Hydrangea macrophylla Cherry Explosion™

Scientific Name: Hydrangea macrophylla 'McKay'

Also Known As

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Cherry Explosion'
Cherry Explosion™ Bigleaf Lacecap Hydrangea

Plant type

shrub

size

H: 4'-5'
W: 4'-5'

planting zones

4a-9b

More Options

Hydrangea macrophylla Cherry Explosion™ plant details

Hydrangea macrophylla Cherry Explosion™ is a broadleaf deciduous shrub with green foliage. In fall and summer red flowers emerge. Features glossy texture. Attracts bees and butterflies making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with mostly sun - mostly shade and even moisture - regular water. Does well in average, rich and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something heat tolerant and humidity tolerant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Hydrangea macrophylla Cherry Explosion™

Plant type: shrub
Plant family: hydrangeaceae
Foliage: deciduous green
Mature size: 4 FT - 5 FT - wide, 4 FT - 5 FT - tall
Flowers: red blooms in fall and summer
Uses: border plant, cottage garden, cutting garden, dried-arrangements, easy-to-grow, long-blooming, woodland garden

GROWING CONDITIONS for Hydrangea macrophylla Cherry Explosion™

USDA Zones: 4a - 9b
Sun exposure: mostly sun - mostly shade
Watering frequency: even moisture - regular
Resistant to: heat and humidity
Soil needs: average, rich and well-drained

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

A rare selection of exceptionally hardy (zone 4!) Hydrangea macrophylla, Cherry Explosion offers a profusion of cherry red flowers surrounding a burst of star-like pink fertile florets in lacecap heads. A rebloomer that will bloom on both old and new wood. Leaves turn a beautiful burgundy in fall. A compact grower great for small spaces and containers. Good for pollinators. Cultivar name: 'McKay'.

By: Phoenix Perennials and Specialty Plants Ltd.

Big deep cherry red florets surround the smaller pink star shaped fertile flowers of this exceptionally cold hardy Hydrangea when grown in alkaline soils. In acid soils the colors tend toward lavender or purple hues. Cherry Explosion™Hydrangea flowers on new wood and on seemingly every stem and thus extending its range into zone 4. Fall color ranges into deep burgundy on this compact naturally rounded growing Hydrangea. An exciting new introduction from McKay Nursery Company and Star Roses. Image courtesy of Star Roses, all rights reserved.

By: Almost Eden

This is a hot-colored lacecap - we are seeing it colored hot pink even in our pine bark-based growing medium (which tends toward acidic), but we imagined it would be correspondingly saturated purple or crimson in acidic soils. The pink-purple flower picture from Mike Dirr confirms that purple will exhibit in low pH soils. The plant is definitely more compact that other macs, yet the lacecaps are hefty and robust - this is not a timid flowerer. Our third flower head picture shows how the sterile florets flip over and age true pink after the center fertile flowers have been pollinated. Look closely and you can see all the ovaries swelling and fruit forming where there were once fertile flowers. It's listed as hardy in zone 4, but we are very conservative with zone hardiness and successful blooming, so we're listing it as zone 6. We would love to hear from you if you're growing it in cold climates.