Images Depict Mature Plants
Ruby Slippers Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers'
If you are a beginner at growing plants, Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea is very easy to establish and will make you look like a pro! In early summer, this dwarf shrub produces abundant white blooms that transform into vivid red flowers, perfect for the fall months.
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Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea for Sale
Ruby Slippers Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers') is a dwarf oakleaf hydrangea native to North America. Dark green, lobed oak leaves make for a stunning contrast with the conical flower clusters, ranging in color from pale pink to deep rosy red.
For best results, we recommend planting your hydrangea in early spring. Like most hydrangeas, the Ruby Slippers Hydrangea requires filtered sun to partial shade and well-drained soils. We don't recommend growing this plant in full sun, as the direct rays can be too harsh on this flowering shrub's foliage and blooms.
We can just picture these bordering the yellow brick road in the Wizard of Oz! As a hybrid cross between two popular oak leaf hydrangea cultivars: 'Snow Queen' and 'Pee Wee,' the Ruby Slippers plant boasts a more compact form, ruby red flowers, and mahogany red fall foliage.
This compact and colorful shrub is perfect for smaller landscapes, and hedges, and is particularly astonishing in woodland gardens. The popular garden shrub also works to attract pollinators and is great for cut flower arrangements.
Some added bonuses of this plant include its ability to double as both a summer and winter interest plant! The plant's foliage puts on a real show as it transitions from deep green to a bold mahogany tone in the fall! Did we mention this magnificent plant also blooms on old wood? What's not to love?
| Hardiness Zone: | 5-9 |
|---|---|
| Mature Width: | 4 to 5 Feet |
| Mature Height: | 3.5 Feet |
| Classification: | Broad leaved deciduous shrub, mid-summer flowering |
| Sunlight: | Part sun to part shade |
| Habit: | Upright, densely branched |
| Flower Color: | White flowers in summer turn red in fall |
| Foliage: | Dark green turning reddish mahogany in the fall |
| Soil Condition: | Any well drained soil |
| Water Requirement: | Water well until established |
| Uses: | Extremely attractive when used as a focal point in the woodland border, mass planting, specimen planting, or container planting |
How to Care for Ruby Slippers Hydrangea
Be sure to read our planting instructions to ensure a healthy and happy plant for years to come!
What type of fertilizer should I use for my Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangeas?
Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea grows best if they are fertilized once or twice in the summer. Although many other plants prosper with special fertilizer mixes, hydrangeas do best with a more relaxed approach. Depending on the quality of your existing soil, you may need to add a locally sourced compost or topsoil to the soil. Adding compost or topsoil to your existing soil will help the young feeder roots of Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea to spread through the loose, nutrient rich soil, but we do not recommend using topsoil or compost alone, as they will retain too much moisture. We recommend Bio-tone starter fertilizer.
What type of mulch should I use for an Oakleaf Hydrangea?
Mulching helps fend off threatening weeds that would otherwise compete with your Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea for water and nutrients. Add enough mulch to cover the soil but remember to be mindful not to cover any part of the stem. I highly recommend that you mulch your hydrangea with either ground hardwood or ground cypress mulch, depending on your local availability. Other types of mulch will do, but cypress or hardwood mulch will provide better overall nutrition as they breakdown.
How do I plant my Ruby Slippers Oak Leaf Hydrangea?
We suggest when planting your newly purchased Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea plants that you dig a hole twice as wide as the root system but not deeper; the most common cause of plant death after transplanting is planting the new plant to deep. A good rule is that you should still be able to see the soil the plant was grown in after back-filling the hole.
How do I water my Dwarf Hydrangea?
After planting your Ruby Slippers Oak leaf Hydrangea, give it a good, deep watering, taking your time to allow the water to seep into the soil. A general rule of thumb is to count to 5 for every one gallon pot size. Water using the counting method for the first few weeks. Your hydrangea will need extra water during its first season in the ground and should receive a good soaking weekly after establishment in the landscape.
