If you want to add serious drama to your garden, look for plants with burgundy leaves. This stunning dark foliage creates contrast, adds depth, and makes the colors of your flowers pop like never before. It’s like having a beautiful, living backdrop that changes with the seasons.
These plants aren’t just a summer trend. They offer year-round interest, with leaves that can range from deep plum to nearly black. You can use them in pots, as focal points, or woven throughout your borders. Let’s look at how to use these beauties and some of the best varieties for your space.
Plants With Burgundy Leaves
The key to using dark-leaved plants is placement. They need the right spot to shine and to grow well. Too much shade and they can look muddy and lose their rich color. Too much sun and some might scorch. It’s all about balance.
Here are some top tips for using them in your design:
* Create Contrast: Place them next to bright greens, silvers, or golds. A burgundy Japanese maple behind a hosta with lime-green leaves is breathtaking.
* Use as a Focal Point: A single, large burgundy plant, like a smoke bush, can anchor a garden bed.
* Add Depth: Dark colors recede visually. Placing them at the back of a border can make the space feel larger.
* Highlight Flowers: They make excellent companions for white, pink, orange, and yellow blooms. Red flowers can get lost against them.
* Seasonal Interest: Many keep their color from spring to fall, and some, like coral bells, are evergreen.
Top Trees With Stunning Dark Foliage
Trees provide structure. A burgundy tree can be the centerpiece of your entire yard.
Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum):
Many varieties have burgundy leaves. ‘Bloodgood’ is a classic, with deep red-purple leaves that turn brilliant crimson in fall. They prefer dappled afternoon shade, especially in hotter climates, to prevent leaf burn. Plant them where you can admire their fine texture up close.
Forest Pansy Redbud (Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’):
This small tree offers heart-shaped leaves that emerge a shimmery purple-red. The color often matures to a greenish-bronze in summer heat, but a new flush of burgundy growth appears in cooler autumn weather. It has the bonus of lovely pink spring flowers right on its branches.
Copper Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’):
This is a large, majestic tree. Its leaves are a deep purple-copper, and it holds this color well throughout the growing season. It’s a statement tree for a large property, providing dense shade and a stunning canopy.
Beautiful Burgundy Shrubs for Your Landscape
Shrubs are the workhorses of the garden, filling in spaces and providing reliable color.
Smoke Bush (Cotinus coggygria):
Varieties like ‘Royal Purple’ or ‘Velvet Cloak’ have rounded, rich burgundy leaves. In summer, they produce wispy, smoke-like flower plumes. For the best leaf color, prune them hard in early spring. This encourages vigorous new growth with the most intense color.
Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii):
Caution: This plant is invasive in many regions. Please check with your local extension service before planting. If it’s acceptable in your area, varieties like ‘Crimson Pygmy’ offer compact, deep red foliage. It’s very tough and drought-tolerant once established.
Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius):
Modern cultivars like ‘Diablo’ or ‘Summer Wine’ are fantastic. They have deeply cut, wine-colored leaves and clusters of pinkish-white spring flowers. They are extremely hardy, fast-growing, and resistant to pests. They can handle a wide range of conditions.
Purple Leaf Sand Cherry (Prunus x cistena):
This shrub offers reddish-purple foliage and small pink spring flowers. It’s a good four-season plant, sometimes with mild fall color. It can be short-lived but is easily propagated. It does best in full sun for the best leaf hue.
Perennials and Annuals for Dark Foliage Accents
These plants fill the understory and containers, giving you flexibility.
Coral Bells (Heuchera):
This is a top choice. Varieties like ‘Palace Purple,’ ‘Obsidian,’ and ‘Blackout’ have incredibly diverse burgundy and near-black leaves. They are primarily grown for their foliage, which is often evergreen. They prefer part shade and well-drained soil.
Coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides):
A favorite annual for shady pots. ‘Black Dragon,’ ‘Wizard Scarlet,’ and ‘Redhead’ provide explosive color. Pinch off the flower spikes to keep the plant bushy and the leaves vibrant. You can easily take cuttings in fall to overwinter indoors.
Purple Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’):
This annual grass (perennial in warm zones) adds graceful, arching burgundy leaves and fluffy, pinkish flower plumes. It brings movement and a soft texture to container plantings and borders. It loves full sun.
Dahlia:
Some dahlias, like ‘Bishop of Llandaff,’ have dark, almost black foliage that sets off their bright red flowers spectacularly. The foliage color is a beautiful bonus to the stunning blooms they produce from midsummer to frost.
How to Care for Your Burgundy-Leaved Plants
While care varies, here are some general guidelines to help your plants thrive.
1. Sunlight is Key: Most plants with burgundy leaves need at least 4-6 hours of sun to maintain their dark pigment. In too much shade, they often fade to green. However, in very hot climates, some afternoon shade can prevent scorching.
2. Check Soil Needs: Well-drained soil is crucial. Soggy roots will cause problems. Some, like Japanese maples, prefer slightly acidic soil. A simple soil test can guide you.
3. Watering Wisely: Water deeply and less frequently to encourage strong roots. New plants need regular water, but established ones are often quite drought-tolerant. Mulch helps retain moisture.
4. Fertilize Lightly: Too much fertilizer, especially high-nitrogen formulas, can encourage lots of green growth at the expense of the burgundy color. A balanced, slow-release fertilizer in spring is usually sufficient.
5. Pruning for Color: For shrubs like smoke bush, remember that hard spring pruning promotes the most colorful new leaves. For others, prune just for shape or to remove dead wood.
Common Problems and Solutions
Even the toughest plants can have issues. Here’s what to watch for.
* Fading Color: If leaves turn green, the plant likely needs more sunlight. Consider transplanting it in the dormant season or pruning nearby plants to allow more light in.
* Leaf Scorch: Brown, crispy edges on leaves often mean too much hot, direct sun or wind, combined with inadequate water. Provide afternoon shade if possible and ensure consistent watering.
* Pests: Aphids and spider mites can be a nuisance. A strong spray of water from the hose often dislodges them. For serious infestations, use an insecticidal soap.
* Leggy Growth: This means the plant is stretching for light. It needs more sun or should be pruned back to encourage bushier, more compact growth from the base.
Designing a Garden Bed Around Dark Foliage
Creating a dedicated bed can be rewarding. Here’s a simple plan for a sunny area.
Step 1: Choose Your Anchor.
Pick one small tree or large shrub as your focal point. A ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese maple or a ‘Royal Purple’ Smoke Bush works perfectly.
Step 2: Add Mid-Level Shrubs.
Place two or three ninebarks or purple sand cherries around the anchor, but not symmetrically.
Step 3: Fill With Perennials.
Plant groups of coral bells and burgundy dahlias at the front and middle of the bed. Add some silver artemisia or lime-green lady’s mantle for contrast.
Step 4: Incorporate Annuals and Textures.
Tuck in purple fountain grass and coleus for instant, full-season color. The grass adds a different, flowing texture.
Step 5: Finish With Ground Cover and Mulch.
Use a dark mulch, like shredded hardwood, to make the colors stand out and to keep roots cool and moist.
FAQ About Burgundy Leaf Plants
Do plants with dark leaves need special fertilizer?
Not really. They don’t need a special mix, but its best to avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers that promote fast, green growth. A balanced, all-purpose fertilizer is fine.
Why is my burgundy plant turning green?
This is almost always due to insufficient sunlight. The plant is producing more chlorophyll to capture the limited light, which overpowers the burgundy pigments. More sun usually corrects this.
Can I grow these in full shade?
Very few thrive in full shade. Most need a good amount of sun to develop their best color. For deep shade, focus on plants known for shade tolerance, like some Heuchera varieties, but expect the color to be more muted.
Are there any burgundy-leaved plants that are deer-resistant?
Yes, many are! Deer tend to avoid plants with tough, fuzzy, or strongly scented leaves. Smoke bush, ninebark, and barberry (where non-invasive) are often left alone by deer. Coral bells can sometimes be browsed.
What pairs well with dark red leaves?
Silver, chartreuse, gold, and bright green foliage are excellent companions. For flowers, think about white, cream, bright pink, orange, and sky blue. These combinations create a vibrant, eye-catching display that highlights your stunning dark foliage.
Adding plants with burgundy leaves is one of the most efective ways to add sophistication and year-round beauty to your garden. Start with one or two and see how they change the feel of your space. You might find yourself wanting to add more of this stunning dark foliage everywhere you look. The depth and contrast they provide is hard to beat, and with so many choices from trees to annuals, theres a perfect burgundy plant for every garden style and condition.