Like all the cultivars in the Incrediball series born from NC State and Spring Meadow Nursery, Invincibelle Ruby carries serious breeding behind its showy exterior. At 3 to 4 feet tall and a narrower 2 to 3 feet wide, it is the most restrained in scale of the series, which makes it useful in tighter spots where a full-sized hydrangea would overwhelm. Plant it in groups with at least 3 feet between individuals and it will mass into a hedge or border planting with real presence. Soil pH has no bearing on its color — the deep ruby reads the same whether your ground is acid or sweet.

The flowers open from dark burgundy buds into 12-inch mopheads that carry both bright ruby red and a cooler silvery pink at once, a combination that photographs and arranges beautifully. It blooms on new wood and rebounds strongly through summer into fall. A 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch over its shallow roots protects it through winter and keeps the soil from drying out in summer. In warm climates, afternoon shade prevents bleaching and keeps the plant from stretching. It hosts the Hydrangea sphinx moth caterpillar and draws bees, butterflies, and songbirds throughout the season.