ARS releases two oakleaf hydrangeas

‘Ruby Slippers’ and ‘Munchkin’ are thelatest cultivars released by ARS geneticist Sandy Reed with the U.S. National Arboretum’s Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit’s worksite in McMinnville, Tenn.
The new cultivars are the first compact forms of Hydrangea quercifolia to be released by ARS. Oakleaf hydrangea cultivars currently available are taller than desired for small landscapes or, if shorter, don’t have good flowering qualities, Reed said.
‘Ruby Slippers’ and ‘Munchkin’ are small in stature and have large flower heads that stay upright, even after heavy rains. They grow 3-4 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide after nine years of growth, with flower heads held upright above their leaves. Flowers on ‘Ruby Slippers’ open white but quickly turn pale pink and deepen into rose, while those on ‘Munchkin’ open white and gradually turn medium pink. Both plants flower in early summer.
They can be grown in full sun or light shade and are hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-8. Reed anticipates the plants will be widely available for sale to consumers in the next year or two.