5 red shaded perennials to boost any dim-light garden

In gardens with little sun, red shade perennials can provide a wonderful pop of color and an eye-catching contrast to the green foliage that often dominates shady locations. These attractive plants are perfect for busy gardeners because they require little care and can thrive in partial shade. They also add vibrancy to your landscape.

These crimson blooming perennials are ideal for adding color to your partially shaded landscape. Many red-flowering plants can withstand moderate or mild afternoon shade, but it is rare to find ones that do well in full shade.

5 red shaded perennials

1. Coral bells ( Heuchera )

A beautiful plant that brings color and charm to any garden or landscape is the coral bell. This plant is great for ground cover or border planting because of its very rough leaves and low, mounding habit.

Coral bells are flexible and adaptable to a variety of conditions as they can grow in full sun and full shade. Zones 4-9 are hardy for them.

Coral Bells is a favorite choice for both landscapers and gardeners because it is easy to grow, requires little maintenance, and has year-round color.

Here are some of my favorite red-flowered or leafy varieties:

Choral bells for fire alarms
Magma coral bells
Coral bells with lava lamps

2.Bleeding heart vine ( Clerodendrum thomsoniae )

Bleeding heart vine produces attractive, heart-shaped flowers of vivid crimson and white. This plant is a great choice for warm, tropical settings because it enjoys partial to full shade and is hardy in zones 9-11.

It grows best in regularly wet, well-drained and regularly fertilized soil.

Fern-leaf bleeding heart (Dicentra) is another type of bleeding heart plant that thrives in shade. Learn more about flowers with bleeding hearts.

3. Sea thrift ( Armeria maritima)

The deep pink or crimson perennial Armeria maritima can tolerate harsh weather conditions such as wind and rain and likes full sun to partial shade.

It blooms in early summer and attracts pollinators with round, compact, soft flowers and slender, grass-like leaves. This low-maintenance plant can liven up your yard with color and charm.

4. Astilbe ‘Red Sentinel’ ( Astilbe japonica )

A vigorous perennial, asterbee produces plumes of eye-catching red flowers in mid to late summer. It is hardy in zones 4-9 and grows well in partial to full shade.

Pollinators are attracted to flowers and deep green, fern-like leaves. It does well in wet and well-drained soils and benefits from frequent irrigation and organic mulch.

5. Rhododendron

Popular shrubs such as rhododendrons have clusters of flowers that come in many shades of pink, purple, red, white and yellow. It is hardy in zones 4-9 and grows best in moderate shade to full sun, depending on the variety.

This plant likes its soil to be well-drained, acidic and rich in organic matter. It’s a low-maintenance plant that can liven up any landscape by adding color and texture, especially in darker areas of the yard.

In your shade garden, plant any of these red perennials to create an eye-catching, vibrant display. If you are a red lover, check out my post on red flowers for every season.

Plants That Look Great Mixed With Red Colored Perennials

When you combine plants that contrast or enhance your red-colored shade perennials, you may create visually striking garden displays.

To add visual appeal, think about including plants with contrasting foliage hues (dark green or silvery leaves spring to mind, or variegated foliage). Additionally, to assist extend the color show throughout the gardening season, mix up plants that bloom at various periods.

When planning your garden, take into account the differences in height to make sure that the taller plants don’t overwhelm or shade the smaller ones. With careful plant selection and arrangement, you can create a visually striking and dynamic garden that highlights your stunning red-shade perennials.

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