Red is a stunning color that makes any plant with red foliage appear tropical and exotic– almost otherworldly. Your everyday plants with green leaves can quickly become boring, and we’re sure you’ll agree— nothing beats vibrant burgundy shrubs.
Not only are they extremely beautiful to look at, but they also add an aura of exoticness to your lawn or garden.
In this article, we take a look at 15 shrubs with red leaves all year, so you can pick the one that appeals to you the most.
Contents
- Shrubs With Red Leaves All Year
- – Elderberry Black Beauty
- – Crape Myrtle Black Diamond Pure White
- – Japanese Maple Bloodgood
- – Japanese Maple Inaba Shidare
- – Ninebark Tiny Wine
- – Ninebark Diablo
- – Smokebush’ Velveteeny’ or ‘Royal Purple ‘
- – Ajuga Black Scallop
- – Little Miss Maiden Grass
- – Penstemon’ Onyx & Pearls’
- – Fairy Wing ‘After Midnight’ (Barrenwort)
- – Heuchera (Coral Bells)
- – Panicle Hydrangea Quick Fire
- – Heuchera (Coral Bells)
- – Spiraea Double Play Big Bang
- Conclusion
Shrubs With Red Leaves All Year
| Flower | What makes it stand out |
| Elderberry Black Beauty | Unique, fern-like deep burgundy leaves and bears fruit |
| Crape Myrtle Black Diamond Pure White | Dark red foliage with white ruffled flowers all season |
| Japanese Maple Bloodgood | The color of the leaves changes throughout the year, ranging from orange-red to bronze-red to purple-red |
| Japanese Maple Inaba Shidare | Deep ruby-red leaves in the spring that gets brighter throughout the year |
| Ninebark Tiny Wine | A disease-resistant, pest-resistant shrub, ideal for the home gardener |
| Ninebark Diablo | Simple to grow |
| Smoke Bush ‘Velveteeny’ or ‘Royal Purple‘ | Distinctive purple foliage turns bright scarlet in the fall |
| Ajuga Black Scallop | Fantastic for landscaping in gloomy places |
| Little Miss Maiden Grass | Perfect grass to provide a backdrop for your garden |
| Penstemon ‘Onyx & Pearls’ | A deer-resistant, tall, erect perennial that thrives in sunny environments |
| Fairy Wing ‘After Midnight’ (Barrenwort) | Low-growing plant is perfect for a shady walkway or a crevice |
| Heuchera (Coral Bells) | Come in all shapes and sizes |
| Panicle Hydrangea Quick Fire | Bloom quicker than other hydrangea types |
| Spiraea Double Play Big Bang | Change color from red to orange to yellow throughout the year |
– Elderberry Black Beauty
- Zones: 4-7
- 8-12′ height x 5-6′ width
- Full to partial sun
Purple new stems complement the unique, fern-like deep burgundy leaves of the elderberry black beauty. These distinctive evergreen shrubs are encircled by clusters of reddish blossoms with a lemony aroma that attracts butterflies. They produce delicious fruit (elderberries) in the summer, which both people and birds enjoy.
Plant an appropriate pollinator nearby, such as Black Lace, Instant Karma, or Laced up elderberry, to ensure fruit production. When cross-pollinated, both plants will yield berries.
– Crape Myrtle Black Diamond Pure White
- Zones: 5-9
- 10-12′ height x 8′ W
- Full sun
The Black Diamond Pure White Crape Myrtle produces dark red foliage with white ruffled flowers all season, from spring to summer. This is a tiny, multi-stemmed tree that, once established, is drought tolerant. Its deep crimson (nearly black) foliage and pristine white blossoms will attract attention!
– Japanese Maple Bloodgood
- Zones: 5-9
- 15-20′ height x 12-15′ W
- partial sun
This plant’s lovely reddish-burgundy leaves can be seen on thick branches. The color of the leaves changes throughout the year, ranging from orange-red to bronze-red to purple-red, all fall colors people love to have in their gardens.
This makes for a lovely ornamental tree for anyone wishing to add some fall foliage to their garden.
– Japanese Maple Inaba Shidare
- Zones: 5-9
- 10-15′ height x 8-15′ W
- Full to partial sun
The beautiful Japanese Maple Inaba Shidare is a little weeping tree that looks like a shrub. The leaves are a deep ruby-red in the spring and only get brighter throughout the year. The leaves turn a vivid blazing crimson in the fall.
– Ninebark Tiny Wine
- Zones: 3-8
- 3-4′ height x 3-4′ W
- Full to partial sun
Ninebark Tiny Wine is a disease-resistant, pest-resistant shrub with the right size for the home gardener. Its small spring flower bundles surround the shrub in clusters of reddish-white hue. Tiny Wine’s exposed bark has a stunning, peeling aspect when the burgundy-maroon leaves fall off in the winter, adding interest to your winter garden.
– Ninebark Diablo
- Zones: 3-7
- 8-10′ height x 8-10′ W
- Full to partial sun
Diablo Ninebark has beautiful creamy-white flowers with deep red foliage and textured bark. It’s a stunning plant that’s very simple to grow. Diablo grows quite enormous, so make sure you have enough room!
– Smokebush’ Velveteeny’ or ‘Royal Purple ‘
- Zones 4-8
- 3-4′ W x 3-4′ height
- Full-partial sun
- Blooms in summer
Smokebush’ Velveteeny’, at about three to four feet tall, has the same silky smooth, deep maroon foliage as the others, with substantial fluffy dove gray/pink plumage in the summer. Its distinctive purple foliage turns bright scarlet in the fall, providing another season of appeal.
‘Velveteeny’ shares many characteristics as her big brother, ‘Royal Purple,’ but in a more diminutive, dwarf form ideal for tiny home gardens.
– Ajuga Black Scallop
- Zones: 4-9
- 4-6in height x 3′ W
- partial sun
Bugleweed, widely known as ajuga, are fantastic red shrub for landscaping in gloomy places. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the Black Scallop has rich maroon leaves that are practically black (hence, the name).
Tiny spikes of deep-lavender flowers shoot up from the foliage in the spring! It will look fantastic in any garden with burgundy foliage.
– Little Miss Maiden Grass
- Zones: 5-9
- 2-3′ height x 1-4′ W
- Full sun
The ruby foliage of Little Miss Maiden Grass is a beautiful complement to any garden. Many of the parks you see lack the bustle and background noise that lush grass brings to the scene.
Early in the spring, Little Miss’s beautiful foliage appears. It is key to have in mind that the outer foliage turns beautiful scarlet and purple as the summer progresses, intensifying throughout the fall. If you want to take your red garden to the next level, this is the grass to use.
– Penstemon’ Onyx & Pearls’
- Zones: 3-8
- 3.5′ height x 3-3.5′ W
- Full sun
The tall spikes of white flowers with a hint of magenta against the deep burgundy foliage of this plant genuinely make for an awe-inspiring sight.
A deer-resistant, tall, erect perennial that thrives in sunny environments. This resilient plant thrives in drier natural meadow gardens and borders, where bees and hummingbirds are likely to visit! Furthermore, another type to search for is known as the ‘Blackbeard,’ which is known by the rich purple colored leaves that it has.
– Fairy Wing ‘After Midnight’ (Barrenwort)
- Zones 5-9
- 8-12″ height x 8-12″ W
- partial sun or shade
The leaflets of After Midnight begin with a splash of chocolate brown and quickly turn green at the center, crisply edged in bronze. These provide a lovely backdrop for the garden’s flowers, which will entice you in from all directions.
The cherry-rimmed sepals come away to expose a flurry of white blooms that stand out against the dark red foliage. This low-growing plant is perfect for a shady walkway or a gap in a giant boulder.
– Heuchera (Coral Bells)
- Zones: 4-9
- 12-18′′ wide and high
- full sun and partial shade
Heuchera, often known as coral bells, comes in various colors and shapes. We like them because of their distinctive foliage color, their small stature (12-18′′ wide and high), and the fact that their leaves and color last all winter.
Coral bells are hardy in zones 4-9 and flourish in both full sun and partial shade.
– Panicle Hydrangea Quick Fire
- Zones: 4-8
- 6-8′ height x 6-8′ W
- Full to partial sun
Beautiful pure white blooms, huge matte-textured leaves, and deep crimson veining characterize this hydrangea. Quickfire blooms sooner than other hydrangea kinds, putting on a show from summer to fall, and even providing winter appeal with dried flowers, hence this is why it is loved by most people.
It is key to note that you’re in luck if you like this shrub, however, it’s a little too huge. Additionally, there’s also a similar hydrangea called Little QuickFire, which grows three to five feet tall and three to five feet wide. It thrives in zones three through eight.
– Heuchera (Coral Bells)
Coral bells were also discussed in a previous section. Red stems or veins can be found on several coral bell types (like Forever Red, Berry Smoothie, and Red Lightning).
The bottoms of some coral bells’ leaves are even a distinct color. The variation Caramel, for example, is a burnt red-orange tint. However, the underside of the leaf displays a startlingly vivid explosion of deep crimson.
When you see coral bell leaves in the nursery, make sure to flip them over. You might be startled to learn that it won’t be the same shade as the leaf’s top.
– Spiraea Double Play Big Bang
- Zones: 3-8
- 2 to 3 feet in height and width
- Full sun
Despite its lengthy name, this shrub is one of the gorgeous ones on this list. The leaves will change color from red to orange to yellow throughout the year, adding warmth to your garden. This plant will appeal to anyone who enjoys the fall colors. It would be like having fall all year in your garden.
Spiraea shrubs come in various shapes and sizes, with each having its own set of traits. These shrubs produce tiny pink blossoms in the summer, providing another shade to your garden. Meadowsweets are another name for Spiraea bushes.
This shrub thrives in the sun, so place it in a sunny location with well-draining soil for best results.
Conclusion
So there you have it: a long list of every stunning shrub with green leaves that turn red. Bright red foliage helps the plant’s blossoms stand out and serves as a beautiful backdrop for the plants in front of it.
When working with red shrubs, consider:
- how the plant will change with the seasons
- how you might include different plant sections to create a coherent garden
- whether you want plants with red leaves, blossoms, or stems because each serves to provide a different overall look
- whether you can ensure you meet the shrub’s plant requirements, i.e. zones, sun needs, space needs, etc.
Now that you’ve read through this exhaustive list, we’re sure you have your heart set on one of these striking red-leaved evergreen shrubs. Whichever it is, we’re optimistic it’ll make a beautiful addition to your already exquisite garden!
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