CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- My friend Joanne, like many others in our area, has a hydrangea that's lovely -- if you like leaves with no blooms. There are a lot of things that can cause a hydrangea not to bloom, so I'll head over to her house to see which solution is right for her situation.

The right mix of light, nutrients and water, plus winter protection will produce abundant blooms in hydrangeas.

These deciduous woodland shrubs are native to Japan. They do well in Hardiness Zones 5 to 9. They prefer moist, well-drained soil but can develop yellow leaves, a symptom of chlorosis, in highly alkaline soils.

Typically, the plants range from 3 feet to 6 feet tall, but wind and cold temperatures can cause injury and hinder overall shrub size.

Plant these beauties along a large stand of trees -- bigleaf hydrangeas grow well in the shade in most areas of the United States; however, too much shade can result in great leaves and no flowers. The high shade created by deciduous trees or evergreens is perfect for bigleaf hydrangeas in our area.

Another problem can be too much fertilizer. A high-nitrogen fertilizer will result in beautiful leaves and few, if any, flowers. Bigleaf hydrangeas can tolerate very high levels of fertilizer without showing signs of fertilizer burn, so practice moderation. Too much water and too much dryness can also result in a lack of flowers.

If your hydrangea isn't flowering, you may be pruning it at the wrong time.

Mophead hydrangeas do not have to be pruned back -- ever -- unless they are very old. Only remove dead stems or dead blooms.

But if your hydrangea is getting much too large (or old), and you must prune it, use one of the following methods.

Mophead or lacecap pruning

For mophead or lacecap hydrangeas (these are the only type of hydrangeas that are usually blue or pink) or oakleaf hydrangeas (leaves shaped like large oak leaves, white blooms), prune these hydrangeas only in the summer before August (to be safe). Some experts believe these hydrangeas may be pruned even into August, but this might be risky -- the hydrangeas may already have set their bloom buds for the next year. These hydrangea types bloom on old wood (stems that have been on the plant since the summer before the current season).

This group of hydrangeas produces flower buds on hydrangea stems around August, September or October for the following summer's blooms. If those stems are removed (pruned) in the fall, winter or spring, the bloom buds will be removed, and there may be little or no bloom the following summer.

There is a small group of mophead hydrangea that will bloom no matter when they are pruned. ('Endless Summer' is this type of hydrangea). Your garden center can tell you when you purchase a hydrangea if it is in this special category called "everbloomers." But for the vast majority of hydrangeas, pruning after July will likely result in fewer blooms the next summer.

Some blue mopheads to try include: "All Summer Beauty" and "Nikko Blue," "Mathilda Gutges," violet-blue flowers; "Générale Vicomtesse de Vibraye" can be light blue or pink.

Pink cultivars include: "Glowing Embers" and "Masja." For white flowers, try "Madame Emile Mouillère."

Annabelle or PeeGee pruning

If you have H. arborescens (Annabelle types) and H. paniculata (PeeGee types) hydrangeas, they bloom on new wood (new stems). The only time they cannot be pruned is in the spring (Annabelle) or in the summer (PG) when they are preparing to bloom.

Some popular lacecaps include: "Bluebird" (blue blooms) and "Tokyo Delight" (pale-blue or pink flowers that fade to nearly white), "Coerulea" (light blue) "Lilacina" (purple/blue/pink). "Lanarth White" is a dependable white-flowering lacecap.

Removing old blooms

Removing old blooms on a plant is called "deadheading." Remove old blooms at any time of the year without harming the bloom for the following year.

When you cut blooms for arrangements in June or July, you can cut them with long stems because the bloom buds haven't set for the following year. When you cut the blooms after the first of August, it would be safest to remove them with very short stems so you won't disturb any developing bloom buds for next year. As long as you cut above the first set of large leaves, you will be fine.

Placement key to flowering

Cold winter temperatures can often kill off flower buds. This problem can be addressed by planting bigleaf hydrangeas on north- or east-facing slopes rather than toward the south or west, which are the first areas to warm up in late winter, triggering buds to open too early. Choosing cold-hardy varieties and placing plants under a canopy of evergreen trees can help to avoid winter kill. Some people apply a temporary deep layer of winter mulch to protect lower buds from cold temperatures. In regions with variable winter temperatures, protection may provide only limited help. During brief late-winter warm spells, when the flower buds are triggered to break dormancy, they are then often killed by returning cold temperatures.

Planting hydrangeas in early spring or in the fall is ideal. When you are planting a hydrangea, remember that the blooms and stems must be protected from strong winds and the hot afternoon sun. Avoid planting in open areas where strong winds could break stems. Planting on the eastern side of a building ensures that in the afternoon, when the sun is at its hottest, your plants are in the shade.

Get the color you want

The flower color of a bigleaf hydrangea is determined by the soil pH and by the amount of aluminum in the soil (unless it is a white-flowering variety, which has no pigment and is not affected). Hydrangeas can readily absorb aluminum only when the soil pH is low. Hence, the more aluminum in the soil and the lower the pH (acidic), the bluer the flowers will be. The less aluminum in the soil and the higher the pH (alkaline), the pinker the flowers will be.

Let your plant be your guide. Allow your plant to grow in the ground for a year, then through one flower cycle. If your flowers are blue, you have aluminum present in your acid soil. If your flowers are pink, you either have no aluminum or the pH is alkaline. To get the color you want, you can simply have your soil pH tested and amend it accordingly in early spring.

Wildflower walks

There will be a guided walk of the Sunrise Carriage Trail at 10 a.m. April 17. Meet at the upper entrance to the trail, near the old Sunrise museum. Wear comfortable shoes, bring water, and allow an hour for the walk. Plan on a walk back up the trail, or carpool with a friend and leave a car at the bottom.

Trail expert Joan Steven says the wildflowers are changing almost daily, with new ones popping up all the time. It's a great time for a walk.

Other upcoming walks include a Wildflower Walk 8:30 a.m. April 10 at East Lynn Lake State Park, sponsored by the Tri-State Chapter of the West Virginia Native Plant Society. Meet at the marina; boat rides will take those interested across the lake to see filmy ferns. Free and open to the public.

The Osbra Eye Memorial Wildflower Walk will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 24 at Kanawha State Forest. Led by naturalists, Native Plant Society members and Master Gardeners, registration is 9 to 9:30 a.m. at the pool area. Price is $5. Call Shirley Schweizer, 304-925-2771.

Reach Sara Busse at sara.bu...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1249.