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Tuff Stuff™ Red Mountain Hydrangea

Shrub

2 total reviews

DISCONTINUED
  • We no longer offer this product. Create a similar look with our Tuff Stuff Top Fun Hydrangea!
  • Compact habit won't outgrow its space.
  • Low maintenance! No pruning needed.
  • Handsome, deep green foliage.
  • Zones 5-9, sun/part sun, 3′ tall x 3' wide at maturity. 
  • ZONE
  • EXPOSURE
  • HEIGHT
Size: One Quart
Regular price $33.00
Sale price Sale: $33.00 Regular price Each
Total: $33.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.
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Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee

Description

So pretty, it’s hard to believe it’s also so tough – but it is! Tuff Stuff™ Red mountain hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata) is a fabulously beautiful lacecap hydrangea with flowers of deep pink-red. It combines outstanding color with a super useful compact habit that fits nicely in the garden or landscape. Lacecap hydrangeas like Tuff Stuff Red are perfect for bringing a more informal look to your flower garden, and, unlike other hydrangeas, they attract pollinators, too! About the Tuff Stuff™ series: Tuff Stuff are mountain hydrangeas. They are closely related to the popular bigleaf hydrangeas, but they are native to chilly mountainous areas, allowing them to develop better tolerance to cold conditions naturally. Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs developed the Tuff Stuff series with an eye toward increased reliability in zones 5 and 6 and a more prolonged bloom in warmer areas. If you have not had success with bigleaf hydrangeas, we encourage you to give the award-winning Tuff Stuff series a try!

Details

Botanical name: Hydrangea serrata 'SMNMAKTSR'
Patent #: USPP 28,672
Common name: Reblooming hydrangea, Mountain hydrangea
Zone: 5 - 9
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ hours sun) in cool areas; part-sun (4-6 hours sun) in warm climates.
Height x width: 2-3' tall and wide
Flower color: Deep pink-red
Foliage color: Glossy green
Season of Interest: Summer-fall
Bloom time: Summer, fall
Features: Space savers, Proven Winners, heat tolerant, cut flowers, container plants, best for beginners
Uses: Flower gardens, landscaping, specimen, flowering hedge

How to Grow

Soil: Mountain hydrangeas require well-drained but moist soil. A good layer of mulch is very helpful for minimizing drought stress and conserving moisture.
Light: Plants can take full sun (6+ hrs/day) in cooler areas, but afternoon shade is recommended in warm climates. If your plant frequently wilts in the afternoon even though it was recently watered, that may indicate the spot is too sunny for it.
Water: Average to abundant (as long as soil is well drained).
Space: min. 3' apart
Fertilizing: Fertilize in early spring, once the ground has thawed, with a granular rose fertilizer. Make an additional application in late spring/early summer to boost reblooming ability, particularly in colder areas.
Winterizing: Do not cut plants back for winter! Doing so will cut off all of the flower buds for the following season. If plants show a lot of dieback in spring, consider moving them, as this indicates the spot may be too cold for the plant.
Maintenance & Pruning: Even though Tuff Stuff hydrangeas are reblooming and capable of flowering on old and new wood, for best bloom, it is best to avoid pruning, trimming, or cutting them back. Any dead wood can be pruned out in early spring, once the new growth has begun to emerge and its clear where any winter damage occurred. If plants do not flower reliably, move them to a more protected spot in your yard; early spring is an excellent time to do that. For best reblooming performance, keep plants free of stress so they grow vigorously. New growth is key to a good rebloom!
Notes on flower color: The flowers of bigleaf hydrangeas can vary from pink to purple to blue, depending on soil chemistry. You must have both an acidic soil and the presence of aluminum (a naturally occurring soil element) in order for blue/purple color to develop. Get a soil test from your local Cooperative Extension before applying any color change treatment to be certain that it will be effective.
A wide variety of colorful hydrangeas

Your Questions on Hydrangeas, Answered

Learn when to prune hydrangeas, how to change colored blooms, why they may be wilting, and everything else you need to know to grow them like a pro.

Grow with confidence

Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:

bush distance

Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:

bush distance zigzag

Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.

Plant Spacing Calculator

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J
J.C.
A sad ending

This one looked good in the beginning but the heat wave has been too much for it and sadly it didn't make it. This is the 3rd time I have tried with hydrangeas and I just have no luck at all.

Hello! We're so sorry to hear that you've had trouble with your hydrangeas. Please email pictures of the plant to [email protected], making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible. Rest assured, we do have a 60 day guarantee on all of our plants. If you received your plants within that timeframe, we will be happy to apply your warranty once we receive the pictures. Happy Gardening!

b
b.s. (Florida)
Quick Grower

I have had this plant in the ground for about 2 months it’s growing quickly and has buds. I also have other varieties of tuff stuff that have been in the ground for 1 year they each have about 30 buds. I love them.

Hi Brandy, we're so glad that you love your hydrangeas! Tuff Stuff is one of our favorites around the office. Thank you for taking the time to leave us feedback. Happy Gardening!

L
L.K.

The pictures look very pink, no hint of red. I really don't want red, would I be disappointed with the color? Looking for a dark pink. Thanks!

Great Garden Plants

The color is described as a dark pink-red. Not a true red, so this may be what you are looking for. If not, we have other pink hydrangeas as well.

C
C.

I just moved from a home where I had over 20 hydrangeas. Now, I live in on the top of a mountain in Idaho at 3100 feet. We will get 2 to 3 feet of snow and the summer heat is intense. I can say what zone as it doesn't seem to fit the surrounding areas. What kind of hydrangeas should I try, or will any work for me?

Great Garden Plants

It's hard to say without knowing your zone! You can still give it a try, but I'd recommend a reblooming hydrangea (like the Tuff Stuff and Let's Dance series) or hydrangeas that bloom on new wood (like Panicle and Smooth hydrangeas). They're you're best bet for summer blooms!

B
B.R.

How big are your Tuff Stuff Red hydrangeas when shipped? What size containers do they come in? 1 qt? 3 qt? Gallon? And approx how long will it take to ship them to MD? Thanks

Great Garden Plants

We are offering Tuff Stuff Red hydrangeas in one quart pots. You can see which size the plants are by the size buttons under the "size" section above the "add to cart" button! Shipping usually takes 3-5 days.

R
R.Y.

I ordered several Sunjoy mini barberry plants last year and it looks like none have made it through the year. The last order of two plants looked dead by cold weather. How do I get reimbursed either with plants or money for this loss?

Great Garden Plants

You can read the complete details of our guarantee, along with claims information, here: https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/our-guarantee. Please do note, however, that at the time of this writing (March 21), it is too early for either of these plants to start leafing out anywhere but the warmest areas of the country, so don't give up on them just yet.

C
C.

Tolerate morning sun?

Great Garden Plants

Hi Nan! Yes, it not only tolerates morning sun, but it is happiest when it gets morning sun!