Well, how about Mexican bird of paradise? It can get kinda big tho..

Here is a link that might be useful: Mexican BOP

Sage! Salvia greggii, "Cherry Sage". Or Emu bush - Eremophila maculata, 'Valentine'. It's a little more shapely, but doesn't bloom as long as the Salvia.

HTH!

callistemon - bottle brush?

East

I have all of them in the yard. I need something that has bright red flowers--one type of verbena has the bright red flowers..but I want a shrub.

RONDELETIA SPLENDENS ** PANAMA ROSE? I'm not 100% sure it grows here, but it's fragrant and might be worth a try! :)

Easy

Here is a link that might be useful: RONDELETIA SPLENDENS ** PANAMA ROSE

Then there is the forever blooming Red Rose, Knockout!

Easy

Red fairy duster -

Buuterfly bush (Buddleia)--I think there is a red variety somewhere

I guess it can't be called a shrub, but I have some beautiful red cannas. There are a lot of good ones. Some are Red King Humbert, Canna Tropical Red,Pfitzer's Crimson Beauty, and Cherry Red. They do well in your proposed location and bloom well if you don't mind giving them a bit more water and lots of food. They die back in a freeze, but always come back in our climate.

That Rangoon Creeper on the other thread has some possibilities. You could twine it around a structure the height and shape you desire.... Sounds lovely, doesn't it?

Susie

I certainly don't know as much as others in this forum do, but I've been dazzled by vivid red hibiscus flowers that I've seen blooming the past few months--in bush form. Very red!

Ha, WP - I thought you didn't like fluffy flowers?

Another kind of off-the-wall one would be a Jatropha - I'm not sure of the cultivar (I believe there's a few), and some of them are at least trained into trees, but I've seen more bush ones, too.

And if you wander into the land of vines, don't forget that bright red Passion flower... who put that up?

Now, if you want *incredible* red blooms but on a slightly bigger plant, I recommend (highly!) the Erythinia ... the dark red blooms are about as big as my hand and are borne at the end of the stalk. They're pretty big plants, love the heat, are open and airy. They can also be frost sensitive, so beware... someone posted a huge tree version a while back that was gorgeous, too.

This bloom is about 2/3 open.

Hate to suggest the obvious, but..

Dwarf oleander?

Dwarf Bougainvillea?

Cape Honeysuckle? (on the orange side of red, but close!)

Sheryl,

Is that spelled right? I'm having trouble finding any info about it on the web.

Easy

Nope, you're right, I forgot an "r" & added an "i" - sorry! Erythrina, aka Coral tree, (or Coral bean tree?) Careful there, Easy - it can get pretty big....

I have the x Bidwilli and a real Bidwilli (Willi Willi tree) although I don't have much hope for that one. There is also an AZ native, E. flabelliformis, I think.

Be careful with red, it's a bold, hot color that can liven up areas you want to draw attention to, but can be overpowering if used in excess.

Here's a list of plant with red blooms/parts that I compiled a few years ago. You'll need to check on the size and exposure to be sure they will work in your location.

Eremophila maculata Red eremophila - an Australian plant that begins blooming in January with vibrant fuchsia colored flowers. Usually in full bloom by Valentine's day. The plant is tidy with small leaves that take on a burgundy cast with cold weather. The shrub is rounded in form and grows to 4 x 5. Full sun..

Aloe saponaria - African aloe. Star like rosettes of leaves of individual plants form interesting clumps to 3'. Branching flower stalks appear in spring and grow to 1' with orange-red flowers. Attracts hummingbirds. Needs partial shade.

Aloe ferox - Tree aloe. This aloe grows tree-like with a single trunk to 6 ' or more. Its leaves are 2' long with teeth along the margins. Stunning when in flower, the spikes appear in candelabra form. The buds are orange, while mature flowers are red. Needs partial shade.

Anisacanthus quadrifidus - Desert honeysuckle. Another good plant to attract hummingbirds with its 1 1/2" tubular red flowers. Flowering starts in summer and lasts until frosts. The airy structure of the plant makes it perfect to combine with other desert adapted choices

Antigonon leptopus - Queen's Wreath or Coral Vine. Once established, this deciduous twining vine is quite drought tolerant. It can grow to 40' with dark green heart-shaped leaves. The variety "Baja Red" had dark pink-red flowers throughout the summer and fall. Full sun to light shade.

Calliandra californica - Baja red fairy duster. It has masses of red stamens that the hummingbirds relish. Blooms late fall through early spring. Leaves are delicate and dark green making an attractive 5' shrub.

Cuphea llavea - Bat faced cuphea. This small shrub has lush green foliage with blooms that are red. The "faces" are actually purple parts of petals that look like bat faces! It prefers additional water to keep it looking its best, or a spot in the landscape that gives it a bit of shade on hot summer afternoons. Flowers appear spring, summer and fall. Hardy to the mid 20's.

Dodonea viscosa v. purpurea- Red hopseed bush. Flowers and seeds are insignificant, but this large shrub turns red in the winter, adding great color to a landscape.

Echinocereus engelmannii - Hedgehog cactus. The spring flowers are diverse in color ranging from light pink to fuchsia. Grows in clumps 18" high. Drought tolerant and cold hardy.

Fouquieria splendens - Its hard to miss the whip-like branches of the ocotillo. Clusters of brilliant red-orange flowers top the branches from April through May and attract hummingbirds. Tiny leaves appear along the branches after monsoon rains, but are shed during periods of drought. Needs well drained soil and full sun.

Hamelia patens - Texas firecracker plant. Not a native, this shrub grows well in the frost-free areas of the valley or in warmer microclimates of Phoenix area homes. Clusters of tubular red flowers appear summer through fall. Of course the hummingbirds are attracted. The foliage turns red with the cooler temperatures of fall and winter, adding interest to landscapes. This plant recovers quickly in the spring from any frost damage. Mature size is 4' x 4'.

Hesperaloe parviflora - Red yucca. This yucca relative grows from a clump of 2-3' long slender blue-green leaves. Bloom spikes can reach 8' tall with coral colored blooms from spring through fall. Hummingbirds love the flowers.

Justicia californica - Chuparosa is blooming now and comes in red and yellow varieties. It will continue to bloom through May and again in the fall. Its tubular flowers attract hummingbirds. (the flowers are edible and taste like mild cucumber!) Stems are interesting as they are nearly leafless. This shrub can grow to 4 - 6' and prefers full sun or partial shade.

Justicia candicans - Red justicia. This plant's 2-3' stalks grow from a clump at the base. Soft bright green leaves cover the stalks that sway with the winds. 1" tubular blooms appear along the stalks from fall to spring and attract hummingbirds.

Justicia spicigera - Mexican honeysuckle. This is a medium sized shrub with light green velvety leaves. In the spring orange-red flowers appear attracting hummingbirds. Prefers light shade or afternoon shade to look its best.

Lobelia laxiflora - Mexican lobelia. This 2' shrub has narrow leaves on erect stems. The rootstocks creep underground allowing this plant to grow in clumps. Tubular orange-red flowers appear in summer attracting hummingbirds.

Mimulus cardinalis - Monkey flower. This is a riparian native (so it needs a little more water) with scarlet flowers. Its leaves are large and dark green. Perfect for shady places, around water features or mini oasis.

Penstemon eatonii - Firecracker penstemon are sending up bloom spikes now with scarlet-orange flowers and should bloom continue through late spring. Great hummingbird plant.

Penstemon baccharifolius - Rock penstemon - Tubular red flowers grow on short stems above a shrub-type plants throughout the summer. Foliage is attractive dark green. At 2' x 2' this plant will fit into tight spaces and take full sun

Russelia equisetiformis  Coral Fountain  Arching branches with very few leaves support tubular coral red flowers which bloom throughout the warm months. Matures to 4 feet and will accept full sun to partial shade locations.

Salvia coccinea - Cherry red sage. Bright green leaves with spikes of red flowers from spring to fall. It re seeds easily in the garden. Grows to 3' and prefers light shade or relief from afternoon sun. Hummingbirds love it.

Salvia darcyi - A newly introduces species. Lipstick red salvia is a 4' shrub with large bright red tubular flowers that appear spring, summer and fall. It may freeze to the ground but is root hardy and recovers quickly as the weather warms. Hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers.

Salvia microphylla - Baby sage. This 3' shrub has small dark green leaves. Its red flowers that appear summer through fall attract hummingbirds. The foliage is fragrant.

Salvia greggii - Autumn sage. Available in many colors including red. A small 2' shrub with aromatic small dark green leaves. Blooms spring through fall with spikes of flowers that hummingbirds love. Plant this one where it will get afternoon shade and don't over water in the summer. (Most salvias are dormant in the summer, and over watering will rot them.)

Sphaeralcea ambigua - Desert mallow. This plant is nearly indestructible in the low desert. There is now a red flowered variation in cultivation that is a knockout. (Typical variety is orange). The blue green leaves of the plant make a nice contrast to the flower color. I have seedlings coming up in my yard that are crosses between orange and red. Some are orange sherbet colored, some pink. Takes full sun, any soil, neglect, natural rainfall, etc. A little supplemental water will keep it looking good year round.

Trichocereus huascha - a hybrid cactus whose flowers are scarlet, fuchsia and red-orange.

Zauschneria latifolia - Hummingbird trumpet. This is native to riparian areas of the state, so it looks its best planted in partial shade or light shade. Under the canopy of a desert tree is perfect. Scarlet flowers are tubular loaded with nectar that hummingbirds love.

Looks like I would have to stick with the Erythrina herbacea. It only gets up to 3 feet. PC, you know me too well. As you know by seeing, I have no room for any more tree's in my garden. I may have to start eyeing the park across the street! :)

Easy

Ha, WP - I thought you didn't like fluffy flowers?

lol, PC
Since it was my term for certain flowers, can't I make up the definition, too? If only I knew botany... because I know there's a name for this... I favor the flowers with just one layer of petals. Yaaah. That's it! "Clustery", tubular and penduline (pendulous?) are a whole 'nother category ;)

Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions. I thought about Erythrina but it goes completely deciduous in winter. I bought one from BTA last fall and likely will put in a different area in the garden. Hamelia patens has been on my mind but it does not have the bright red punch I want. I liked the panama rose but it is a groundcoverish in our area. I am surprised that no one has suggested Malvaviscus(turk's cap) or Texas star hibiscus. Any pros or cons regarding these two?
Thanks for the caution-Aztreelvr. I have some of the plants you mentioned--they don't seem to offer the punch that a bright red color offers.

How about red firespike(odontonema)?

My red fairy duster has wonderful green fernlike leaves and bright red dusters, and I love it. I cut it down from a 5 foot shrub covering the front walk and it came back beautifully with new branches and little red dusters. Its so cute and happy, I just want to cuddle it! Its now back to about 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide.

I have the Turk's cap growing on the fence between my neighbor and I. I dug one up for Judy_B, I think 2 years ago now? - and it has barely grown, so... It also has a fairly short bloom season. Seems to do well in shady areas, though, so I guess that's a plus.

Which Erythrina did you get? I'm totally in love with mine... if you interplant it, you probably won't even notice the deciduous tendency - it seems to do mainly long, arching branches, not a whole lot of cross-branching, if that makes sense.

Hi PC,
I bought it from Boyce Thompson and they call it Arizona coral bean. Do you know the botanical name for it? I see two huge bushes at sunvalley gardencenter on my way to work everyday. I admire them so much from the road. The people that work there don't know which type it is either!!

Aztreelvr mentioned it above, but I want to reiterate that the Coral Fountain (Russelia equisetiformis) would work perfectly for you from what I can tell of your desires.
It is perennial, and is very hardy. It doesn't take much water, and it is only a bush size.
Mine is only 3 years old, and it blooms year round, throwing up pretty red flowers all over the bush (although more in the spring & summer)- the hummers love it!
The only down side is that it spreads rather easily...branches can take root when they touch the ground. But, it's not that big of a chore to pull any seedlings that have started every couple of months (I give them to friends, and they have them in their gardens now!).
That's my suggestion!
Good luck!
Tristan

I killed my Russelia :( Not sure how. It was in a pot and got morning sun but that hot day a couple of weeks ago may have boiled its roots. Or maybe I overwatered it. Or underwatered it. I still agree that it is a lovely plant. sam

I have had Russelia in ground for about 2-3 years. It always stays as a ground cover but not as a shrub. How did you guys make it grow upright?

I have 2 Turk's Caps, planted close together to make one large bush, and it certainly does have RED blooms -- modest in size, but flamboyant in color. They were a Boyce Thompson purchase last October, got a bit frosted the winter, but have now really taken off. I bought them after seeing a HUGE stand at Boyce Thompson in a shady area (was looking for a plant that did well in shade). They started blooming in April and are still going strong. They do get quite a bit of water, and are almost to the top of a 6' wall, but I've not yet pruned them back. The BT growth (probably of many years worth) was at least 15+'.
Zill

Hi usha!
I guess my Russelia is not really a 'bush' per se - it has just gotten so full and big that the flowering stalks reach up to 3 feet or so nowadays, and the plantes are at least as wide.
I just thought it would sorta match what she was looking for!
Cheers,
Tristan