Halcyon hosta

Oceanspray should be watered deeply and infrequently. In warmer climates, water once every 10-14 days. In cooler climates, water once every 7-10 days. Be sure to water directly onto the soil and avoid wetting foliage. When you water, make sure the soil is thoroughly saturated. Do not allow the soil to completely dry out between waterings. During especially dry spells, water once a week. Oceanspray is drought-tolerant however, regular watering will keep the leaves healthy and floriferous.

Oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor) is a plant that thrives best in partial sunlight and partial shade. It needs at least 4 to 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day to flower and produce healthy foliage. The best times for this species to receive its sunlight are from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, so the plant can benefit from direct sunlight but not experience too much heat stress or sunburn. Oceanspray should be placed in an area that receives sunlight for most of the day, but not in direct and prolonged sunlight. This species is very sensitive to too much direct sunlight, so keeping it in a constantly shaded area is not recommended.

Oceanspray, or Holodiscus discolor, can be pruned multiple times throughout the year. Pruning should begin in late winter, after the plant has gone dormant. This will give it time to recover without dealing with cold dormancy. Prune back each stem to about 1-third to 1-half its original size--leaving enough foliage to keep the structure of the shrub intact. Doing this will encourage the plant to become more bushy and will also help control its size. In early- to mid-summer, prune again. This time, only prune off the tips of the branches--to about 3 to 4 inches. This will help the plant stay rounded, and also maintain a contained size. By late summer, any spent, dead, or damaged branches should be removed and any overcrowded branches thinned out. This type of pruning is best done in the late summer or early fall once the foliage has died back. Finally, once the winters arrive, give your oceanspray 1 last pruning to get it ready for the following growing season. Prune as you did in late winter, removing at least 1-third to 1-half of the previous year's growth, and leaving enough foliage to maintain structure and shape.