Looks like chemical damage of some sort.

I have not used any chemicals so not sure what it is

My thought was the same as springwood's. Is it close enough that it might have gotten drift from a neighbor or farm field? Might weed-n-feed have washed into its root zone from your lawn or a neighbor's?

My neighbor uses round up on the other side of the fence but that is about 4 feet away. Nothing else along the fence has had this problem. We have had so much rain that maybe the soil has let something seep close?

It could be from drift from Roundup if the neighbor used it with a light breeze, though it needs to get on the leaves, so the rain wouldn't be part of the equation. Or if the neighbor uses W-n-F, the "weed" part of the formula may have something that has washed into the root zone of the hydrangea. IME different plants have different sensitivities to herbicides, so the hydrangea may be more sensitive. Can you ask your neighbor to give you a call before spraying so you can drape a tarp or the like over the plants when s/he is spraying?

My neighbor has not sprayed for a long time and no other plants have this deformed growth. I am wondering if hydrangeas have a virus like roses have th rose rosette virus? I would have to dig it up. :-)

I wouldn't worry too much. It's a young plant. I'd let it go and be really concerned if it re-grows that way next season.

I think I will send a picture to Heidi where I bought the plant and see if anyone else has had this problem.

That is quite strange, Brooks23. I too would have originally thought of chemical damage from other fungicides or insecticides. I consulted with the Invincibelle Spirit Breeder and he too said he had not seen something like that. He recommended pruning it back some and seeing if the symptoms persist on the new growth.

There's a far-outside chance of a mutation going on there, but it really looks like sme kind of chemical overspray. If it were a mutation it brings to mind Riven Lace, also known as Green Dragon smooth hydrangea.

If it is chemical damage from my neighbors round up use do you think I should feltilize my plant? would tha that help? We have had a lot of rain could round up leak over from the soil ?

Let's not over react it's a young plant PATIENCE!!!!!

Have alway bought my plants local ...any problem have always brought them back

Brooks, the only thing fertilizer would remedy would be lack of nutrients. It cannot help with anything else, in no sense a cure all. Typical advice is to not fertilize something newly planted, stressed or damaged.

Thanks for the help. It is stressed so will not fertilized. We have had more than enough rain. Maybe too much rain

Hi, I got an email from Heidi and she got information from the grower(Spring Hill) that this leaf growth happens when there is high humidity and or fertilizer and that I can cut the strange leaves off but the plant will be fine.

How strange but good to know. My Anna did not react to lots of rain during an El Nin~o Year that way so maybe it is a problem with Ruby only. And you did say it had rained a lot recently by KY. Question: did Heidi say that it also could be because of too much nitrogen??? Do you know what is the logic there??? Meaning how that could trigger this type growth? Odd.

Yes it was too much fertilizer or hot humid weather. I couldn't get the dern email to copy paste. So I think it could be too much nittrogen. I am not sure but Spring Hill is aware of the growth pattern. I will watch the plant and report as the plant grows. I havethe Blush hydrangea and it has not had this problem

Well, get ready to prune now! Ha.