Hi Jroot-the oakleaf hydrangea blooms on the previous years wood and should not be pruned back. In fact it is much slower growing than the other hydrangeas and will probably never need much pruning at all unless it is to trim back a broken branch or some winter dieback.
Think of treating it more like a shrubby tree or a rhodo than like the Annabelle hydrangeas.

I love the oakleaf hydrangeas. They have interest all year round between the deeply veined leaves, textured bark and big flowers. Mine can get as big as it wants! :)

Thanks, wyndyacre. That is what I thought would be the case, but I just wanted to check to be sure. I have indeed left it alone. However, I think that I may have planted it in the wrong place, so I may have to move it. In your opinion, would it be better to let is stay where it is and move it in the spring, or move it now. Remember that it is only in the ground now for about 2 months.

I put in a number of Hydrangeas this year as well

Last year was my first Pinky Winky and it overwintered in Barrie, Ontario very well without any protection even.

The flowers are a cone shape which I didn't like as much as the round ball shape of many of the Hydrangeas.
Silly thing but I wound up cutting the tip of each flower, there where nine, to have them look rounder.
This year I put in several different ones. But have mulched them quite a bit, with fallen leaves

I thought as well not to cut them back until next spring perhaps, if necessary

Had a nice couple of emails, from Ruth Ann re her Brugmansias. And herself.
She sure has a touch with those Brugmansia.

I love oakleaf hydrangeas and wyndycare is right on. Don't prune back. There was a huge clump growing near my workplace and for years the owners just let it be. However new owners came in and it was removed ;o(.

Nice to hear there are other hydrangea lovers in this forum. I have an annabelle which I started from a cutting I took from a public area, a couple of limelights and also a climbing hydrangea. I plan to add a nikko next year. I do prefer cones and umbrels over rounded shaped ones. I had but lost an oakleaf one last year for lack of room. Apparently these shrubs need their space and the limelight took up most of hte room.

Ianna

Jroot, I would wait until the spring to move your oakleaf hydrangea. I've always had better results moving things in the spring just before growth starts.

It would probably get heaved by frost during the winter, resulting in drying and windburn of the roots if you moved it now, since it wouldn't have a chance to get any new roots into the soil at all.

If you absolutely had to move it now, mulch heavily with wood chips, leaves or compost, water in very well and place some rocks over the roots to help keep it from heaving over the winter.