8 Vibrant Garden Plants with Red Leaves

Whether you’re looking to bring a little variety to a garden space, or you’re on the lookout for a plant in your favorite color. Sometimes you need plants with foliage colors that stray away from the usual green hues.

In a small garden space, colorful plants can be a quick way of adding impact and interest when space, or a budget, is limited.

Red foliage plants can bring a glowing warmth to a space, and create striking contrast when placed with green-colored plants.

Some of the plants on this list are also evergreen — or ‘ever-red’! Which means you can enjoy their fiery shades even in the depths of winter.

Outdoor garden plants with red foliage

For bold color, nothing beats the striking vibrance of red leaves. So if you’re on the lookout for red foliage, I’ve put together a selection of red-leaved garden plants for you to add to your space!

1. Japanese Barberry (Berberis) 

Very cold hardy, evergreen, and wildlife-friendly, these dense, vibrantly colored shrubs can be enjoyed year-round. Colorful foliage all year, mini flowers in summer, and bold berries in the fall (loved by birds!). Just watch out for the thorns!

They’re a popular choice for introducing color into borders. But they also look striking as standalone specimens in containers.

Barberry plants with red leaves include:

• Berberis ‘Admiration’
• Berberis ‘Fireball’
• … and the well-named Berberis ‘Red Leaf’!

2. Coleus

In complete contrast to barberry, coleus is a tender, low-growing, and soft-leaved plant.

While they aren’t perennial or frost-hardy in cooler climates (best for USDA zones 10-11), the eye-catching colors of coleus can be seeded or bought to be enjoyed as vibrant annuals.

Some varieties have incredibly vibrant pink foliage, but others have more intense pigmentation and deep red color. Coleus varieties with intense red foliage include ‘Dipt in Wine’ (great name!) and ‘Kong Red’.

3. Dwarf Rhododendron ‘Wine and Roses’

While not completely red all over, the leaves of Rhododendron ‘Wine and Roses’ have the most gorgeous velvety red undersides. Although the leaves are green on top, the erect stems point the leaves at an angle, showing off the scarlet tones underneath.

Paired with glowing frilly pink flowers in summer, it makes a wonderful specimen plant on balconies or other mini garden spaces.

4. Cordyline ‘Red Star’

Cordylines are loved for their architectural, strap-like foliage. They really suit modern and contemporary garden styles and are also popular low maintenance plants to grow.

Some cordylines have striking purple foliage. However Cordyline ‘Red Star’ has a wonderfully deep, burgundy, red color.

5. Coral Bells (Heuchera)

There really is a coral bells cultivar for almost every color! You can find the tender, shade-loving leaves of coral bells in shades of pink, purple, lime green, yellow and more.

Some of the most striking, bright red Heuchera varieties include ‘Indian Summer Cranberry’ and ‘Cherry Cola’.

6. Ninebark (Physocarpus)

Known, and loved, for their intensely colored leaves, ninebarks can be ideal for adding lush, dramatic foliage. They can be found in several bold colors, including red!

Two cultivars with red leaves include ‘Lady in Red’ and ‘Little Angel’.

Ninebark plants are deciduous, but very hardy, and should return year after year. Each Spring their vibrant foliage will emerge and in summer you’ll be treated to a delicate display of flowers.

7. Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum) 

Hen and chicks, house leeks or sempervivums, these sweet little succulents are known by a few different names. Their hardiness and color variations are why they’re one of my favorite groups of low maintenance garden plants.

Some sempervivum plants have purple foliage — like Sempervivum ‘Onyx’. But varieties like ‘Coral Red’ have striking, blood-red leaves.

8. Japanese Maple (Acer) 

Japanese maples (Acers) make beautiful specimen trees. They make excellent small trees for small spaces, however, this can come at a cost! Acers are relatively slow growing, so a larger specimen will cost more.

However, some nurseries will have smaller trees available at a more budget-friendly price point.

Some of the most striking red foliage Acers include…

• Acer palmatum ‘Extravaganza’
• Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’

A few bonus additions…

The following plants won’t have red foliage year-round, but they may flush red in summer with new growth, or turn an amazing bronze-red in the winter as the cold alters their leaves.

Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)

The leaves of this beautiful climber turn a deep bronze-red as the cold frosts of winter arrive. If garden space is tight, it’s a great evergreen climber to include, giving you colorful foliage in winter and sweet-smelling blooms in the summer! 

Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)

The new growth on many heavenly bamboo cultivars turns bright pink. But on some, the pigment is so intense it becomes a fiery red, this includes Nandina domestica ‘Fire Power’.

Other foliage colors

Whether you’re looking to bring a little color to your garden in winter, or to introduce some fiery, warming tones to your balcony garden. I really hope you enjoy adding these red-leaved plants to your mini garden space!

If you’re looking to create a color-fest, check out these posts to find plants with other foliage colors…

• Plants with black leaves
• Plants with purple leaves
• Plants with pink leaves
• Plants with silver leaves
• Plants with orange leaves
• Plants with blue leaves