From the appearance of the leaves and dried blooms, it looks like a hydrangea and they do indeed grow in a clumping fashion. They are considered blooming shrubs but some can reach the height of a small tree. Generally these are considered attractive plants but they can get leggy or they may not appeal to you.

Prune out the shrub and remove as much of the trunk or crown of the plant as possible for best control. Remove all suckers to permanently eradicate the entire cluster.

Feel free to contact our office if you have other questions.

Let me know if I can help you further!


Carol Wilder
Horticulture Technician
Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service
<personal data hidden>
200 Juneau Drive
Louisville KY 40243

Thanks for your quick response Carol, but it isn't a hydrangea. Much larger and the flowers are small.

Keep in mind hydrangeas come in many sizes, the plant LOOKS like the oakleaf hydrangea. (I have one that is at least twelve feet tall and it has bloom that cascades down like bunches of grapes.) Plant identification can be tricky by photograph. we can positively ID the plant when it is actively growing. Bring us a branch with a bloom and we will send it to the lab at UK.

To eradicate the plant you can use the same measures I described above or spray the foliage with glysophate (active ingredient in Round Up) in the spring when it new growth appears.

Read all the instructions on the label of all pesticides before use.

Good luck and let me know if we can help you further.

Hey Carol, so I guess I should have said it isn't like the hydrangeas I know! The flowers do hang down like a bunch of grapes.

I don't mind the way they look, but they aren't in a great spot. 

Thank you!