Hydrangea quercifolia Gatsby Star - Oak-leaved Hydrangea

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.