Victoria County Master         Gardener Association

RAMP UP THE RED

Adding color to your landscape will assure an aha factor

September 18, 2020

by Olivia Blanchard/Victoria County Master Gardener

Edited by Charla Borchers Leon/Victoria County Master Gardener

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY DIGITAL LIGHT SOURCE

Hypoestes phyllostachya, red/pink/white with green polka dot plant, is a petite, low-maintenance house plant that adds a bright burst of color to shaded container gardens and indoor pots.  This cheery plant is known for its brightly patterned leaves, which show off splashy red, pink, and/or white tones against a deep green background in colorful indoor displays of foliage.  Also called the Freckle-face Plant, it can grow in any type of indirect light with moderate watering, but has best color in lower light situations.  It is shown here in bright red and pink polka dots up against a deep green background.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Swiss Chard is a medium-sized edible plant that has bright red stems and veins.  It is grown in cooler temperatures of spring and fall for its tender, vitamin-enriched leaves that have prominent central ribs, which can be cut from the rest of the leaves and cooked and served like asparagus.  Also grown for color in the garden, raised beds are suggested for planting as Chard cannot tolerate water logged soil.  Doing best in full sun, but with some shade, it only needs moderate water. Plant it as a single plant or in group plantings of three to five.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER

Chinese Evergreens don't want to be in the direct hot Texas sun, but they don't want to be cold either.  They particularly flourish in posts in a steady temperature with adequate light.  Full sunlight will cause beautiful green with splashes or borders of red/pink foliage to fade.  They are perfect plants for a sheltered patio or bed and are hard to beat for house plants as they like average household humidity.  These make quite a statement as this small to medium-sized plant is shown here in a garden setting.

VARIOUS LARGE PLANTS WITH RED

• Crepe Myrtles – Black Diamond Series

• Chinese Fringe Tree – Loropetulum Chinese Ruby

• Copperleaf –Acalypha wilkesiana

• Hawaiian Ti Plant – Cordyline terminalis

• Red Banana – Musa acuminata

• Napier Grass – Pennisetum x ‘Princess Caroline’

VARIOUS MEDIUM/SMALL PLANTS WITH RED

• Devil’s Breath – Celosia
• Little Ruby Joseph’s Coat – Alternanthera
• Prince of Burgundy Canna – Cannaceae
• Canna ‘Pringle Bay’ – Cannaceae x generalis
• Dwarf Nandina – Artropurpurea Nana
• Swiss Chard – Beta vulgaris

VARIOUS POTTED PLANTS WITH RED

• Varieties of Caladiums – Caladium
• Bloodleaf Plant – Iresine herstil
• Chinese Evergreen – Red aglaonema
• Croton Varieties – Codiaeum variegatum
• Coleus varieties – Coleus
• Red Leaf Begonia Varieties  - Begoniaceae
• Red/green Polka Dot Plant – Hypoestes phyllostachya
• Tricolor Potato Vine – Ipomoea batatas

Lately, I have been thinking about color and how it affects us. Think of plants and how they are predominantly green.

Green is the perfect backdrop for plant blossom colors. The color green signifies life, energy, growth, freshness, fertility and tranquility. The human eye can distinguish innumerable shades of green. This hue is noticeable in plants as it appears in varied shapes, movements, sizes and textures. Green is the perfect backdrop for plants when they bloom.

The blossoms of plants treat our senses with a display of varied shapes, sizes, fragrances and colors. The color of flowers may be pale or vibrant. However, we want our landscapes to garner a second look or an “aha” moment. To get an “aha” moment, one needs to add a spark and elicit a surprise.

Red is the accent color of choice for this article. As with green colors, our eyes can differentiate many subtle shades of red. Red is a color that draws attention to itself and awakens our senses.

Red is not a shy color. Think of scarlet or vermillion that yields a brilliant yellow-tinged red color. While crimson has a bluish tint, a dark red burgundy catches our visual sense.

In foliage and stems: While blossoms may be the reason for plant choice, the foliage and stems may also influence and dictate our preferences. Red may be located on part of the leaves, an entire leaf or stems. Just as blossom colors range from pale to intense, a plant’s red color can be subtle, average or strong.

With edible leaves: One way to think of how red plants influence us is to look at our dinner plates. Those meals that have Swiss chard, beet tops, red cabbage, red onion, red spinach, red leaf lettuce or radicchio are more attractive and healthy. These vegetables receive their hue and nutrition from lycopene and anthocyanin. Lycopene is an antioxidant that promotes health.

Mixed in garden: Splash some red into garden areas by choosing specimens in large, medium or small sizes. Red pizzazz can also be added to plants that are potted. Red invigorates a monotonous green landscape and becomes a distinct feature. Instead of blooms that come and go, plants with red leaves and stems provide sustained interest.

Large plants

The low-maintenance ruby loropetalum that is also known as the Chinese fringe tree, is an evergreen foundation plant that grows to five feet. Crepe myrtles in the ebony or black diamond series are cloaked with red leaf variations. The 6-foot copperleaf adds coppery red and is trimmed to maintain its shape. Red sister cordyline is one of 20 cordyline species. This ornamental can be found in shades of maroon, rose, pink or purple.

Medium-size plants

Plants in the medium-size category can be grown singly or en masse. While there are many varieties of plants with red spectrums only a few will be highlighted in this article.

The low-maintenance devil’s breath celosia attains a 24-inch height to show off blazing plumes and foliage. The 18-inch little ruby Joseph’s coat shows off burgundy and green leaves.

The prince of burgundy canna grows to 1.6 meters. It has dark leaves and bright red blooms and adds an outstanding focal point when grouped together in a garden. Some cannas come with variegated leaves that create super accents.

Smaller plants

In the hunt for red plants, the numerous varieties of caladiums are a feast of colors and shapes. Like other smaller plants, most caladiums are tropical and require moist soils and shade. One special one is burgundy blues oxalis that has burgundy to rusty red shamrock-like leaves that emerge in the spring. It is grown from bulbs in shady, cool and moist areas.

Ajuga is an aggressive ground cover. The tricolor ajuga also adds splashy addition to planters. Dragon’s blood sedum is a spreading plant with dark cranberry leaves. After winter dormancy, this sedum rewards us with red flowers.

Potted plants

Greater interest in potted plants is achieved by varying the sizes, leaves, shapes and colors of them.

The red feature can consist of a single species or by combining several plants. Be sure to read plant care tags to ensure compatibility.

Seeing a potted red aglaonema with tinted leaves sent me on the hunt to find this stunning red beauty. Other beautiful potted plants with red features are the bloodleaf plant and many varieties of crotons.


Coleus has assorted sizes and leaves to display red tones. Other interesting plants with red features are red-leaf begonias, tricolor potato vines and red/green polka dot plants.

Adding visual red treasures to your landscape will ramp up the red and assure an “aha” factor in your neighborhood.

The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.