Red Foliage Plants

Q: Do red foliage plants keep their colour all year?

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Q: Do red-leaved plants need sun to colour well?

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Q: What flowers look best against red foliage?

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Q: Are red foliage plants hardy?

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Red foliage gives you colour that lasts. While flowers come and go in a couple of weeks, a red leaf holds its tone for months.

21 products

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Coleus

Plectranthus (Coleus Grp) 'Main Street Ruby Road'

£9.99

1

Coleus 'Main Street Bourbon Street' (Painted Nettle)

Coleus scutellarioides 'Main Street Bourbon Street'

£9.99

1

Coleus 'Main Street Spacecake' (Painted Nettle)

Coleus scutellarioides 'Main Street Spacecake'

£8.99

1

Red Banana Plant

Musa 'Ever Red'

£16.99

1

Chinese Fringe Flower, Fire Dance

Loropetalum Fire Dance

£6.99

1

Black Japanese Maple 'Black Lace'

Acer palmatum 'Black Lace'

£42.99

1

Coleus / Painted Nettle 'Love Bird'

Coleus 'Love Bird'

£11.99

1

Pink Japanese Maple 'Beni-maiko'

Acer palmatum 'Beni-maiko'

£16.99

1

Purple Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum'

£15.99

1

Smoke Bush 'Royal Purple'

Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'

£23.99

1

Heavenly Bamboo 'Obsessed'

Nandina domestica 'Obsessed'

£19.99

1

Firefern (Molten Lava Sorrel)

Oxalis Vulcan Red

£9.99

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Tiger Eyes Staghorn Sumac (Stag's Horn Sumach)

Rhus typhina 'Tiger Eyes'

£113.99

1

Cutleaf Smooth Sumac (Scarlet Sumac)

Rhus glabra 'Laciniata'

£107.99

1

Japanese Blood Grass, Red Baron

Imperata cylindrica Red Baron

£14.99

1

Pink Variegated Fountain Grass 'Summer Samba'

Pennisetum 'Summer Samba'

£14.99

1

Purple Fountain Grass 'Rubrum'

Pennisetum 'Rubrum'

£13.99

1

Variegated Fountain Grass 'Fireworks'

Pennisetum 'Fireworks'

£13.99

1

Yellow Japanese Maple 'Anne Irene'

Acer palmatum 'Anne Irene'

£39.99

1

Full Moon Maple (Shirasawa Maple)

Acer shirasawanum 'Moonrise'

£49.99

1

Heavenly Bamboo 'Gulfstream'

Nandina domestica 'Gulfstream'

£34.99

1

Growing red foliage plants

Coloured leaves are the hardest-working thing in a border because they carry colour long after the flowers have finished. Reds and deep burgundies bring warmth and depth, and they make a brilliant backdrop: plant them behind red or orange flowers to intensify the heat, or behind white and silver for a sharp, modern contrast.

Some of these plants are red all season, while others fire up in autumn as the temperatures drop and give a final show before the leaves fall. Many colour most strongly in good light, so a sunny or lightly shaded spot usually brings out the richest tones. Check each plant page for its habit.

All grown for UK gardens and sent out well rooted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do red foliage plants keep their colour all year?

Some do and some do not. Evergreen and season-long types hold their red for months, while others are deciduous and colour up most strongly in autumn. Each plant page says which it is.

Do red-leaved plants need sun to colour well?

Most colour best in good light, and some green up in deep shade. A sunny or lightly shaded position usually gives the richest red. Check the aspect on each plant.

What flowers look best against red foliage?

Red and orange flowers glow against red leaves for a hot look, while white and silver make a crisp contrast. The dark tone also makes pale flowers stand out.

Are red foliage plants hardy?

The ones here are chosen for UK gardens, though hardiness varies by plant. Check the rating on each page if your garden is cold or exposed.