Cardinal Red Hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Cardinal’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6a-9b Find Your Zone

Shrub Type: Deciduous Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 4-5′

Width at Maturity: 4-5′

Spacing: 3-4′ apart for solid hedges; 8′ or more apart for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Globose/Round, Mounding

Flower Color: Deep Pink fading to Red

Flower Size: Large – up to 6-8″ inch diameter

Flowering Period: Summer

Flower Type: Single in large clusters

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: NA

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Part Shade (South) – Sun or Part Shade (North)

Water Needs: Average, Lower when established

Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sand (amended), Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist

Soil pH: 6.0 – 8.0 (Moderately Acid to Moderately Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Drought (when established in part shade), Heat, Humidity, Insect

Description

‘Cardinal’ is a mophead Hydrangea that produces deep pink flowers that fade to red. Flowers are more red in acid soil conditions. Flowers are a standout in the garden during summer and are excellent for cutting and use in fresh or dried flower arrangements. The leaves are beautiful green and turn a lovely purple in the fall. Cardinal is a fast grower to about 4 to 5 feet in height and wide in 3 years.

Note: If we are sold out of Cardinal Red Hydrangea check to see if we have Charm Red Hydrangea or Glowing Embers Hydrangea, two other varieties we think are very close to or the same as Cardinal Red.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing in a rounded mound 4 to 5 feet tall and wide, Cardinal Red Hydrangea is ideal for use as an accent, in groupings, or as a colorful hedge in landscape borders and home foundation plantings. A fine addition to cut flower gardens, cottage gardens and Hydrangea gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 3 to 4 feet apart for solid hedges; 8 feet or more apart for space between plants

How To Measure Total Square Feet Of A Planting Area

How Many Plants Needed To Cover A Planting Area?

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Cold Hardiness Zone 6a, where this Hydrangea variety is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and place back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

Cardinal Red Hydrangea is easy to grow in a moist but well-drained soil in full sun to part shade, depending on your climate. Plants will tolerate full sun in northern zones however appreciate some afternoon shade or filtered sun in warmer southern zones. We suggest at least 5 hours of direct sunlight per day or all day lightly filtered sun for best flowering. Mophead-type Hydrangea produce blooms only on old wood (growth from the previous year). This means that even though it is tempting to cut them back in the winter, when they are only bare sticks jutting out of the ground, don’t do it. The flower buds are already formed and hidden in those bare sticks, so don’t cut them off if you want flowers!

Note: Cardinal Red is a Hydrangea macrophylla species that produces its flowers from buds that formed on “old wood” (during the previous year). This means that even though it is tempting to cut them back in the winter, when they are only bare sticks jutting out of the ground, don’t do it. The flower buds are already formed and hidden in those bare sticks, so don’t cut them off if you want flowers.

Get tips for proper pruning time and technique in our article titled How To Prune Various Types Of Hydrangea

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Hydrangea shrubs.

How To Plant Hydrangeas In The Ground & Pots

How To Prune Various Types Of Hydrangea

How To Fertilize And Water Hydrangeas

Plant Long & Prosper!

Meet The Wilson Brothers & Staff

Questions? Contact Us!

Was delivered in perfect condition! Already blooming!———————–Thanks for the photo. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy your purchase for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and wonderful review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Immediately impressed with how my order was shipped. Plants arrived dark green and well packed. Haven’t yet planted them as I’m still improving my flower beds, but I’m very happy I got 6 and all 6 are exceeding my expectations sitting in their pots waiting for me to find them a home.——————————–Thanks for the wonderful review! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG