Toy Soldier™ Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Bocotoso'
This one's sold out. These are ready to ship
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Plant Sentry™ Protected
Your order is protected by our compliance system that:
- Prevents restricted plants from shipping to your state
- Ensures plants meet your state's agricultural requirements
- Protects gardens from invasive pests and diseases
Specifications
| Plant Characteristics | Cold hardy, Compact/Dwarf, Low Maintenance, Native, Flowering, Fall Color/Interest, Attracts pollinators, Drought resistant, Heat Tolerant, Hedge/Screen, Container Friendly, Non-invasive |
|---|---|
| Hardiness Zone | 3a to 9b |
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Height | |
| Width | |
| Watering Needs | Moderate |
| Preferred Soil | Clay, Loamy, Sandy |
| Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Growth Habit | Bushy, Compact |
| Blooms In | Summer |
| Flower Color | White |
| Foliage Color | Green |
| Fragrant | Yes |
| Pet Safety | Toxic to pets |
| Suitable Space | Outdoors |
| Plant Name | Hydrangea |
| Botanical Name | |
| Species | |
| Cultivar | |
| Class | Magnoliopsida, Cornales |
| Does Not Ship To | AK, HI, ID, MT, PR |
Description
Small but strong, introducing the Blooming Easy® Toy Soldier™ Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia 'Bocotoso') now at Nature Hills! With big oak-leaf-shaped foliage and airy round panicles of green and white blooms, Toy Soldier™ stands straight and sturdy.
An improved version of the hardy native, the big round-petalled white blooms form on rounded bunches of green buds that match their green foliage that's quilted with pointed lobed leaves! Then they transform into gorgeous vermillion red, maroon, or even purplish in the fall.
These improved deciduous cultivars are hardy throughout USDA growing zones 5 to 9 and grow to a nice, rounded 4-5 foot tall and wide ball of green texture! The butterflies will arrive in swarms to check out these blooms that remain on the plant from summer and into the fall! The dried blossoms even add winter interest!
Planting and Application:
Line a row of neat and tidy Toy Soldiers™ up along a fenceline or your home's foundation for a lovely and lively hedge! Space them 3-4 feet apart for a close privacy hedge, or loosen their spacing to create an informal screen that hides eyesores and blocks nosy neighbors. Sturdy enough for being their own living fence, snow-blocking barrier, or backdrop to other garden beds, you'll love the blooms and fall color this Oakleaf Hydrangea lends to the landscape!
A single flowering shrub is a mighty and colorful flowering specimen, while groupings become bird-friendly havens! Anchor a garden bed or soften the corners of a garage with these versatile and easy-to-grow sentries! Looking great without being pruned and manicured, add to mixed shrub hedges for flowers and fall color! Don't forget to snip a few blooms for your vases indoors too!
- Airy White & Green Panicles
- Textured Green Lobed Foliage
- Vibrant Vermillion Red Fall Color!
- Butterfly Friendly!
- Hedges, Backdrops, Specimens, Accents & Anchors
#ProPlantTips For Care
Oakleaf Hydrangea handles almost all soil types, as long as they are well-drained and never sitting in water. Toy Soldier™ does fine in both full sun or part shade, favoring morning sun, In the south, it appreciates afternoon shade and in the north, it prefers protection from the coldest winds. Plant in soil that's well-drained and enriched with regular moderate moisture access. Mulch the root system 3-4 inches deep to help maintain moderate yet consistent moisture all growing season. Quercifolia Hydrangeas blooms on old growth, so prune right after it finishes blooming in late summer.
- Full Sun & Partial Shade
- Moist Soil & Arborist Mulch
- Prune Oakleaf Hydrangeas After Bloom Fade
- Any Well-Drained Soil
- Bloom Color Isn't pH-Sensitive
Sturdy sentries with vivid fall color and bee-friendly, the Blooming Easy® Toy Soldier™ Oakleaf Hydrangea will boost your landscape on a grand scale without sacrificing space! Order yours today at NatureHills.com!
Planting & Care
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping Rates
Ships in 3-5 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected
| Under $50 | $9.99 |
| $50 - $99.99 | $14.99 |
| $100 - $149.99 | $16.99 |
| $150 - $198.99 | $24.99 |
| $199+ | FREE |
✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee
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Disappointed in this one. It looked less than healthy when received, dead leaves in the box and some were deformed and spotty. As a new gardener I thought it was just in shock from travel and planted right away. Watered often and kept removing the damaged leaves. Today I noticed fine webs on the underside, suspect spider mites. Removed bad leaves again and washed the plant. Hoping it survives. Bought 3 different shrubs, this was the largest and most costly unfortunately. Satisfied with my other plants
Plant was lovely size, well protected for shipping, prospering in ground
Ruby Slippers is such a reliable performer once it gets established, and it sounds like yours is off to a great start. Glad the packaging kept it safe in transit. Thanks for letting us know it's doing well in the ground, Linda.
Well packaged full plant doing beautifully with buds!!!
This little shrub has been doing so well. It is full and has grown quite a bit since planted last month. Very happy with this purchase and looking forward to beautiful flowers
Oakleaf hydrangeas have a way of surprising you with how fast they settle in once they're happy. Looking forward to those blooms is one of the best parts of the first season. Ruby Slippers tends to put on a nice show with its white-to-pink flower cones, and the fall foliage adds another round of color to look forward to as well. Thanks for sharing the update, Paula.
The plant arrived healthy.Got it in the ground, and it’s thriving.
Oakleaf hydrangeas tend to settle in quickly once they find their footing, and it sounds like yours is doing just that. Thanks for sharing the update, Vanessa. Give it a season or two and those long white flower clusters will really put on a show.
It was much smaller than expected but love to see it growing! It was wrapped well and arrived in good shape. I might add that it was pretty root-bound but now that the roots have been 'freed', the hydrangea is liberated and growing nicely! Overall, quite pleased.
I ordered rather than buying locally because this was the only place I could get a larger sized plant. My hydrangea arrived looking pretty bare, but that was to be expected for early spring. I put it out in its intended space and immediately got it watered and it is thriving so far.
Ruby Slippers is such a good choice, and you're right that bare-looking in early spring is completely normal for oakleaf hydrangeas. Once they wake up and push new growth, they fill in quickly. Sounds like yours is already off to a strong start with a good planting and a solid first watering. Thanks for sharing the update, Meredith. The Nature Hills Team
My ruby slipper hydrienga is doing GREAT,
I ordered another red slipper and a white oak leaf to join the other hydriengas I've got planted
So far so good. Can't wait til it starts getting blooms. Packing was excellent.
Lots of buds!
Arrived healthy and ready to plant.
I saw some bad reviews of this company after I ordered and got nervous. I recieved a beautiful plant. Packaged wonderfully It definitely would have been my fault if it died. It is the end of the growing season so its not putting out a bunch of new growth, but it still looks very healthy.
Hi there, Thank you for taking a chance on us despite your initial concerns! We are thrilled that your experience exceeded expectations and appreciate you sharing your honest feedback. Reviews like yours help other hesitant customers buy with confidence. Thank you - Nature Hills Customer Support
The plant looks full and happy! I can’t wait to plant it!
Hi Susan, Thank you for leaving us a glowing review! We strive to make sure plants arrive in great condition and are happy to hear your Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea arrived beautifully! Happy Planting - Nature Hills Customer Support
Hello! I am hoping the bushes will thrive after a day or two. Two of the eight don’t look like they’ll survive. Also, I never received a notification that they were being delivered. They just showed up at my door. I’m excited to grow those beautiful bushes in my yard! Thank you!
Ruby Slippers makes a really nice hedge and the fall color is a bonus.
Hi Helen,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with the Ruby Slippers Hydrangea! We're delighted to hear that it's making a lovely hedge in your garden and that you're enjoying the added beauty of its fall color—a wonderful bonus indeed. If you ever have questions about pruning or want tips to encourage even more vibrant blooms and foliage, feel free to reach out. We also have some great care guides on our website that might be helpful for keeping your hedge looking its best throughout the seasons.
Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts
I do not prune my Pink Slippers and the shrub looks great every year.
Hello Mr. Will,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with the Ruby Slippers Hydrangea! It’s wonderful to hear that your shrub thrives beautifully without pruning—it truly shows how resilient and easy-to-care-for this variety can be in the right setting. Since you’ve had success letting it grow naturally, you might enjoy experimenting with occasional shearing after flowering to maintain your preferred shape and encourage fresh blooms, but it sounds like your approach perfectly suits your yard.
If you ever want more tips or have questions about other plants for hassle-free gardening, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always happy to help you keep your garden flourishing with minimal effort.
Rooting for your garden’s success,
Your Nature Hills Plant Care Team
I do not prune my Pink Slippers and the shrub looks great every year.
Dear Mr. W.,
Thank you so much for sharing your positive experience with your Ruby Slippers Hydrangea! We're delighted to hear that your shrub looks great year after year even without pruning. This lovely and low-maintenance behavior is definitely one of the things that makes Ruby Slippers such a popular choice for gardeners who appreciate effortless beauty.
If you ever decide to experiment with pruning in the future, a light trim just after flowering can encourage even fuller blooms the next seasons, but it certainly sounds like your hydrangea thrives just fine as is! Meanwhile, continuing with consistent watering and a balanced fertilizer during the growing season will keep your plant looking its healthy best.
Thanks again for taking the time to leave your review; it helps our whole community of plant lovers. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need care tips anytime down the road!
Bloom on,
The Nature Hills Plant Knowledge Team
Ruby Slippers makes a really nice hedge and the fall color is a bonus.
Dear Helen,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with the Ruby Slippers Hydrangea! We’re delighted to hear that it’s making such a lovely hedge in your garden and that you’re enjoying its beautiful fall color — truly a wonderful bonus that adds seasonal interest.
If you haven’t already, for optimal hedge health and enhanced fall foliage, consider placing your Ruby Slippers in well-drained soil with ample sunlight, as this can encourage vibrant coloring and strong growth. Regular pruning after blooming will also help maintain its shape and promote a fuller hedge.
Should you have any questions about care or future plantings to complement your Ruby Slippers, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always here to help your garden flourish!
Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts
