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Hydrangea quercifolia Gatsby Star - Oak-leaved Hydrangea

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Doughill’ Gatsby Star
Hortensia à feuilles de chêne

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I will give you my opinion in about ten years when this magnificent plant reaches its maturity and acclimatization...

Henri, 07/04/2023

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A deciduous bush with an elegant habit, offering spectacular summer flowering. Its large paniculate inflorescences are composed of double sterile florets with delicately star-shaped petals, white to green. The lobed, dark green foliage takes on warm shades of red and purple in autumn. This variety tolerates slightly chalky and dry soils in summer once well-rooted. It stands out in the garden, in borders or in a hedge.
Flower size
25 cm
Height at maturity
1.80 m
Spread at maturity
1.80 m
Exposure
Sun, Partial shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -23°C
Soil moisture
Dry soil, Moist soil
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Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time March to May, September to November
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Description

The Hydrangea quercifolia Gatsby Star is an excellent garden bush, both decorative and easy to grow. Its large panicles of flowering, composed of double star-shaped sterile florets, offer a refined summer spectacle. Its lobed foliage, dark green in summer, turns to warm red and purple hues in autumn. With its graceful habit, it works wonderfully as a standalone feature, in a free hedge, or within partially shaded borders. Like all "oakleaf" hydrangeas, this variety is undemanding in terms of soil and climate. A must-discover!

The Hydrangea quercifolia Gatsby Star is a cultivar of the oakleaf hydrangea, belonging to the Hydrangeaceae family. This cultivar, registered under the name Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Doughill’ (USPP 25,412), was introduced as part of the "Gatsby" series, which highlights North American selections with spectacular flowering and decorative foliage. The botanical species Hydrangea quercifolia is native to the southeastern United States, where it grows naturally in wooded habitats, particularly on well-drained slopes, riverbanks, and rocky outcrops, from North Carolina to Louisiana. It is a deciduous bush, capable of living for several decades, often spreading through underground suckers, forming dense colonies.

The ‘Gatsby Star’ cultivar stands out from the species type with its double star-shaped flowers, featuring pointed petals. The bush develops conical panicles 15 to 30 cm long, composed of star-shaped sterile florets, which emerge pale green before opening into pure white, then take on rosy hues in autumn. This lightly fragrant flowering lasts from July to September and attracts butterflies and other pollinators. The leaves, deeply lobed and reminiscent of oak, measure between 10 and 30 cm in length. Dark green in summer, they turn burgundy and purple in autumn before falling. The stems feature cinnamon-brown bark that exfoliates with age. The root system is deep and spreading, giving this hydrangea some drought tolerance if planted in deep soil. In the ground, the Gatsby Star hydrangea reaches a height and spread of 1.80 m to 2 m. Its habit is rounded and slightly spreading.

The Hydrangea quercifolia Gatsby Star thrives in lightly sunny exposures that enhance its autumn colours. It prefers dappled light under tree canopies or even shade in hot climates. It can be used at the back of borders, as a standalone feature, in a free hedge, or within a shrub border. It pairs well with other Oakleaf Hydrangea - Hydrangea quercifolia, as well as with Nandina, Mexican orange blossom, Physocarpus, or even Cimicifuga, Actaea (silver candles), which, like this hydrangea, appreciate partial shade.

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Plant habit

Height at maturity 1.80 m
Spread at maturity 1.80 m
Habit Irregular, bushy
Growth rate normal

Flowering

Flower colour white
Flowering time July to September
Inflorescence Cluster
Flower size 25 cm
Fragrance slightly scented
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators
Good for cut flowers Cut flower blooms

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour medium green

Botanical data

Genus

Hydrangea

Species

quercifolia

Cultivar

‘Doughill’ Gatsby Star

Family

Hydrangeaceae

Other common names

Hortensia à feuilles de chêne

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference100664

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Planting and care

The Hydrangea Gatsby Star requires a sunny position to enhance its autumn colours, but dislikes excessively scorching exposure: morning sun or shade from a large tree during the hottest hours is preferable, especially in our very sunny and warm regions. It prefers a humus-bearing, neutral to acidic soil, but tolerates limestone in the soil better than other hydrangeas after careful planting in a hole filled with a mixture of leaf compost and loam. When planting, place it in deeply worked soil. A good base fertiliser (such as dried horn or blood meal) will encourage the establishment of your young plant and nourish it without the risk of burning. If your soil tends to be very dry in summer, consider mulching around the base and creating a shallow watering basin.

Once well established, this Hydrangea can go entirely without watering in summer, except in our southern regions where it will appreciate weekly watering, or even fortnightly depending on the weather. The resumption of growth in spring is fairly late.

Planting period

Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time March to May, September to November

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Woodland edge
Type of use Border, Back of border, Free-standing, Hedge
Hardiness Hardy down to -23°C (USDA zone 6a) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Planting density 1 per m2
Exposure Sun, Partial shade
Soil pH Any
Soil type Clayey (heavy), Clayey-chalky (heavy and alkaline), Silty-loamy (rich and light)
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil, Ordinary garden soil, deep

Care

Pruning instructions At the end of summer, we recommend not cutting the dry inflorescences, as they will protect the terminal shoots of the branches during winter. You should trim all the dry flowers in late February or at the first signs of fine weather.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time February to March
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil
Disease resistance Very good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground
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