Hydrangea Macrophylla - Red Beauty Purple®™

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Red Beauty Purple' (Mophead Hydrangea)
Bigleaf Hydrangea | Red-to-Purple Mophead Blooms

'Red Beauty Purple' is a compact, bushy bigleaf (mophead) hydrangea prized for its bold colour range—from deep red in neutral to slightly alkaline soils to rich purple/violet in mildly acidic mixes with available aluminium. The rounded, full flowerheads and tidy habit make it a standout for semi-shaded borders and statement containers. Excellent for cutting.

Plant Care

Sun: Partial shade (best: morning sun / afternoon shade). Shield from harsh midday heat.
Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained. Enrich sandy soils with compost or coco peat.
Water: Moderate — keep evenly moist, especially through summer and in containers.
Fertilizer: Balanced feed in spring; optional light top-up mid-summer.
Pruning: Light only. After flowering, remove spent heads and dead/weak wood; avoid hard pruning (blooms on old wood).
Top tip: For purple tones, keep soil slightly acidic (±5.5—6.0) and apply a blueing agent (aluminium sulfate) sparingly. Very acidic soils may push blooms toward blue; more alkaline conditions intensify red/magenta.

Specifications

• Botanical name: Hydrangea macrophylla 'Red Beauty Purple'

• Common name: Bigleaf / Mophead Hydrangea

• Growth habit: Compact, rounded, deciduous shrub

• Size: ±1.0—1.4 m H × ±1.0—1.4 m W (in SA garden conditions)

• Bloom time: Late spring/summer to early autumn

• Flower colour: Red → purple/violet depending on soil pH and aluminium availability

• Bloom (head) size: ±15—20 cm diameter (medium—large mopheads)

• Uses: Borders, feature shrub, large containers, cut flowers; reliable colour for semi-shade

Plant Breeders' Rights (PBR)

This cultivar may be protected under Plant Breeders' Rights. Propagation is prohibited without written authorisation. Plants are supplied for ornamental use only.

Quick Facts

• Compact mophead with striking red-to-purple blooms

• 15—20 cm flowerheads; great for cutting

• Thrives in partial shade with consistently moist, rich soil