Hydrangea quercifolia 'Queen of Hearts'
oak-leaved hydrangea 'Queen of Hearts'
A vigorous deciduous shrub to 1.8m high, with a rounded habit and lobed green leaves that turn dark red and purple in autumn. Flowers are produced in early summer, in dense conical clusters to 30cm long, beginning creamy white, and maturing to pale pink and then deep rose pink
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
1.5–2.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
1.5–2.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | White Pink | Green | ||
| Autumn | Green Red Purple | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Hydrangeaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy
- Potentially harmful
- Skin allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs, cats): Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
- Genus
Hydrangea can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs, or self-clinging climbers, with flowers in clusters usually comprising both small fertile and more showy sterile flowers; often good autumn colour
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in any moist but well-drained soil in partial shade or grow in sun if soil remains reliably moist. Improve chalky soils with organic matter to support good growth. See shrubby hydrangea cultivation for further advice
Propagation
Propagate by softwood cuttings in early summer, or by hardwood cuttings in winter. This species can also produce offsets from the roots, which can be removed for propagation
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Cut flowers
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
Minimal pruning required, see pruning group 4 (hydrangeas) for more details
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids, capsid bug, red spider mite, stem and bulb eelworm, vine weevil and scale insects
Diseases
May be susceptible to a leaf spot, powdery mildews, grey moulds (Botrytis) and honey fungus (rarely)
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.