Viewing post #912126 by JKing

Thank you for your comments Donna. I thought I'd answered your question, but I don't see the answer here so I must have done something wrong. I'll try again. The only hydrangea that can be used as a small to medium tree is the Hydrangea paniculata. The best variety to use, IMHO, is 'Limelight.' These are shrubs that have been trained (pruned) into nice trees and have become fairly easy to find in the garden centers. Below is a picture of a young H. paniculata 'Limelight.'

But Oakleaf hydrangea cannot be made into a tree. It is a loose, gangly shrub that, despite the crooked form, ends up looking beautiful. However, without the support of a wall or fence, it will only be a medium to large shrub. See bottom picture of Oakleaf 'Snowflake'.