Dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea 'Ruby Slippers'
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers'
Oakleaf hydrangea at 3 to 4 feet: white panicles age to deep rosy red, then orange, red, and purple fall foliage that rivals any maple.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
Six months of color from pure white to deep rose, then blazing fall foliage and exfoliating winter bark. few native shrubs deliver this much across every season.
'Ruby Slippers' is everything that makes oakleaf hydrangea special, scaled down for smaller gardens. The massive white flower panicles emerge in early summer and age gradually to a deep rosy red through August and September. At peak, the stems are bowed under the weight of burgundy blooms. Then fall arrives and the foliage turns a blazing mix of orange, red, and purple that rivals any maple on the block. The bark on older stems exfoliates in cinnamon-colored strips through winter, adding one more reason to love this plant year-round. At 3–4 feet, it fits tucked into a border, flanking an entry, or massed under a high tree canopy where sun filters through. Pollinators work the flowers heavily through summer.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown dwarf oakleaf hydrangea 'ruby slippers' propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 3–4 ft · 4–5 ft wide
- Bloom time
- Summer, fall
- Bloom color
- White, Pink
- USDA zones
- 5–9
- Family
- Hydrangeaceae
- Native range
- Southeastern United States
Care notes for dwarf oakleaf hydrangea 'ruby slippers'.
Full sun to part shade in average to moist, well-drained soil. Blooms on old wood. prune only lightly in late winter, removing dead tips. Deer will occasionally nibble new growth; established plants recover. Drought-tolerant once established but looks best with consistent moisture.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside dwarf oakleaf hydrangea 'ruby slippers'.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.