look like buds? When you pruned your tree, did you make cuts just above a set of nodes which will become buds? Just wondering if you saw any signs of buds at all, which also helps guide you when you’re making your pruning cuts. Limelight trees are hardy and should survive your Winters. How about giving it a good dose of organic fertilizer, and a hefty drink of water, as these hydrangeas like both. Perhaps that will wake it up. If you still don’t see any buds in the next few weeks, perhaps ask the nursery for a replacement. Many garden centers offer guarantees on their trees and shrubs, so fingers crossed. If you want to take some close-up photos of the tree stems and bottom new growth and send to me, I’m happy to take a look. (petscribbles@gmail.com)

Thanks so much Titia! 😊 The Pink Delight next to the Pinky Winky sounds lovely! There's really nothing you can do to encourage more stems from the base to show up any quicker than usual. Pinky Winky are such easy-care shrubs, and the only thing to do is add Holly-tone fertilizer around them in the Spring each year, usually after any pruning. I also add composted cow manure periodically -- not every year -- to my garden beds to improve the soil. Over time, your Pinky Winky will produce more stems from the base, but it can be a study in patience -- especially if this is a newer shrub. But before you know it, you'll have multiple stems. Mine began with just two or three stems in their original pots. And now there's quite a lot of stems. (Planted in 2014 originally.) I have an article about Pinky Winky on my website where you can see how small the original Pinky Winky shrubs were: www.petscribbles.com/how-to-prune-pinky-winky-hydrangeas-the-easy-way/ I hope this helps! 🌸🙂

Hi Linda, I'm really surprised that new buds aren't forming from the lower part of the tree, where you said there seems to be dead stems. Yes, you can prune them now in CT no problem. One great thing about pruning, is it stimulates the tree to begin growing, so hopefully more buds and stems will develop this year. You can send me a photo at petscribbles@gmail.com and I'm happy to take a look for you. 🙂 PS -- My newest video I just published is about older Limelight Hydrangea Tree branches -- and maybe this will help you too. 🤞

than you so much, messaging you now with a photo and I will check out your new video too :)@@GardenSanity

First off - my apologies for this long delay in responding to your question. As for that low branch, yes I would remove it. From time to time, these trees will have new branches start right on the main trunk itself, versus on the main side branches. If these are too low to the ground, I remove them. It won't harm the tree. 👍

Hi Mary, yes definitely stake the main stem of your tree. I think that will help a lot. We staked our tree when we planted it, and only removed the stake this year after almost 10 years. Were you able to prune your tree in the Spring? Cut off the branch that split so that no disease gets into the stem. I had to do an emergency pruning - it’s what I called it - after a tropical storm destroyed our tree a few years ago. Maybe watching that video as well as the other ones I have about the rain-soaked flowers weighing the branches down will help you. Please keep me posted!

Hi Jimmy, sometimes Limelight Trees are slow to break dormancy. If unsure, you can gently scrape the edge of a decent-sized stem. (Avoid trying this with any spindly tiny stems.) You should see some green underneath the stem covering. Or, try pruning a stem that you were going to prune anyway, and see if there is green where you cut the stem. Depending on your gardening zone and what kind of Winter you had, there can be some dieback on your tree, but this shouldn't normally happen unless there was a horrible freeze and your tree was newly planted. These trees are pretty strong. Please keep me posted!

Hi Daniel, yes you can still prune the tree now, despite any mild freezing temps. If you wish to wait, you can also do that, without any worries that you're pruning too late. I hope this helps! And here's to warmer weather! 😀

Huge apologies for not replying to you sooner. The best thing you can do with these trees - if you're not planting them into the ground right away - is to replant them into larger pots where their roots will have room to spread out and grow. (I hope you got a great deal on them, as it sounds like the nursery didn't take great care of them.) Here's what I would do: 1) Mix up some good soil with some bagged composted soil (from garden center or nursery) and fill the pot(s) half way up. Starting with one tree at a time: tilt on its side so you can tease those roots apart. You can use a sharp edged- garden trowel or even closed-up pruners for this purpose. And if they are really a mess, don't be afraid to be gentle. You want to open up those roots, and accidentally cutting a few off in the process is OK. 2) With the roots more spread out, place the tree into the pot to see if you need to add more soil or remove some soil. The "top" of the soil that was in the pot should remain at the top of the new pot. Adjust soil as needed. 3) Sprinkle some Bio-tone into the planting hole and mix it into the dirt a bit. This is food for the roots and helps new plants get established and growing again. 3) Plant the tree into it's new home and water well. 4) Cover the soil with mulch to keep moisture in. 5) Repeat for each tree. And finally, depending upon your growing zone, you can keep these trees either in an unheated garage or very close to your home's foundation (walls) for the Winter season. Just make sure the soil doesn't dry out if you don't get any rain or snow where you live during the Winter. I hope this helps , and again - I am sincerely sorry for the delay in my response.

You’re welcome, Carrol! The only shrub I’ve done that with is a Magnolia Jane which can be easily grown as either a shrub or tree. I know that one can purchase tree forms of Pinky Winky, but I’ve not trained one into a tree myself. I imagine it can be done, but would require diligent removal of buds along the stems that you want to turn into the “trunks.” Being I grow my Pinky Winkies as tall shrubs, I’m partial to how they look covered with flowers from top to bottom. But that’s just me! 🙂 No matter what: you will love how wonderful Pinky Winky Hydrangeas are!

@@GardenSanity the few videos that are out there doesn’t add much information. I thought since you have a great talent of expressing the information it would make a good video. 😃

Hmmm... Do you see any signs of buds “starting” to develop on the tree limbs or stems, such as a slight swelling or even a dot-looking area spaced evenly along the stems? I’d probably need to see some photos to help. If you want to email me some photos or a short video close-up of the stems: petscribbles@gmail.com I’d be happy to take a look.

Sorry your gardener was a bit over eager Diana! Since you live in a zone that doesn't get very cold, no worries about pruning anything now. You can prune -- like you indicated -- either in November or early Spring and all should be well! (Any buds that may grow -- and may possibly be pruned off eventually -- is ok. All flowers come from the new growth, and as you no doubt know, these Limelights love to put out lots of new growth every year!) I hope this helps!

@@GardenSanity Thank you for your help!

You’re very welcome!

Hi Cheryl, yes your Buffalo weather is something with the lake effect snows you receive! (And I'm a bit envious as I used to live in New England and miss snow terribly.) ❄️If I were you, I would definitely prune my Limelight Hydrangea Tree in late Fall -- as late as you can go before snow impacts your ability to get out and do garden chores. I agree that the snows could break your branches, especially with the flowers still on them. Another option for you: trim off all of the flowerheads in late Fall, and then wait until late Winter/early Spring to do the pruning. But -- pruning these trees in late Fall is ok to do. The reason I say "late Fall" rather than during the Fall, is because once late Fall occurs, and the tree has gone dormant, it makes pruning easier in that you don't have to worry that by pruning you will encourage the tree to begin producing new growth. For example, if I pruned my tree now, I would get a ton of new growth shooting out. But that's not what I want when now is the time for the trees to begin their slow descent into slumber for the Winter. Does this help?

I’m in Syracuse area and have same issue.

@@dawnkimball95 Hi Dawn, I just saw this comment, after I replied to your other one. Yes indeed, if you are concerned about the snow you’re bound to get, then sure I would prune in late Fall, as I mentioned above to Cheryl. I hope this helps! ❄️

Hi Ashley, congrats on your new home! I guess the first thing to do is identify what the weird bush actually is! If you want to send me some photos, petscribbles@gmail.com, maybe I can help! 👍

@@GardenSanity thank you! I sent you an email with pictures about the weird plant.

@@chasingtrenton Thanks for letting me know, Ashley -- I'll take a look today!

Not at all Dennis! I do that too on occasion. If you see part "two" of my little series on drooping branches -- you'll see that's exactly what I do. (You can find the 3-part series in my Limelight Hydrangea Tree video playlist here on this channel.) I hope this helps! 🌿🌞

Well, without seeing the tree it is a bit hard to answer. I think it should be ok and new stems will grow out from the main area that’s left. However, it may take a year or two for those stems to get strong and be able to hold the flowerheads up - especially after it rains. When was the pruning done? Recently or last Fall? And what gardening zone are you in?

No worries Ann. You can actually prune some of those drooping branches now, if needed. In fact I just did that to the lowest stems and flowers this week because they were drooping so badly. I have a new video about this that I’m editing and hope to have up by this Friday to help answer your questions. In the meantime, look for my other Limelight Hydrangea Tree videos on this channel, as I go over how to prune them, top heavy issues and more. 🙂

Good question Ilene, and no worries: you won’t impact the blooming cycle at all. The smaller branches won’t really produce anything significant, perhaps a small bloom, so removing those won’t impact the amount of blooms you will have overall. And yes, you will want to remove crossing branches, but just do what I do: hold your breath and just take the leap. :) Seriously, it can be hard sometimes when the branches are two otherwise “good” branches and seem strong. But cut at least one of them off, and both if there’s damage on both. I think we are also a bit worried to see a repeat of what happened to our trees last year. Fingers crossed that Mother Nature will be nicer to us this season!

@@GardenSanity Oh, what a relief!! I am so glad I can go back and cut some more without risk. :) I am literally going out there right now after I send this message off to you. Lol You are so right, it is very hard to cut the strong branches that twist, cross, etc., but it's best for the overall health and shape of the tree so I will do it. Thanks again for great information and with a little luck mother nature will be kinder to our trees this year!

So glad I could help, Ilene! Keep me posted on how yours does this year. 👍🏼

@@GardenSanity You bet...I will definitely keep you posted! :)

Hi Leslie, my initial guess is that your tree is still alive, especially with the new growth appearing at the bottom. I think you can cut that growth off without worrying you are harming the tree. Do you see any buds at all on the stems you cut back? If not, make a small gentle scrape along one of those stems to see if there’s green under the outer layer. Hopefully there is and your tree will be fine. Let me know if you see any buds on your tree. I’m hoping you do. 🙂 I’m going to see if a gardening friend of mine here on RU-vid can leave a comment for you with further ideas as she has a lovely Firelight tree which is similar and is in a colder zone (4-5) more similar to your zone.

Hi Leslie, Before you make a decision, I would gently scratch the bark of a small stem of the canopy and see if the stems are still alive. Any stems/branches still alive on the canopy should be putting out new growth. Perhaps, you could email a photo of the tree to me and I may be able to assess and be of help? tracyhg2020@gmail.com Ps. Moving forward, in zone 3 - I would protect the entire tree with tree guard. Are you in Canada? If you are I can suggest some vendors for you.

Thanks Tracy, for offering Leslie advice! I really appreciate it! ❤️

Hi Liz -- you can prune those buds off the lower parts of the trunk where you don't want new branches to grow. Same with higher up on the trunk, unless your tree could use some new branches in those spots. 👍

Do you have buds that have formed along the tree's branches? You should be seeing those buds as a good sign your tree is alive. If you're not seeing buds, you can take your fingernail or the edge of your pruners and gently scrape the bark to see if there is green underneath. That is also a sign that your tree is still alive. Does this help?

Hi Debra -- no worries. These trees bloom later in the season, so if you're in update NY you might not see flowers yet. I'm in southern NJ and I'm only seeing all leaves as you'll see in my next video coming up. Just to make sure your tree gets a boost, add some fertilizer if you haven't done so already. (I like to use Holly-tone by Espoma, as it's a slow-release organic fertilizer that works all season long.) Please keep me posted!

@@GardenSanity ah! There's hope! Thanks :)

Indeed there is! Keep me posted!

Hi Richard, yes those older branches will still surprisingly produce buds and stems. My lowest and oldest branches -- which look pretty darn old 😂 -- still end up producing plenty of growth each year. As the tree has grown taller over time, I have cut back some of the lowest branches here and there, when they seemed to be producing only spindly stems each year that looked like small twigs. Giving your tree a good pruning will help it kick into producing new buds, but not every branch needs to be pruned, especially it if is a newer tree. How tall is it, and how many branches are currently on it?

@@GardenSanity my tree is about 3.5 or 4 feet tall and there appears to be 3 generations of branches, so 2 generations of branches after the old branches. 2 of those branches got damaged during transit by my contractor so I had to prune them shorter

@@richardlam6885 Those branches that you had to prune shorter will definitely sprout new buds and leaves and stems/branches next year. I wouldn't prune too much since this tree is still small, but you can definitely shape it up in the early Spring. Even on branches not pruned, you'll get new growth. Every year I even get some new stems coming right out directly from the oldest main tree trunk. Keep in mind that next year, your tree will still be young, so you may get some "flopping" of the flowers when they get heavy especially after it rains. As the stems turn into branches and become stronger, the flopping won't be as much. However, watch my little mini-series on my "Limelight Hydrangea Tree" video playlist, where I show what to do in those cases of heavy drooping stems/flowers just so you're prepared. I hope this helps! Please keep me posted next Spring on how this tree is doing! 🙂🌿

Hi Jenny - Are you saying you had 2 Limelight Hydrangea Trees and one didn’t make it, or 2 shrubs and one didn’t make it? Sorry for my confusion. And if one of them didn’t make it, do you mean it died? I wasn’t sure since you mention wanting to turn the tree “back” into a shrub. Had you trained the shrub originally into a tree? Thanks - as this will help me better understand. 👍😀

@@GardenSanity sorry for the confusion. I had 2 trees and one died. I was hoping to be able to prune one tree back to a shrub since they are easier to find, but I actually found a local nursery that has trees. So, I think I will just replace the dead one and prune the old one back next spring. Thanks for the great video. Very helpful.

@JennyGravel Hi Jenny, thanks for explaining. I like what you’ve decided to do! 👍 Replacing the tree now will give it time for the roots to get established. In the Fall, add extra mulch around the base of the trees to help keep moisture in the soil. If rain or snow is severely lacking in Winter - and if it is above freezing in day/night - you can give them a bit of water only if you think they will dry out. Fingers crossed that all will be well. 🤞And keep me posted! 💛😀

Hi Malin, Springtime is the best time to plant these trees, as doing so gives them a long season of opportunity to grow and develop strong roots in your garden before they go dormant for the Winter. You'll find these are commonly sold in the Springtime at garden nurseries for this reason. I hope this helps!

Hi Ethel, I don't have any lilacs currently, so unfortunately there won't be any videos from me on lilacs. I only do videos on the plants I'm personally growing -- and have grown for awhile -- so that I can give my own experience and really help other gardeners. Lilacs are pretty, and who knows maybe someday they will make their way into our gardens. Thanks for the suggestion!

Hi Allan, yes you are correct. You saw how I cut everything down, but if you look at my other videos from last Summer and Fall, you’ll see the tree grew overall much taller and wider than that. The flowers form on the end of each stem, whether that stem grows long or stays shorter. Does this help? Let me know! 🙂

@@GardenSanity yes it helps. I have taken over joying the hydrangeas. Our landscaper used to cut the hydrangeas with a machete. It was like an atomic bomb went off and he cut them all the way down almost to the ground. Regardless they still grew back beautifully. It was shocking. I am trying to be more nuanced incorrect about all of this. Thank you.

Sadly Allan, there are plenty of landscapers who mean well but they cut down everything. Glad you’re taking over - I think your hydrangeas will be very happy from now on. Keep me posted!

@@GardenSanity Will do

@@GardenSanity I followed your video. My hydrangeas this summer are full and beautiful.

Hi Dawn, Enjoy the blooms awhile longer! If you need to prune the tree because you don’t think the branches will survive the Winter, then I’d wait to prune them until late Fall. Another option is to consider cutting only the blooms off if there are any branches right now that might break. I did 2 videos that may help you. Both videos show how heavy the branches get after rain and how much the branches bounce back once I cut the flowers off. Maybe those videos will help you! Let me know! 🌱

I have the same concern. I have a very mature tree with a lot of large buds that are already drooping and I'm concerned with the late amount of snow we get, these will break and damage the tree. I just moved into this ho.e so I want to make sure I don't mess this up

@dull_boy_ 27 - My advice to you is the same I gave to Dawn last month (above), and to consider either A) trimming off just those heavy blooms, which you’re right will only become heavier with snow; or B) doing a pruning in late Fall before your gardening zone gets freezing temps. One of those two options will help prevent the breaking branches. Which zone are you in?

@@GardenSanity thank you! Im in zone 7 or 8 I believe

@@dull_boy_274 I think you'll be good using either of those options -- or both -- to help prevent snow from breaking the branches. Keep me posted on how it goes this Winter!

Thanks Danny! 🙂 No, it's not too late -- go for it! Small leaves are fine, and will help you see exactly where you want to cut, so it's a benefit. 👍 Hope it's not as windy where you are today -- we are ridiculously windy right now here in southern NJ!

@@GardenSanity excellent, thank you so much for the response! Yes it's very windy here too, my garbage pail just blew down the street!...haha

We’ve had that happen too when it’s super windy! 🤣