Can you split a hydrangea?

Lottolearn · August 2018

I've got two very large hydrangeas which are beautiful but are getting a bit big in their positions. Can I split them during the winter when they are dormant?
I can only find info on how to take cuttings but I'd really like to split them into two if possible.

Fairygirl · August 2018

No - splitting is only for perennials. Cuttings for hydrangeas, Lottolearn

Have you tried doing cuttings? It's not too difficult. We had a discussion about it recently.
I'll see if I can find it.

Fairygirl · August 2018

Here it is- it might be useful to you

https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1020878/propagation-of-hydrangea-cuttings

Lottolearn · August 2018

Ah ok thank you Fairygirl! I have done quite a lot of cuttings but they take time to get to a good size so I was hoping to do something faster! I'll do some cuttings and wait...! thank you

Paul B3 · August 2018

Believe it or not , I actually did this once with a very large Hydrangea .
This method depends how confident you are !

After a severe pruning in the Spring I extracted the entire plant from the ground , and using two forks simply prised the rootball into two .
There was obviously damage to the woody parts , but after leaving to callous for a couple of weeks I planted them up , and ..Hey Presto...two Hydrangeas !

I stress again though PRUNE FIRST IN SPRING to the lowest basal shoots , and LEAVE TO HEAL before planting up .
Good luck !

Fairygirl · August 2018

That's really interesting Paul. I don't think I'd be tempted to try it - although I've moved mature specimens without any issue, even when they've been hacked a bit to get them out, so I dare say you're right - they would take the abuse pretty well

I think you can also layer them quite successfully. Not tried that either

Perhaps you could try both - and see what happens!

Jason-3 · August 2018

Funnily enough I accidently split a large mophead 3 years ago when to re-site it.The small plants that it gave me are now well established...if not a little slow in growth

Paul B3 · August 2018

Apologies for delayed response ; Yes , Hydrangeas can also be vegetatively propagated by removing the small (usually rooted) lateral shoots growing from the base of the plant . These are what eventually and slowly increase the plants dimensions .

Fairygirl and Jason-3 ; paradoxically , the larger and older the shrub , the more chance of success (!) .
Obviously with a younger solitary stemmed plant this method would be impossible ; then cuttings would be the only logical solution .
Never tried layering , sounds quite a good idea ;
Thanks for the feedback ; food for thought

.

Paul B3 · August 2018

PS
I have a mature 8' x 8' Hyd.aspera 'Sargentiana' in my garden ; this has a solitary 5" diameter stem as hard as Yew wood , but complete with bronze peeling bark . Flowered well this year after copious watering .
There's no way the above method of splitting would work with that !

Cuttings would probably work .
Do these species ever set viable seed ? How do they propagate in the 'wild' ?

Would appreciate answers from anyone who grows these .

1634 Racine · August 2018

I've split a mature mophead and it turned out ok. Bloody hard work though getting a monster root ball out of the ground in the first place.

Paul B3 · August 2018

Damn right , getting a mature shrub out from the ground can be 'strenuous' ; for want of another word !

Can you split a hydrangea?

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