Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Alice’

Every so often Land Morphology spotlight a designer's favorite plant. This time it's Renee's turn to select a favorite.

Beautiful cone shaped flowers brighten up the garden.

Renee Freier, Senior Associate Landscape Architect

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Alice,’ Oakleaf hydrangea, is a cultivar that tends to be on the larger size and is one of the best oakleaf hydrangeas out there.

The flowers tend to be larger than the species and put on a spectacular show from late spring into fall. The large green leaves showcase the stunning flowers beautifully. As the season changes from summer into fall, the flowers take on red and pink tones to complement the brilliant red fall foliage.

Exfoliating bark continues the interest through winter.

This hydrangea grows easily in part shade locations. If the overall size is an issue, a good substitute is ‘Snow Queen’ – still large at 6-8’ tall, but smaller than ‘Alice’ at 10-15’.  If you have enough space, ‘Alice’ is a fabulous choice to help create a wonderland in your garden.

References:
Joy Creek Nursery
SF Gate
SF Gate

Photo Credit:
Online Plant Guide