How to tell if my hydrangea is dormant or dead? As a horticultural consultant, I recommend pruning back some stems of your Hydrangea, if you find them healthy tissue beneath the surface, your plant is Dormant. However, if you are still uncertain, please be patient and give it a little time, your Hydrangea May show signs of life again in spring. Anyway, stay with me in this post to give you more tips on whether your hydrangea is dead or dormant.
What Does a Dormant Hydrangea Look Like?
A dormant hydrangea, typically in late fall and winter, looks quite different from its vibrant growing phase. Here are some characteristics of a dormant hydrangea:
- Bare Stems: The most obvious sign of dormancy is that the plant will have shed its leaves (unless it’s an evergreen variety, but most hydrangeas are deciduous). The stems will appear bare, with no foliage to give them a lush appearance.
- Brown or Tan Stems: the appearance of stems may be weathered, brownish or greyish. These older stems may look slightly cracked or rough, especially after frost or freezing temperatures.
- Minimal or No Flowers: Any blooms from the previous season will have faded or dried up. Some hydrangea varieties may leave behind spent flower heads that have turned brown, while others may have dropped their flower heads altogether.
- Bud Formation: If you look closely, you might see small, swollen buds at the tips of the branches. After breaking dormancy in the spring, these buds will eventually grow into new leaves and flowers.
- Shorter or Staggered Growth: Dormant hydrangeas may not have much new growth. The plant appears to be resting, and the stems can seem shorter or pruned back, especially if you did any fall trimming.
Overall, your dormant hydrangea will look like a somewhat shrivelled, bare shrub, with little to no greenery or vibrant colour, but with the potential for renewal in the coming spring.
How do I tell if my Hydrangea is dead or just Dormant?
When you’re trying to figure out whether your hydrangea is dead or just dormant, there are a few key things to look for:
1- Check the Stems
- First, take a small section of stem and scrape it lightly with a knife or fingernail. If the inside is green, that’s a good sign—the plant is still alive. If it’s brown, dry, or brittle, it’s probably dead.
- Bend the stems gently to see if they’re still flexible. If they snap easily, they may be dead. But if they bend without breaking, the plant is likely just dormant.
2- Look for Buds
- Even when hydrangeas are dormant, they usually have small, swollen buds at the tips of the stems. These buds may be dark brown or greenish, but they should be visible. If you don’t see any buds at all, or if the tips of the branches are completely dry and lifeless, the plant could be dead. I recommend reading the flowering cycle of Hydrangea and the importance of winter in my other post “Can I Bring My Potted Hydrangea Inside for the Winter?”.
3- Examine the Roots
- Carefully dig around the base of the plant to check the roots. Healthy roots should be firm and light-colored (white or light tan). If the roots are dark, mushy, or smell bad, that’s a sign of rot, which usually means the plant is dead.
- You can also gently tug on the plant—if it comes out of the ground without resistance, the roots might have died.
4- Look for Signs of Damage
- Check for any blackened or mushy areas on the stems. This is usually a sign of disease or rot. If the stems feel soft or soggy, that’s a red flag.
- Also, look for signs of pests—though it’s less common in winter, pests can still cause damage.
5- Overall Plant Appearance
- A dead hydrangea won’t have any healthy-looking buds or flexible stems. The branches might be completely dry or brittle, and you won’t see any signs of life.
- A dormant hydrangea, on the other hand, will look bare but should still have some healthy, pliable stems, and swollen buds waiting to sprout in spring.
6- Give It Time
- Sometimes, hydrangeas can look dead during the winter but be dormant. If you see swollen buds and green tissue inside the stems, chances are it’s just resting and will start to grow again when the weather warms up in spring. So, if you’re unsure, give it time—sometimes it’s a matter of waiting until the plant “wakes up.”
So, the main things to look for are flexible stems, visible buds, and healthy roots. If you don’t see any of those things and the plant seems completely dry and brittle, it may be dead. But if you see signs of life, even just a little, it’s probably just dormant and will come back in spring! Can you Put an Indoor Hydrangea Outside?
In Summary,
In conclusion, I provided a summary checklist to distinguish whether my hydrangea is dead or dormant:
- Green inside the stem: Likely dormant, not dead.
- Swollen buds at the tips: Indicates dormancy.
- Firm, white roots: Healthy and alive.
- No sign of buds, or brittle stems: Could be dead.
- Blackened, mushy stems: Likely dead or diseased.
- Pliable stems: The plant is probably dormant.
A Golden Tip: If you’re still uncertain, you could also try pruning back a small section of the plant to see if you find healthy tissue beneath the surface. Just remember to be patient—sometimes plants need a little time to show signs of life again in spring.
Elahe Rabiei
Hi, I’m Elaheh. My Academic major is plant protection, and houseplants are my expertise. As a houseplant lover, my house is full of indoor plants and it is my passion to take care of them. Hence, I’m here to share my knowledge and experience about growing healthy houseplants. I am also a plant protection advisor, so feel free to ask me any questions you may have.