14 Red Flowers for Gardens From Coast to Coast
Learn how to grow vivid flowers that will bring hummingbirds to your garden
Annie Thornton
May 29, 2017
Houzz Editorial Staff
With their tubular shape and vivid hues, these red flowers will draw you and your winged friends into the garden for a closer look. Besides having rich colors, ranging in shades from burgundy to rose, most of these red flowers are also hummingbird magnets. Whether you’re gardening in California or Connecticut, there’s a red flower here for you.
1. Red Kangaroo Paw
(Anigozanthos ‘Red Cross’)
Red kangaroo paw makes a beautiful addition to the garden, with its unusual flowers standing atop stiff, erect stems that reach 4 to 6 feet tall. Designers in regions where red kangaroo paw can grow like to use it as an accent, where it stands out against purple, yellow and green plants. Its spring-blooming flowers are also known to attract hummingbirds.
Bloom season: Spring
Cold tolerance: Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 6.7 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 9 to 11; find your zone)
Origin: Garden hybrid of Australian native
Water requirement: Moderate to regular
Light requirement: Full sun
When to plant: Spring or fall
See how to grow red kangaroo paw
(Anigozanthos ‘Red Cross’)
Red kangaroo paw makes a beautiful addition to the garden, with its unusual flowers standing atop stiff, erect stems that reach 4 to 6 feet tall. Designers in regions where red kangaroo paw can grow like to use it as an accent, where it stands out against purple, yellow and green plants. Its spring-blooming flowers are also known to attract hummingbirds.
Bloom season: Spring
Cold tolerance: Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 6.7 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 9 to 11; find your zone)
Origin: Garden hybrid of Australian native
Water requirement: Moderate to regular
Light requirement: Full sun
When to plant: Spring or fall
See how to grow red kangaroo paw
2. Eastern Sweetshrub
(Calycanthus floridus)
This shrub, which grows to 6 to 10 feet tall and wide, is also known by the name Carolina allspice, due to its unique scent that has been described as cloves mashed with pineapples and bananas. Tolerant of clay soils and generally avoided by deer, eastern sweetshrub can make a nice focal point where its sweet scent and distinct flowers can be appreciated. It can also be planted in the garden where it can be allowed to spread, as it produces suckers.
Bloom season: Late spring
Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34.4 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Origin: Southern New York to northern Florida and west to Arkansas and Illinois
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Mostly sunny to partial shade; prefers afternoon shade
When to plant: Fall
See how to grow eastern sweetshrub
(Calycanthus floridus)
This shrub, which grows to 6 to 10 feet tall and wide, is also known by the name Carolina allspice, due to its unique scent that has been described as cloves mashed with pineapples and bananas. Tolerant of clay soils and generally avoided by deer, eastern sweetshrub can make a nice focal point where its sweet scent and distinct flowers can be appreciated. It can also be planted in the garden where it can be allowed to spread, as it produces suckers.
Bloom season: Late spring
Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34.4 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Origin: Southern New York to northern Florida and west to Arkansas and Illinois
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Mostly sunny to partial shade; prefers afternoon shade
When to plant: Fall
See how to grow eastern sweetshrub
3. Red Columbine
(Aquilegia canadensis)
While the Southwest and other arid regions boast a number of red-flowering plants, red columbine is one of the few that hail from eastern North America.
This woodland native prefers partial shade and serves as an important fill station for hummingbirds when they are making their way north during spring migration. It typically reaches 1 foot to 2 feet tall and 1 foot wide.
Bloom season: Spring
Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 7)
Origin: Eastern North America from the Dakotas eastward to Maine in the north, and Texas eastward to Georgia in the south; native in Canada from Saskatchewan eastward to Nova Scotia
Water requirement: None once established
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
When to plant: Spring or fall
See how to grow red columbine
(Aquilegia canadensis)
While the Southwest and other arid regions boast a number of red-flowering plants, red columbine is one of the few that hail from eastern North America.
This woodland native prefers partial shade and serves as an important fill station for hummingbirds when they are making their way north during spring migration. It typically reaches 1 foot to 2 feet tall and 1 foot wide.
Bloom season: Spring
Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 7)
Origin: Eastern North America from the Dakotas eastward to Maine in the north, and Texas eastward to Georgia in the south; native in Canada from Saskatchewan eastward to Nova Scotia
Water requirement: None once established
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
When to plant: Spring or fall
See how to grow red columbine
4. ‘Valentine’ Bush
(Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine’)
‘Valentine’ bush hails from Australia, and it thrives in hot, dry climates like that of its native country. Reaching 4 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide, it provides arid landscapes with deep red color from December through February, when not much else is going on in the landscape.
Bloom season: Throughout the year in Zone 9 and above; in Zone 8, flowers appear in spring through fall
Cold tolerance: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Origin: Australia
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full sun
When to plant: Spring or fall
See how to grow ‘Valentine’ bush
(Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine’)
‘Valentine’ bush hails from Australia, and it thrives in hot, dry climates like that of its native country. Reaching 4 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide, it provides arid landscapes with deep red color from December through February, when not much else is going on in the landscape.
Bloom season: Throughout the year in Zone 9 and above; in Zone 8, flowers appear in spring through fall
Cold tolerance: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Origin: Australia
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full sun
When to plant: Spring or fall
See how to grow ‘Valentine’ bush
5. Indian Pink
(Spigelia marilandica)
Indian pink fills a void in the hummingbird garden, with its crimson and yellow tubular-shaped flowers appearing in late spring or early summer in dappled shade or full shade. It is considered a top native plant for attracting hummingbirds, and grows in upright clumps to 1 foot to 2 feet tall and about 1 foot wide.
Caution: All parts of the plant are considered poisonous.
Bloom season: Late spring or early summer
Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34.4 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Origin: The southeastern U.S., from Maryland south to Florida and west to Texas
Water requirement: Prefers moist soils; does not tolerate drought
Light requirement: Prefers dappled shade to full shade
When to plant: Spring
See how to grow Indian pink
(Spigelia marilandica)
Indian pink fills a void in the hummingbird garden, with its crimson and yellow tubular-shaped flowers appearing in late spring or early summer in dappled shade or full shade. It is considered a top native plant for attracting hummingbirds, and grows in upright clumps to 1 foot to 2 feet tall and about 1 foot wide.
Caution: All parts of the plant are considered poisonous.
Bloom season: Late spring or early summer
Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34.4 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Origin: The southeastern U.S., from Maryland south to Florida and west to Texas
Water requirement: Prefers moist soils; does not tolerate drought
Light requirement: Prefers dappled shade to full shade
When to plant: Spring
See how to grow Indian pink
6. Dwarf Weeping Bottlebrush
(Callistemon viminalis ‘Little John’)
While bottlebrushes are typically trees, this dwarf variety tops out at 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. The bright red flowers really pop against the bluish leaves, which are attractive even when the plant is not in bloom. Dwarf weeping bottlebrush, like all bottlebrushes, features flower spikes that resemble those of other bottlebrushes and attract hummingbirds.
Bloom season: Spring
Cold tolerance: Hardy to 15 degrees, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius, with protection (zones 9 to 11)
Origin: Garden selection of Australian native
Water requirement: Low once established
Light requirement: Full sun but tolerates some shade
When to plant: Fall
See how to grow dwarf weeping bottlebrush
(Callistemon viminalis ‘Little John’)
While bottlebrushes are typically trees, this dwarf variety tops out at 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. The bright red flowers really pop against the bluish leaves, which are attractive even when the plant is not in bloom. Dwarf weeping bottlebrush, like all bottlebrushes, features flower spikes that resemble those of other bottlebrushes and attract hummingbirds.
Bloom season: Spring
Cold tolerance: Hardy to 15 degrees, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius, with protection (zones 9 to 11)
Origin: Garden selection of Australian native
Water requirement: Low once established
Light requirement: Full sun but tolerates some shade
When to plant: Fall
See how to grow dwarf weeping bottlebrush
7. Knock Out Rose
(Rosa ‘Radrazz’)
There are a lot of red roses out there, but Knock Out rose is a crowd favorite, known for its prolific blooming and easy care. It’s also exceptionally disease-resistant and tolerant of cold and heat. So, if you’re interested in venturing into the rose gardening world or want to add a tested survivor into the mix, Knock Out rose might be what you’re looking for.
Bloom season: Spring until the first hard frost
Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Origin: Garden hybrid
Water requirement: Consistent moisture
Light requirement: Full sun
When to plant: Spring, or after the last frost
See how to grow Knock Out rose
(Rosa ‘Radrazz’)
There are a lot of red roses out there, but Knock Out rose is a crowd favorite, known for its prolific blooming and easy care. It’s also exceptionally disease-resistant and tolerant of cold and heat. So, if you’re interested in venturing into the rose gardening world or want to add a tested survivor into the mix, Knock Out rose might be what you’re looking for.
Bloom season: Spring until the first hard frost
Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Origin: Garden hybrid
Water requirement: Consistent moisture
Light requirement: Full sun
When to plant: Spring, or after the last frost
See how to grow Knock Out rose
8. Coral Fountain
(Russelia equisetiformis)
Gardeners in warm, humid climates like the American Southeast may want to skip coral fountain, but those in a regions with a dry, hot climate — like California and the American Southwest — will find it a rewarding plant. Reaching 3 to 4 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide, coral fountain has a distinct rounded growth habit with soft foliage that forms a nice backdrop to coral-red blooms that appear from spring through fall. The small tubular flowers are also a big hit with hummingbirds.
Caution: Avoid planting coral fountain in places with a hot, humid climate, like Florida and the Southeast, where it can become invasive.
Bloom season: Spring, summer and fall; blooms can appear in winter in frost-free areas
Cold tolerance: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Origin: Mexico
Water requirement: Drought-tolerant once established but does best with supplemental water
Light requirement: Full sun or partial shade; avoid areas that receive hot, reflected sun
When to plant: Spring
See how to grow coral fountain
(Russelia equisetiformis)
Gardeners in warm, humid climates like the American Southeast may want to skip coral fountain, but those in a regions with a dry, hot climate — like California and the American Southwest — will find it a rewarding plant. Reaching 3 to 4 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide, coral fountain has a distinct rounded growth habit with soft foliage that forms a nice backdrop to coral-red blooms that appear from spring through fall. The small tubular flowers are also a big hit with hummingbirds.
Caution: Avoid planting coral fountain in places with a hot, humid climate, like Florida and the Southeast, where it can become invasive.
Bloom season: Spring, summer and fall; blooms can appear in winter in frost-free areas
Cold tolerance: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Origin: Mexico
Water requirement: Drought-tolerant once established but does best with supplemental water
Light requirement: Full sun or partial shade; avoid areas that receive hot, reflected sun
When to plant: Spring
See how to grow coral fountain
9. California Fuchsia
(Epilobium canum)
California fuchsia offers a pop of bold red in summer gardens where dry, sunny spots might need some special attention. Reaching 1 foot to 4 feet tall, depending on the variety, California fuchsia can trail over rocks or be massed with other California natives or Mediterranean plants. It’s a big attractor of hummingbirds, which are its primary pollinators.
Bloom season: Summer
Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 20.6 degrees Celsius (zones 6 to 9)
Origin: Southern Oregon south to Baja California and east to southwestern New Mexico
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full sun
When to plant: Early spring or fall
See how to grow California fuchsia
(Epilobium canum)
California fuchsia offers a pop of bold red in summer gardens where dry, sunny spots might need some special attention. Reaching 1 foot to 4 feet tall, depending on the variety, California fuchsia can trail over rocks or be massed with other California natives or Mediterranean plants. It’s a big attractor of hummingbirds, which are its primary pollinators.
Bloom season: Summer
Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 20.6 degrees Celsius (zones 6 to 9)
Origin: Southern Oregon south to Baja California and east to southwestern New Mexico
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full sun
When to plant: Early spring or fall
See how to grow California fuchsia
10. Bridge Penstemon
(Penstemon rostriflorus)
This long-lived and long-blooming Rocky Mountain native penstemon is a wildlife magnet; its flowers attract hummingbirds, its dense growth provides cover for small wildlife and bees, and its seeds provide winter food for seed eaters. This nearly 3-foot-tall and 3-foot-wide shrub blooms from summer into fall, giving Rocky Mountain gardens a rewarding hit of red.
Bloom season: Summer through early fall
Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Origin: Southwestern Colorado, Utah and Arizona west to southeastern California
Water requirement: Drought-tolerant once established but might need supplemental water
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
When to plant: Spring or early fall
See how to grow bridge penstemon
(Penstemon rostriflorus)
This long-lived and long-blooming Rocky Mountain native penstemon is a wildlife magnet; its flowers attract hummingbirds, its dense growth provides cover for small wildlife and bees, and its seeds provide winter food for seed eaters. This nearly 3-foot-tall and 3-foot-wide shrub blooms from summer into fall, giving Rocky Mountain gardens a rewarding hit of red.
Bloom season: Summer through early fall
Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Origin: Southwestern Colorado, Utah and Arizona west to southeastern California
Water requirement: Drought-tolerant once established but might need supplemental water
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
When to plant: Spring or early fall
See how to grow bridge penstemon
11. Baja Fairy Duster
(Calliandra californica)
Here’s another Southwestern native with bold red flowers that hummingbirds find irresistible. The shrub grows to about 5 or 6 feet tall and wide, and produces unique flowers that resemble puffballs or dusters. It’s another desert native that does well in areas with hot, reflected sun, and requires minimal water and maintenance.
Bloom season: Throughout the year
Cold tolerance: Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 6.7 degrees Celsius (Zone 9)
Origin: Mexico’s Baja peninsula
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full, reflected sun to light shade
When to plant: Spring or fall
See how to grow Baja fairy duster
(Calliandra californica)
Here’s another Southwestern native with bold red flowers that hummingbirds find irresistible. The shrub grows to about 5 or 6 feet tall and wide, and produces unique flowers that resemble puffballs or dusters. It’s another desert native that does well in areas with hot, reflected sun, and requires minimal water and maintenance.
Bloom season: Throughout the year
Cold tolerance: Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 6.7 degrees Celsius (Zone 9)
Origin: Mexico’s Baja peninsula
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full, reflected sun to light shade
When to plant: Spring or fall
See how to grow Baja fairy duster
12. Autumn Sage
(Salvia greggii)
Butterflies, hummingbirds and gardeners can all appreciate the beauty of autumn sage’s bright red flowers, which can appear throughout the year, depending on the region. This deer- and rabbit-resistant shrub grows to 2 feet tall and wide and makes for an attractive path liner or complement to yellow-flowering plants.
Bloom season: Fall and spring in the low desert; blooms in summer in cooler climates
Cold tolerance: Hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 17.8 degrees Celsius (Zone 7)
Origin: Native to Texas, New Mexico and Mexico
Water requirement: Low to moderate
Light requirement: Full sun in most climates; filtered shade in the low desert
When to plant: Spring or fall
See how to grow autumn sage
(Salvia greggii)
Butterflies, hummingbirds and gardeners can all appreciate the beauty of autumn sage’s bright red flowers, which can appear throughout the year, depending on the region. This deer- and rabbit-resistant shrub grows to 2 feet tall and wide and makes for an attractive path liner or complement to yellow-flowering plants.
Bloom season: Fall and spring in the low desert; blooms in summer in cooler climates
Cold tolerance: Hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 17.8 degrees Celsius (Zone 7)
Origin: Native to Texas, New Mexico and Mexico
Water requirement: Low to moderate
Light requirement: Full sun in most climates; filtered shade in the low desert
When to plant: Spring or fall
See how to grow autumn sage
13. Firecracker Penstemon
(Penstemon eatonii)
In warm climates, firecracker penstemon’s delicate-looking flowers appear in winter and last through spring, in cooler climates, they appear in summer. Small orange-red spikes project above soft gray-green foliage, welcoming hummingbirds in for a drink when not much else is in bloom. Firecracker penstemon reaches 2 feet tall when in flower, and about 1 foot to 2 feet wide.
Bloom season: Winter through late spring; in cooler climates it will bloom during the summer
Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 26.1 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 9)
Origin: Arid regions of the American Southwest
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full sun
When to plant: Fall
See how to grow firecracker penstemon
(Penstemon eatonii)
In warm climates, firecracker penstemon’s delicate-looking flowers appear in winter and last through spring, in cooler climates, they appear in summer. Small orange-red spikes project above soft gray-green foliage, welcoming hummingbirds in for a drink when not much else is in bloom. Firecracker penstemon reaches 2 feet tall when in flower, and about 1 foot to 2 feet wide.
Bloom season: Winter through late spring; in cooler climates it will bloom during the summer
Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 26.1 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 9)
Origin: Arid regions of the American Southwest
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full sun
When to plant: Fall
See how to grow firecracker penstemon
14. Beloperone
(Justicia californica)
Beloperone is a Southwestern native that blooms throughout the year, most heavily in spring, attracting hummingbirds to its crimson flowers. It’s a loose, natural plant that grows to 3 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide and thrives in hot, dry conditions. It looks best in a desert-style landscape rather than a more formal design.
Bloom season: Early spring
Cold tolerance: Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 6.7 degrees Celsius (Zone 9)
Origin: The Sonoran Desert
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full, reflected sun to light, filtered shade
When to plant: Spring or fall
See how to grow beloperone
Tell us: Do you have red flowers growing in your garden? Upload your photos in the Comments.
Region by region: What to Do in Your Garden This Month
See more Houzz guides to colorful flowers
(Justicia californica)
Beloperone is a Southwestern native that blooms throughout the year, most heavily in spring, attracting hummingbirds to its crimson flowers. It’s a loose, natural plant that grows to 3 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide and thrives in hot, dry conditions. It looks best in a desert-style landscape rather than a more formal design.
Bloom season: Early spring
Cold tolerance: Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 6.7 degrees Celsius (Zone 9)
Origin: The Sonoran Desert
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full, reflected sun to light, filtered shade
When to plant: Spring or fall
See how to grow beloperone
Tell us: Do you have red flowers growing in your garden? Upload your photos in the Comments.
Region by region: What to Do in Your Garden This Month
See more Houzz guides to colorful flowers
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karenfried62 ... go to google and type in __name of state__ and native plants.
You will end up with a huge list.
__name of state__ and native plant nursery will get you a list of nurseries that sell plants native to your state or area.
karenfried62 I'm surprised your mother doesn't give you information from your local Agriculture Extension Service. Ours also "houses" the Master Gardener program. In any case, here is a link to the USDA resources. Just choose your state. If you are in a large state, there may be a difference between various sections of your state, so keep that in mind.
Wonderful. Anything deer dislike and red I adore lately!