Flowering for several months from midsummer, this easy and undemanding shrub puts on a dazzling display with its large, colour-changing flower heads. The display kicks off in midsummer, when domed clusters of pink flowers start opening from bud. Then as the seasons change from summer to autumn, the colour of each bloom intensifies and matures to a deep claret-purple. Only recently introduced, but already picking up the awards, this is a spectacular addition to the garden.
How to care for Hydrangea macrophylla Ruby Tuesday (PBR):
Leave the old flower heads in place through the winter. As the new shoots start to emerge in spring cut back a third to a quarter of the previous season's flowering stems to the base and cut back the remaining flower heads to the first pair of buds.
Flowering period:
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Eventual height:
1m
Eventual spread:
1m
Position:
Full sun / light shade
Soil:
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
-
This shrub is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.
-
Humans: Skin allergen; Pets: Harmful if eaten