20 Plants With Big Red Leaves for Indoors and Outdoors

Plants with big red leaves not only make an eye-catching addition to any garden, but they can also be a valuable source of contrast and texture in any outdoor or indoor space. There are several plants that feature such beautiful foliage.

In this complete guide, we talk about these plants in detail, so check out our descriptions of these plants below!

Different Kinds of Plants With Big Red Leaves

1. Ti Plant

The Ti Plant or Cordyline fruticosa is an attractive and hardy tropical evergreen shrub with large red and green leaves. Native to the South Pacific, this tall perennial grows in consistently warm temperatures, making it a popular choice for landscapes in areas like Hawaii and broader tropical climates. Despite its innate beauty, the Ti Plant also has numerous medicinal uses.

2. Red Star Dracaena

The Red Star Dracaena, also known as the Dragon Tree, is a beautiful evergreen plant native to East Africa and Madagascar. With its beautiful red foliage and striking shape consisting of arching leaves on a slender stem, it is really no surprise that it has become so popular in interior decoration. With proper care, this easy-to-maintain durable indoor plant can provide enjoyment for many years!

3. Polka Dot Plant

The polka dot plant, scientifically called Hypoestes Phyllostachya, is an evergreen herbaceous perennial native to Madagascar. It has bright and vibrant glossy red leaves. This bushy, low-maintenance plant makes a great addition to any home or office as it’s easy to care for and can tolerate most environmental conditions. It helps beautify indoor centers piece arrangements with its ornamental foliage.

4. Nerve Plant

The nerve plant, or fittonia albivenis, is an attractive perennial houseplant with broad red leaves and small white flowers. Its common name comes from its vein-like veins which are highly visible and range in color from deep green to bright pink. Nerve plants thrive in environments that mimic tropical rainforests.

5. Croton

Croton or Codiaeum variegatum is an evergreen shrub native to Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia, with large oval leaves in vivid shades of red, orange, yellow, and green. They are usually grown as house plants but also thrive outdoors in tropical areas with partial shade and plenty of water. When cared for properly, these plants can bring beauty to a garden with their big, bold leaves.

6. Red Moon Cactus

The Red Moon Cactus aka gymnocalycium mihanovichii is a colorful and visually striking succulent native to Peru and Bolivia. This delightful cactus features lime-green stems adorned with large, ruby-red leaves that stand upright in the form of crowns. It blooms exceptionally large flowers at night and requires intense light during the day.

7. Red Pagoda

Red Pagoda or crassula capitella is an evergreen shrub that is native to East Asia and has gained popularity in many other regions as a landscaping option. It grows quickly with beautiful red leaves in the summertime, making it an attractive garden plant. The deciduous foliage turns reddish-orange in late summer.

8. Siam Aurora

Siam Aurora is an aptly named tropical plant with large, glossy, dark green leaves and striking, deep red flowers that appear amongst the foliage. As a great choice for both indoor potted plants as well as larger gardens outdoors, the Siam Aurora is fairly easy to care for.

9. Wandering Jew

The Wandering Jew is an evergreen, hardy, and fast-growing plant that is well suited to a variety of growing conditions. Native to South America, these red leaf plants feature dense foliage and variegated green and purple leaves with bright red undersides. This species can reach maximum heights of up to three feet.

10. Caladium Bicolor

Caladium Bicolor, also known as the heart of Jesus, is an ornamental plant that boasts large, round leaves speckled in red, green, and white. The leaves can grow up to one foot in diameter and are finely veined. It’s an ideal choice for indoor containers or outdoors as a border plant in coastal climates.

11. Angel Wings

Angel Wings is a variety of aquarium plant that is native to Brazil and other tropical regions. It has beautiful, big, red-purple leaves with undulated edges which gives it an angelic appearance. Not only is this species visually attractive, but it is also easy to maintain in the home aquarium as long as its requirements are met.

12. Sedum rubrotinctum Aurora

Sedum rubrotinctum Aurora, commonly known as the Jelly Beans plant due to its unique bean-shaped foliage, is an evergreen, succulent perennial from Mexico. This attractive indoor houseplant features glossy green or purple leaves that turn a striking shade of red when grown in an area with adequate sunlight exposure.

13. Bloodleaf Iresine

Bloodleaf Iresine aka Iresine herbstii is an attractive large-leaved plant that boasts bright red, bronze, yellow, or pinkish foliage resembling that of a Maple or Sycamore tree. It’s native to tropical areas throughout Central and South America and has thin stems which arch outward from the central stem.

14. Chinese Evergreen

The Chinese Evergreen is one of the most popular indoor plants that thrive in warm, humid environments and provides a touch of color to any home. With its unique patterning of bold red leaves, the Chinese Evergreen is known for being extremely hardy and tolerant of limited light, which makes it an ideal choice for even beginner gardeners.

15. Copperleaf Plant

The Copperleaf Plant, scientifically known as Acalypha wilkesiana, is a popular ornamental shrub with distinctive coppery-red foliage and a wide variety of cultivars. It thrives in warm and sunny climates with plenty of sunlight, although it can also handle light shade. This plant is tolerant of heat, humidity, and drought conditions.

16. Poinsettia

The Poinsettia or Euphorbia pulcherrima is native to Central America. It is a popular holiday flower with large red-colored bracts surrounding yellow flowers. Though often first considered as an indoor or outdoor annual, the poinsettia can be brought back year after year if provided with the proper environment and care.

17. Tropical Smoke Bush

The Tropical Smoke Bush is an ornamental plant with striking foliage renowned for its marvelous autumn color. Its luscious green leaves transform into hues of vivid yellows and purples in the fall months and are complimented by prominent red leaf stalks that make this plant stand out amongst other garden specimens.

18. Red Leaf Heliconia

The Red Leaf Heliconia, also known as Wild Plantain, is an ornamental plant distinguished by its large and vibrant red leaves. It has a commercially important significance, often grown in plantations for cut-flower production due to its attractive foliage and robust flowers. With broad yellow and red blooms, the flowers provide rich pollen sources for native hummingbirds and other insects.

19. Emerald Ripple Peperomia

Emerald Ripple Peperomia, aka Peperomia caperata, is one of those radiator plants which is an evergreen perennial in the Piperaceae family, originally found in tropical regions of Central and South America. It is a unique foliage plant known for its leaves with eye-catching red edges. The distinctive red color can vary widely.

20. Anthurium Flamingo Lily

Anthurium Flamingo Lily is an evergreen perennial native to Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and the Caribbean. This tropical plant is known for its beautiful red leaves. The stem of the Anthurium Flamingo Lily is slender with a felt-like coating, while its foliage displays glossy, leathery red leaves with yellow veins radiating from the center of the leaf.

Conclusion

You have already seen that there are plenty of plants with big red leaves that you can grow indoors, outdoors, or both for ornamenting your landscape. However, here is a summary of the plants based on where you can grow them.

• If you want plants that can be grown both indoors and outdoors, then siam aurora, croton, caladium bicolor, etc. can be good choices.
• For growing indoors, you can choose the red star dracaena, Chinese evergreen, sedum rubrotinctum aurora, etc.
• Outdoor plants such as copperleaf plant or red leaf heliconia can be great ornamental plants for your backyard.

If you have an attraction for red leaf plants, then these are some great ones to cultivate!

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