‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea Leaves Closed

Are your ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea leaves closed? To start with, inspect them and any other woodland/smooth (arborescens) hydrangeas you may have, e.g., Incrediball® or Invincibelle® Spirit. You may notice the same situation like my leaves in the photo. Interesting, huh? Don’t panic!

Leaf rollers (Olethreutes ferriferana) have taken up residence. They love hydrangea leaves. The culprit is a moth that lays its eggs and then sets up housekeeping. It’s the first hydrangea insect to show up: normal and predictable.

If you peel the cupped leaves apart, you’ll see larvae crawling around. You can squish them but you will mar the leaves. If you do nothing, it will not harm your plant.

 

I explain it at length in Success With Hydrangeas: A Gardener’s Guide. There is an entire chapter on insects and diseases of hydrangeas and what to do about them. When you know beforehand what to expect and are prepared, you’re better equipped to have healthy plants that will look stunning in your garden.

 

Success With Hydrangeas: A Gardener’s Guide is all about how to grow hydrangeas. It has gotten rave reviews which you can read HERE. Conveniently, that’s also where you can buy the book. On th eother hand, if you want a signed copy, just go to my website to make your purchase. A signed book makes a great gift for any gardener. The site will also tell you about me, where I am giving talks and how to sign up for blog posts if you are not already a subscriber. Plus, you can catch up on prior posts.

 

So let’s think happy hydrangeas, not a myth but a reality.

May 18, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx NY: Book Signing at the Store, 2-4 p.m. Fee

June 8, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY: class, Shady Characters, 10.30 a.m. – 1.30 p.m. Fee

If you’d like to read my other garden writing, go to the Coast of Maine Blog. Each month I write about a different gardening topic which you may find interesting and helpful.

(Originally posted June 2018; updated May 2019)