If you want a garden that looks stunning in every season, consider shrubs with red leaves all year. This year-round crimson foliage provides constant color and structure, making your garden stand out even in the depths of winter.
These aren’t just plants that turn red in autumn. They hold their bold hue from spring through frost. Let’s look at how to choose and care for them to keep your garden vibrant.
Shrubs With Red Leaves All Year – Year-Round Crimson Foliage
This category includes a fantastic range of plants. They offer more than just color; they provide a permanent anchor in your design. You can use them as focal points, hedges, or backdrops for other plants.
The secret to their color is often in their genetics. Many are cultivars specifically bred to produce high levels of pigments like anthocyanins. This masks the green chlorophyll, giving leaves their persistent red, purple, or burgundy tone.
Top Picks for Reliable Red Foliage
Here are some of the best performers, known for holding their color in various climates.
- Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum varieties): Cultivars like ‘Bloodgood’ and ‘Emperor I’ are classics. Their fine, lace-like leaves are deep burgundy-red from spring to fall. They prefer some afternoon shade in hot climates to prevent leaf scorch.
- Purple Leaf Sand Cherry (Prunus x cistena): This tough shrub offers reddish-purple leaves and light pink spring flowers. It’s very cold-hardy and provides excellent contrast. The foliage can fade to a green-bronze in intense summer heat, but it often redevelops it’s red color in cooler fall weather.
- Red Tip Photinia (Photinia x fraseri): Famous for its bright red new growth. Regular light pruning encourages flushes of this vibrant color throughout the growing season. It’s often used for tall hedges and screens.
- Smoke Bush (Cotinus coggygria): Varieties like ‘Royal Purple’ and ‘Velvet Cloak’ have rich, plum-red leaves that seem to glow. The feathery summer flowers give a “smoky” effect. For the best leaf color, plant in full sun.
- Copper Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’): While technically a tree, it can be kept as a large shrub. Its large, glossy leaves are a deep purple-copper that darkens as the season progresses. It makes a majestic statement.
Planting for Success
Getting your shrub off to a good start is crucial for its health and color. Follow these steps.
- Choose the Right Location: Most red-leaf shrubs need full sun (at least 6 hours) to develop their best color. Too much shade will cause leaves to turn greenish. Check your plant’s specific needs though, as some Japanese maples prefer dappled light.
- Test and Prepare the Soil: Well-draining soil is non-negotiable. These shrubs generally dislike “wet feet.” You can improve drainage by mixing in compost or other organic matter. A simple pH test can help; some plants prefer slightly acidic soil.
- Dig the Perfect Hole: Dig a hole two to three times wider than the root ball, but no deeper. Planting too deep is a common mistake that can suffocate roots and cause rot. The top of the root ball should be level with the surrounding soil.
- Plant and Water Thoroughly: Place the shrub in the hole, backfill with the native soil mixed with compost, and gently tamp down. Create a shallow basin around the base and water deeply to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets.
- Mulch Wisely: Apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch (like wood chips) around the plant, keeping it a few inches away from the main stem. This conserves moisture, regulates soil temperature, and suppresses weeds.
Ongoing Care and Maintenance
Once established, these shrubs are relatively low-maintenance. But a little attention ensures they stay vibrant.
- Watering: Water deeply and regularly during the first growing season. After that, most are drought-tolerant but will appreciate water during extended dry spells. Overwatering can be just as harmful as underwatering.
- Fertilizing: Use a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, as they can promote excessive green growth at the expense of red leaf color. Always follow the instructions on the product label.
- Pruning: Prune to maintain shape, remove dead or crossing branches, and encourage new growth (which is often the reddest). The best time to prune is usually late winter or early spring, before new growth starts. For plants like Photinia, tip-pruning in spring and summer prompts those beautiful red flushes.
Design Ideas for Your Garden
Red foliage is a powerful design tool. Here’s how to use it effectively.
Use a single red-leaf shrub as a focal point. Place it where the eye is naturally drawn, like at the end of a path or in the center of a island bed. It instantly becomes the star of the show.
Create dynamic contrasts. Pair red foliage with plants that have silver, gold, or bright green leaves. For example, the purple-red of a Smoke Bush looks amazing next to the silver of Russian Sage or the gold of a Spirea.
Plant a red hedge. Shrubs like Photinia or a tightly pruned Copper Beech make a stunning, living fence that is far more interesting than a plain green one. It provides privacy and year-round color.
Add depth to borders. Place taller red shrubs at the back of a mixed border. Their dark foliage acts as a perfect backdrop, making the flowers of mid-height and front-of-border plants pop. White, pink, and orange flowers look particularly good against red leaves.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Even the best gardeners encounter issues. Here’s how to handle a few common ones.
Leaves Turning Green: This is usually due to insufficient sunlight. If possible, prune surrounding plants to allow more light to reach your shrub. If it’s planted in deep shade, you may need to consider moving it to a sunnier spot.
Leaf Scorch (Brown Edges): Often seen on Japanese Maples in hot, dry, or windy conditions. Ensure consistent watering, especially in summer. Applying a thicker layer of mulch can help keep roots cool and moist. Providing afternoon shade in hot climates can prevent this.
Poor Growth or Pale Color: This could indicate a nutrient deficiency or poor soil. A soil test is the best first step. It might also be a sign of root rot from poorly draining soil, so check that the area isn’t staying soggy after rain.
Pests: Aphids and spider mites can sometimes be a problem. A strong spray of water from the hose can dislodge them. For persistent issues, use an insecticidal soap according to the directions, being careful to cover the undersides of leaves.
FAQ
Which shrub has red leaves all year?
Many do! Some of the most reliable include Japanese Maple ‘Bloodgood’, Purple Leaf Sand Cherry, and the Smoke Bush varieties like ‘Royal Purple’. Their color holds strong throughout the growing season.
What evergreen shrub has red leaves?
While true red evergreens are rare, many have reddish tones. Some varieties of Leucothoe and Nandina (Heavenly Bamboo) offer evergreen foliage that flushes red or burgundy, especially in new growth or cooler weather. Photinia is also evergreen in milder climates.
What is the name of the bush that stays red?
You’re likely thinking of shrubs like the Red Tip Photinia or the Purple Leaf Plum. The “red tip” refers to the constantly emerging red leaves on the Photinia, making it seem perpetually red.
How do I keep my red-leaf shrub colorful?
The main trick is providing enough sunlight. Also, avoid over-fertilizing with nitrogen, prune at the correct time to encourage new growth, and choose a variety known for good color retention in your climate zone.
Adding these plants to your landscape guarantees a foundation of lasting beauty. With the right selection and simple care, you can enjoy their dramatic foliage for many years to come. Your garden will thank you for the splash of constant color.