We planted this hydrangea 21 years ago. It is a division of a plant maybe 45 or 50 years old. My plant grew to its full size and looked spectacular each summer. two years ago the shrub didn't perform quite as well, and then the next summer it died along slow death. It dried up a few branches at a time, almost in sections.After waiting an additional growing season I pulled it up. No clue at the roots. What happened?

Maybe old age (life expectancy is about 50 years). How does the original plant look? If it looks good, time to grow some cuttings.

Thanks for your reply Daisy l! I never considered old age. Yes, I will get a start from the old one. The color of the blooms was blue and purple, with each panicle showing different amounts of the colors.

Since it died a slow death, I would have looked for signs of root rot, mineral deficiencies (rare in the NW), drainage issues, pests that might have damaged roots, etc. If I had the budget, I would send soil samples and plant samples to a nearby university to see if they could do a post mortem analysis.