Description

Shady Shrub Area ‘Little Honey’ is an oak leaf hydrangea with bright, golden yellow foliage – a pop of sunshine for a shady spot! Leaves stay gold through the summer months, fading to chartreuse and green and then, as nights cool, bursts into crimson red. Cone-shaped flower panicles consist of mostly showy sterile white sepals that age to a rosy pink. ‘Little Honey’ is a branch sport of the dwarf H. quercifolia ‘Pee Wee.’ Thrives in moist, well-draining soils. Bloom occurs on old wood. Prune if needed immediately after flowering (little pruning is usually needed). Per the Missouri Botanical Garden, H. quercifolia should be given a sheltered location and winter protection (e.g., mulch, burlap wrap) in USDA Zone 5, particularly when not fully established. Plants can lose significant numbers of flower buds or die to the ground in harsh winters (temperatures below -10 degrees F). Height: 3-4 ft. Spread: 4-5 ft. Family: Hydrangeaceae Bloom time: June to July Sun: full sun to part shade Water: medium Rabbit resistant According to Rutgers University, H. quercifolias are “occasionally severely damaged by deer.” photo credit: Spring Meadows