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shrub

Oakleaf hydrangea 'Ruby Slippers'

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers'

Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.

Hardy in zones 5–9, Oakleaf hydrangea 'Ruby Slippers' is a deciduous shrub. Expect 3–4 ft of height and 4–5 ft of spread; our lists space it 4 ft apart. It does best in part sun to part shade with average water. Expect white and pink flowers in June to July. In a FloraVista list it usually plays the structure role: a shrub that holds the bed's shape at the back all year. It is native to the Southeast and Florida and the Gulf. Deer do eat it, and it is toxic to dogs and cats. Our rules leave it out of lists in the Desert Southwest, where summer heat, humidity or mild winters hold it back even inside its zone range.

Facts from our plant table

Botanical name
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers'
Plant type
Shrub, deciduous
Hardiness zones
5 to 9
Sun
Part sun (4–6 hours); Part shade (2–4 hours)
Water
Medium
Soil
Needs good drainage; rots in wet soil.
Mature size
3–4 ft tall × 4–5 ft wide
Spacing
4 ft apart (centre to centre)
Growth rate
Medium
Bloom
Jun–Jul · white and pink
Roles in a bed
Structure
Styles
natural, cottage, classic
Deer resistance
Low: deer eat it
Pets
Toxic to dogs and cats. Hydrangea is on the ASPCA toxic list (cyanogenic glycosides).
Native to
Southeast and Florida/Gulf
Pot size and price
3-gallon pot, typically $35–$55 (easy to find)
Plant in
Spring or Fall
First-year watering
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first summer, more in heat waves, so the root ball never dries out.
Pruning
Blooms on old wood: prune only right after flowering, if at all.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder; ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list; Rutgers NJAES deer resistance ratings (A-D); state noxious weed lists / Invasive Plant Atlas of the US; typical 2026 US garden-centre and big-box listings. Not yet reviewed by a horticulturist.

Guides that include this plant

Good companions

The plants our list engine most often puts in the same bed as Oakleaf hydrangea 'Ruby Slippers', across the sun, zone, pet, deer and style combinations it fits.

If you can't find it

Substitutes our engine offers for Oakleaf hydrangea 'Ruby Slippers': same role in the bed, passing the same rules.

How this page was made

This page was generated from this plant's record in FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules. The companions and substitutes come from the lists our rules engine composes. No named expert has reviewed this page.

Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.

Sources

  • Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
  • ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
  • Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
  • State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
  • Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)

Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants