Hydrangea quercifolia 'RUBY SLIPPERS' oak-leaved hydrangea

Ruby Slippers is an American variety of oak-leaved hydrangea from McMinnville in Oregon. It is a cross between varieties Pee Wee and Snow Queen from 1998, introduced by U.S. National Arboretum in 2010.

It produces very attractive, deeply lobed foliage with conspicuous tips. Leaves are deciduous, leathery, rich green in spring and summer, and turn rich carmine red and striking wine red in late summer. These eye-catching leaves are held well throughout almost the entire autumn season, falling down very late – among the last deciduous shrubs.

The inflorescence is quite large – 22-25 cm, held upright on compact shrubs. The ratio of sterile and fertile flowers is about 50:50. Sterile flowers are creamy white in early summer, and change to pink in midsummer, and rich purple red in late August or early September without fading.

The shrub is compact and bushy, wider than tall, and its older branches reveal exfoliating bark. Pruning is not necessary, however, if you need to prune or shape the plant do so immediately after flowering because it flowers on previous year’s wood.

Oak-leaved hydrangea comes from moist and boggy sites along streams and river banks, therefore, it will require similar conditions in the garden. Grow it in constantly moist soil, in full sun or part shade, it can even take temporary waterlogging. It is not fussy about soil pH or quality – it will grow even in clay and compacted ground, but more slowly. It is fully hardy to about -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update: 12-11-2018