Looking for a way to add a bold splash of color to your garden or home? Succulent plants with red flowers offer a stunning, low-maintenance solution. Their vibrant red-blooming varieties create a dramatic contrast against fleshy green, blue, or purple foliage, making them standout features in any collection.
These plants prove that succulents are more than just interesting leaves. When they flower, they put on a spectacular show that can last for weeks. This guide will help you identify, grow, and care for the most striking types.
Succulent Plants With Red Flowers
Many popular succulent genera include species famous for their fiery blooms. From the towering stalks of some to the delicate clusters of others, red flowers come in many forms. Here are some of the best and most reliable varieties to look for.
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
Often sold as a holiday gift plant, this kalanchoe is a prolific bloomer. It’s not just for indoors, though. In warm climates, it makes a fantastic garden plant.
* Flower Color: Brilliant scarlet red is common, but also comes in orange, yellow, and pink.
* Bloom Time: Late winter to early spring, often triggered by shorter day lengths.
* Care Tip: To encourage re-blooming, provide 14 hours of complete darkness each night for about 6 weeks.
Echeveria ‘Red Prince’ or ‘Fireglow’
While many echeverias have pink or orange flowers, select cultivars are bred for deeper, richer red tones. Their flower stalks arch gracefully from the central rosette.
* Flower Color: Coppery-red to coral-red bells.
* Bloom Time: Spring or early summer.
* Care Tip: Provide plenty of sunlight to intensify both flower and leaf color. The more sun, the better the show.
Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)
A classic houseplant, the true Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) often has magenta-red flowers. Modern hybrids offer even deeper crimson shades.
* Flower Color: Deep magenta, crimson, or scarlet.
* Bloom Time: Late fall to winter, hence its name.
* Care Tip: Cooler temperatures (50-55°F at night) in autumn help set a profusion of flower buds.
Aloe ‘Christmas Carol’
This hybrid aloe is a star for its foliage and its flowers. Its dark green leaves have bright red edges, and it sends up a stalk with tubular red blooms.
* Flower Color: Vibrant red, tubular flowers.
* Bloom Time: Winter, which gives it it’s festive common name.
* Care Tip: Very drought-tolerant. Perfect for a container that needs a pop of winter color.
Crassula capitella ‘Campfire’
This plant is a double threat. Its foliage turns a flaming orange-red in full sun, and it produces clusters of tiny, star-shaped white flowers. Some similar subspecies or varieties have more pronounced red blooms.
* Flower Color: Small, white to pale pink flowers, but the plant’s red foliage is the main attraction.
* Bloom Time: Summer.
* Care Tip: The intensity of the leaf color depends almost entirely on sun exposure. Give it lots of light.
Sedum ‘Red Cauli’
A taller sedum, this variety is prized for its large, dense flower heads that start light and mature to a rich, rusty red. It’s a magnet for butterflies.
* Flower Color: Buds are pinkish, opening to a deep rusty red.
* Bloom Time: Late summer to fall.
* Care Tip: Extremely hardy and thrives in poor soil. Don’t over-fertilize, or stems may flop over.
Euphorbia milii (Crown of Thorns)
This long-blooming succulent shrub is a champion. It can produce its colorful flower bracts (modified leaves) almost year-round with enough light.
* Flower Color: True red is very common, along with pink, yellow, and white.
* Bloom Time: Intermittently throughout the year, best in spring and summer.
* Care Tip: Let the soil dry out thoroughly between waterings. Overwatering is the main cause of failure.
How to Get Your Succulents to Flower
Seeing those red blooms requires providing the right conditions. It’s not just luck; it’s about mimicking their natural habitat.
1. Maximize Sunlight: This is the most critical factor. Most flowering succulents need at least 6 hours of direct sun daily. A south or west-facing window is ideal indoors.
2. Respect Dormancy: Many succulents need a distinct rest period. This often involves cooler temperatures and less water in the winter. This rest cycle is essential for triggering bloom production later on.
3. Water Wisely: During the active growing season (spring/summer), water thoroughly when the soil is completely dry. In dormancy, reduce watering significantly. Stressed plants sometimes bloom more, but don’t underwater to the point of severe shriveling.
4. Feed Lightly: Use a balanced, diluted fertilizer (like a 10-10-10) or one slightly higher in phosphorus (the middle number) at the start of the growing season. A single feeding is often enough; too much fertilizer promotes leaves, not flowers.
5. Avoid Disturbance: Once a flower stalk starts to form, try not to move or repot the plant. A sudden change in light direction can cause the stalk to bend awkwardly toward the new light source.
Caring for Your Blooming Succulent
When your plant finally flowers, you’ll want the display to last.
* Deadheading: After the flowers fade, you can carefully snip off the spent stalk near the base. This keeps the plant looking tidy and may encourage more energy into growth.
* Watering During Blooms: Continue your normal watering routine. The plant is actively using resources, so don’t let it become bone dry for extended periods.
* Post-Bloom Care: After flowering, the plant might look a little tired. It’s normal for the flowering rosette of some plants like Sempervivum to die after blooming. Just remove it and let the surrounding pups (offsets) grow.
Design Ideas Using Red-Flowering Succulents
Their striking color makes them perfect focal points.
* Container Contrast: Plant a red-blooming succulent in a pot of a complementary color, like cobalt blue, deep turquoise, or pure white. The contrast will make the red pop even more.
* Rock Garden Star: Use taller varieties like certain sedums or aloes as “thrillers” in a dry rock garden. Their vertical flower stalks add needed height.
* Windowsill Drama: A single Christmas Cactus or Kalanchoe in full bloom makes a stunning indoor display during the grayer months.
* Living Wall Accent: Incorporate smaller varieties like certain echeverias into a vertical succulent frame. When they bloom, they’ll create beautiful points of interest.
Common Problems and Solutions
Even experienced gardeners face issues. Here’s how to troubleshoot.
* No Flowers: The culprit is almost always insufficient light. Gradually acclimate your plant to a brighter location. Also, ensure it’s getting its proper dormant period.
* Leggy Growth with Few Flowers: This is etiolation—stretching for light. The plant is using all its energy to find sun, not to bloom. Provide more direct light.
* Flower Stalks Are Weak or Flopping: Could be from too much nitrogen fertilizer (promoting soft growth) or from the plant being moved during stalk development, causing it to bend.
* Brown Spots on Flowers or Leaves: This is often sunburn. If you move a plant into direct sun too quickly, it can scorch. Introduce increased light gradually over a week or two.
FAQ: Succulent Plants With Red Flowers
Q: What is the most common red flowering succulent?
A: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is probably the most widely available and easy to find in stores, especially around holidays. Its clusters of small, bright red flowers are very recognizable.
Q: Can I grow these succulents indoors?
A: Absolutely. Many, like Crown of Thorns, Christmas Cactus, and Kalanchoe, thrive indoors on a sunny windowsill. The key is providing the brightest light possible inside your home.
Q: How often do succulents with red flowers bloom?
A: It varies by species. Some, like Euphorbia, can bloom on and off year-round. Others, like most Aloes and Echeverias, have one specific annual bloom season. Plants like Sempervivum bloom once in there lifetime and then die.
Q: Are the flowers on succulents fragrant?
A: Most are not strongly fragrant, as they often rely on visual cues to attract pollinators like hummingbirds or bees. However, some species, like certain Crassulas, may have a light, sweet scent.
Q: What do I do after the flowers die?
A: Snip off the spent flower stalk near its base using clean, sharp scissors. This improves appearance and redirects the plant’s energy back to growing new leaves and roots.
Adding succulent plants with red flowers to your space is a rewarding way to enjoy vibrant color with minimal fuss. By choosing the right variety and providing plenty of sunlight, you’ll be well on your way to a spectacular display of vibrant red-blooming varieties that will impress for seasons to come. Remember, patience is key—sometimes the best bloom show comes from a plant that’s been happily settled in the same spot for a while.