Hydrangea quercifolia 'Queen of Hearts' (Oakleaf Hydrangea) Unity Grown

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Queen of Hearts,' commonly known as 'Queen of Hearts' hydrangea, is a fantastic oakleaf hydrange selection that's perfect for a variety of uses in the home garden. Originally developed by the U.S. National Arboretum in 1998, 'Queen of Hearts' comes from the same population that spawned the 'Ruby Slippers' cultivar, and is a direct descendant of 'Snow Queen' and 'Pee Wee' hydrangeas. Larger and showier than some, Hydrangea quercifolia 'Queen of Hearts' matures to a mature size of 6-9' tall and wide, with attractive, oakleaf-like foliage, making it ideal for tall seasonal hedges, foundation plantings, and specimen growing.

From early to mid-summer, this cultivar is noted for its strikingly large and upright flower panicles that emerge clean, snowy white and mature to rose pink, lasting longer than other cultivars before flowers begin to fade; flowers are highly attractive to pollinators, and 'Queen of Hearts' gains multi-season appeal with its dark wine-red fall foliage. After fall foliage has come and gone, coarse mature stems exfoliate to reveal an attractive, cinnamon brown inner bark, which adds eye-catching appeal to the winter landscape when paired with dried flower heads too. This cultivar performs best in fertile soil in full sun to part shade areas, and works great in a variety of landscapes as a large hedge plant, specimen planting, or naturalized screen within a woodland environment; with year-round aesthetic appeal, 'Queen of Hearts' is an outstanding addition to any large garden space.