The 15 Best Red Plants To Plant In Fall For A Garden Full Of Color

Gardening in the fall is a true joy. Cooler temperatures make all that digging and hard work a little more comfortable, and there are all kinds of vibrant foliage and red flowers that look perfect in your garden this time of year. From rose bushes that are producing beautiful red hips to fall staples like red chrysanthemums — if you're looking to add some warm tones to your fall garden, there are ample options available.

If you're going for a monochromatic fall garden, red is an excellent color choice to complement the warm hues the season typically brings. The color is also known to attract all kinds of pollinators — hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees will enjoy your red garden just as much as you do. So if you're ready to transform your backyard garden for the fall season, then it's time to bust out the gardening gloves and get to planting.

Geraniums (Pelargonium) can be grown as perennials in hardiness zones 9 through 12, but are most commonly grown as annuals.The plant is beloved for its radiant flowers — which can be red, pink, purple, white, or a combination of multiple colors. The plants have a long season, blooming from spring into fall, making them a great addition to your late-season garden.

Typically an annual plant, African daisies (Osteospermum) can also be grown as a tender perennial in hardiness zones 10 to 11. The flowers come in a range of stunning colors, but the Bright Lights™ Red African Daisy variety is a wonderful choice for adding a pop of red to your fall garden. For successful blooms, plant your African daisies in an area with full sun and well-draining soil.

Sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua Thunb.) is an evergreen shrub with gorgeous flowers that can be red, white, or pink, often with bright yellow stamens in the center. Sasanqua camellia produces blooms from fall into winter and is best suited for hardiness zones 7 to 9. This shrub will thrive in an area with partial shade and moist but well-draining soil.

Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium), often called garden mums, are a quintessential fall flower. Grown as a perennial in hardiness zones 5 through 9, chrysanthemums enjoy an environment with full sun and moist, well-drained soil. In addition to adding a touch of red to your fall garden, chrysanthemums are also useful for attracting butterflies and other pollinators. Pet owners should be cautious when planting mums as they are toxic when ingested by cats, dogs, and horses.

Dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii) is a deciduous shrub that blooms in the spring with beautiful white, fluffy flowers. In the fall, when the flowers are gone, the foliage turns into a vibrant orangey-red that adds serious contrast and interest to your yard or garden. Suitable for hardiness zones 5 through 8, dwarf fothergilla enjoys full to partial sun and moist, well draining soil.

There is a wide range of stonecrop (Hylotelephium H. Ohba) cultivars to choose from for your fall garden. Versions including sedum 'Munstead Dark Red' and 'Autumn Joy' sedum produce gorgeous red blossoms in early fall. With the 'Munstead Dark Red' in particular, even the leaves of the plant boast a dark red border that's perfect for visual interest. Stonecrop is suitable for hardiness zones 3 to 9 and prefers full sun and well-drained soil.

Autumn phlox (Phlox paniculata) is a long-standing gardener's favorite. The plant, which can grow up to 4 feet tall, produces clumps of flowers that can be red, white, pink, or purple. Ideal for hardiness zones 4 to 8, autumn phlox thrives on full to partial sun and moist, well-drained soil. In addition to their visual interest, the little clusters of blossoms are also incredibly fragrant, often attracting bees, butterflies, and various birds.

Blanket flower (Gaillardia spp.) is a colorful and hardy perennial you can grow in containers or directly in the ground in an area with full sun and well-drained soil. Suitable for hardiness zones 3 to 8, the blanket flower produces a vibrant bloom that looks similar to a common daisy. For the blossoms, there are several color varieties including solid red, red center with yellow tips, and a range of other pink and orange combinations — any of which would look lovely in your fall garden.

For a pop of red with an interesting-shaped flower, globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa) is an excellent choice for those in a warmer climate. The (often) annual plant blooms from summer up until the first frost and thrives in an environment with full sun and moist, well-draining soil. The round, globe-shaped flowers are available in a range of colors including red, white, pink, orange, and purple.

Ideal for hardiness zones 5 through 9, oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) blooms with delicate white flowers in the summer. In the fall, however, the plant's foliage turns a stunning shade of dark purplish red that will add a moody vibe to your garden. The shrub will perform well in full to partial sun and prefers a mild acidic soil that's well draining.

Cone flower (Echinacea) is a popular perennial that blooms from summer into the fall season. In addition to red, the flowers can also be green, purple, pink, orange, yellow, and white, depending on the variety you choose.The plant is hardy in zones 3 through 9 and is known to attract song birds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. For the best chance at success, plant your cone flowers in an area that gets full sun.

Much like the bird by the same name, cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) blossoms are a vibrant red color, perfect for your fall garden. Hardy in zones 3 through 9, cardinal flowers are spiky and form in an upright clump. In addition to adding a touch of red to your fall garden, these gorgeous, bright flowers are perfect for hummingbirds and butterflies as well.

Although the blooms on an Arkansas rose (Rosa arkansana) are typically pink or white, in the fall the plant produces gorgeous, bright red rose hips that look like small cherry tomatoes. You can leave the hips on to add a pop of red to your fall garden, and as a nice snack for birds and other wildlife. The Arkansas rose is hardy in zones 4 to 7 and prefers full sun with well-drained soil.

There are many types of azalea (Rhododendron indicum) to choose from. One variety in particular, the 'Karen', features foliage that turns a deep wine-red in the fall season. Different varieties have different hardiness zones, but for 'Karen', the plant is suitable for zones 5 to 9. To successfully grow azaleas, plant them in an area with full to partial sun and acidic, well-draining soil.

Hardy in zones 10 to 11, scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea) can also be grown as an annual in cooler climates. The plant blooms continuously as long as the weather is warm, so you can enjoy the vibrant red flowers all year round, depending on where you live. Scarlet sage will thrive when given access to full sun and moist but well-draining soil.