12 Shrubs With Red Stems for Cultivation and Decoration

Shrubs with red stems provide an eye-catching, unique way to dress up a dull landscape. These specimens, which grow to varying heights and sizes, are highly tolerant of various soil types, climates, and weather conditions.

Their explosive colors and fiery stems provide a stunning backdrop to the natural foliage all year long. In this guide, we have described some of the most beautiful shrubs containing red stems.

Various Types of Shrubs With Red Stems

1. Red Osier Dogwood

Red Osier Dogwood or Cornus sericea is an ornamental shrub with a distinctive reddish bark. The small deciduous tree, native to North America, features large pale white flowers that are attractive to birds.

Its stems serve as multi-functional food and habitat resources for many species of wildlife including birds, mammals, and amphibians, making it extremely valuable to the local ecosystem. With its easy care requirements and bright coloring, Cornus sericea is an ideal addition to any landscape. Make sure not to overwater it to avoid a potential root rot issue!

2. Castor Bean

Castor Bean aka Ricinus communis is an attractive, semi-evergreen shrub that is noted for its bright red stems. They are a fast-growing perennial, native to tropical East Africa and the eastern Mediterranean.

The large round divided green leaves can reach up to 18 inches across. Flower color can range from white to pink and may bloom year-round in certain areas. Castor beans produce clusters of greenish-yellow seed capsules, which are toxic if ingested.

3. Red Twig Dogwood

Red Twig Dogwood is an attractive deciduous shrub native to North America, known for its bright red stems and striking white flowers. It grows both quickly and aggressively, making it an ideal choice for use as a natural hedge or privacy screen.

The twigs will keep vibrant red leaves, and in some climates may remain evergreen. When planting Red Twig Dogwoods, consider providing support for surrounding structures later on, as the canes can sometimes reach heights of about seven feet.

4. Pokeweed

Pokeweed or Phytolacca americana is a shrub native to North America and known for its tall red stems and white or purplish flowers. The plant is also commonly referred to as poke salad, inkberry, or American nightshade due to the toxicity of some of its parts.

Its young shoots and leaves can be edible when properly cooked, although take note that ingesting raw or undercooked parts can result in nausea, vomiting, and other serious symptoms. If you have a Pokeweed in your garden but you do not want it there, you can get rid of it by reading our detailed tutorial.

5. Tatarian Dogwood

Tatarian Dogwood aka Cornus alba is an attractive shrub widely planted for its ornamental appeal. Its most notable characteristic is its brightly colored stems that range from fiery red to orange and yellow tones.

This deciduous shrub has a compact, rounded form and grows about 12 feet tall and up to 15 feet wide. Cornus alba’s white flowers appear in late spring, followed by clusters of berry-like fruits that are favored by birds.

6. Common Purslane

Common Purslane, also known as Portulaca oleracea, is a ubiquitous and widely distributed annual that is native to Europe and temperate regions all over the world.

Characterized by its reddish-purple winter stems, this small shrub can grow up to six inches tall and bears succulent foliage that is usually green in color. A deep tap root enables it to thrive in even poor or rocky soils, while the flowers attract many insects and birds.

7. Bloodtwig Dogwood

Common Bloodtwig dogwood or Cornus sanguinea is a deciduous shrub native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. It can be identified by its spreading growth habit and vibrant red bark.

In winter or early spring, small white flowers are formed in flat clusters that produce edible fruit in the late summer months. Additionally, Bloodtwig dogwood has a moderate rate of growth and typically reaches heights between two to six feet when mature.

8. Himalayan Balsam

The Himalayan Balsam aka Impatiens glandulifera is a species of flowering shrub native to the subalpine and alpine regions of the Himalayas. It is characterized by thick, purple-red stems and can reach between one to seven feet in height.

Its flowers range from pinkish-white to magenta and have a distinctive five-petal shape. This species plays an important role in maintaining soil stability and provides food and habitat for pollinators.

9. Elephant Bush

Elephant Bush, which is also called Portulacaria afra, is a medium-sized semi-succulent shrub with red stems and mesmerizing small green leaves.

Native to the eastern and southern parts of South Africa, Elephant Bush features interesting succulent trunk and branches which quickly spread due to their fast growth rate, making it an ideal option for landscaping. When in conditions that suit it, Elephant Bush produces loosely offsetting branches up to three feet tall.

10. Peonies

Peonies or Paeonia spp. are deciduous shrubs usually noted for their large, fragrant flowers and striking red stems. The species is native to a broad swath of temperate Asia, extending from the Balkans eastward through China, Japan, and Korea, as well as various regions in Central Asia.

Peony flowers range from blooms measuring three inches across to those with flatter faces up to eight inches wide, depending on the cultivar.

11. Mountain Pepper

Mountain Pepper, also known as Drimys lanceolate, is an evergreen shrub native to temperate regions of South America. The leaves of this species are leathery and glossy on the upper surface and downy beneath.

They produce white flowers followed by fruits that are black when ripe. These fruits contain a variety of chemical compounds such as flavonoids, polyphenols, and alkaloids, which give them their characteristic spicy flavor and aroma.

12. Wineberry

Wineberry, also known scientifically as Rubus phoenicolasius, is an ornamental shrub featuring vibrant red stems that bear attractive foliage and delicious fruit. It can reach a mature height of up to six feet with a spread of three feet.

In late spring, small white flowers develop into sprays of edible summer berries that range from light red or yellow tinged with pink to deep purple or wine-red when fully ripe.

Conclusion

The shrubs with red stems you have seen in this post can be grown in different seasons as per your requirements.

Here are some examples of the plants that we mentioned:

• If you wish to grow these plants in the summer season, you can choose red osier dogwood, Tatarian dogwood, red twig dogwood, etc.
• During the spring season, pokeweed, elephant bush, etc. can be cultivated easily.
• Himalayan balsam, wineberry, etc. are some of the plants that you can grow in the fall.
• Common purslane grows all year round so you can cultivate them anytime you want.

Now you can easily choose your required shrubs that contain red stems for your garden!