‘Queen of Hearts’ was selected for its large, upright inflorescences and heavy flowering. It flowers approximately 7 to 10 days later than standard oakleaf hydrangea cultivars, and inflorescences remain attractive after those of other cultivars have faded. Flowers open white and then slowly age to a deep pink color.
Queen of Hearts was developed from a 1998 hybridization of oakleaf hydrangea cultivars ‘Snow Queen’ and ‘Pee Wee’. It was released by the U.S. National Arboretum’s shrub breeding program in McMinnville, Tenn. in 2013.