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- Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5a to 9b
- Large flower clusters in the summer open white, quickly aging to deep pink. Stems hold the bold flowers upright even in heavy rains. It offers brilliant mahogany fall foliage. This is a fast grower, but is a compact variety compared to other oakleaf hydrangeas at 3 1/2 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide. ‘Ruby Slippers’ works well in smaller landscapes and for mass plantings.
- Need a friend for this plant? Check out these great additions:
- ‘Kaleidoscope’ Abelia, Glossy Abelia
- Bloom ’N Again® ‘Pink Explosion’ Azalea
- Blue Cascade® Distylium, Evergreen Distylium
- Not quite what you are looking for? Check out these great products!
- Baby Lace® Hydrangea
- ‘Alice’ Hydrangea
- ‘Sikes Dwarf’ Hydrangea
- Woody Ornamentals - Flowering Shrubs
- Growth Size: Medium Shrub - 3 to 4 feet tall, 5 to 4 feet wide
- Growth Habit: Upright - Compact
- Features: Naturalizes Well, Bold Texture-Shape, North American Native, Easy to Grow, Fall Foliage Color
- Drought Tolerant (once established)
- Attracts: Butterflies, Bees, Pollinators
- Garden Ideas:
- Cottage, Shade, Cutting
- Flower features: Flower Changes Color, Showy Flowers, Good for Cut Flowers
- Pure white flowers age to deep pink that bloom in summer
- Foliage type and color: Deciduous, Dark Green
- Deeply lobed with attractive fall color
- Landscape Uses: Beds, Shady areas, Grouping, Woodland edge
- Accent, Border, Mass Planting, Specimen
- ‘Ruby Slippers’ Hydrangea is a Low maintenance plant
- Growth Size: Medium Shrub - 3 to 4 feet tall, 5 to 4 feet wide
- Growth Rate: Medium
- Spacing: 4-5 ft apart
- Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
- Watering: Average
- Soil Types: Adaptable to pH Moist, well-drained Enriched with organic matter
- General Plant Care: Hydrangeas are easy-care shrubs that prefer to be planted in partial or afternoon shade. Hydrangeas will wilt in afternoon heat, but typically recover in morning. Consider planting your hydrangea in a spot where they get afternoon shade or watering more frequently during hot spells.
- General Planting Tips: Choose a site suited to your plant's light, soil, and space needs. Dig a hole twice as wide but no deeper than the container. Remove plant from container and loosen roots slightly. Place the plant in the hole. If using slow-release (coated) fertilizer, you may add it according to package directions at this time. Add soil back to the hole, ensuring the top of the soil from the container is even with the surrounding soil. Water well, and add more soil if needed. Add 2-3 inches of mulch around plant, taking care to keep away from stem or trunk. See our FAQ page for more details on Mulching.
- General Fertilizing Tips: Once in spring with a slow-release fertilizer recommended for this plant (shrub, tree) at a rate according to package directions.
- General Pruning suggestions: Oakleaf hydrangeas are a beautiful native American shrub adapted to the woodlands, and do not typically need pruning. They bloom on old wood, so any needed pruning should be done after flowering in late spring. If flowers are allowed to remain on the plant, they will age to a lovely rose-brown. If the natural size of oakleaf hydrangeas are too large for your site, consider a dwarf variety like ‘Munchkin’ or ‘PeeWee’.
- Bloom Tips: Remove flower stalks after blooms have faded
