People usually think of trees as having green leaves, and most do. But trees with red leaves add a fun splash of color to your fall and winter garden. Whether you put them on a lawn or in a clear spot in your garden, trees with red leaves will look great in isolated scenes and add a touch of happiness wherever they go!
You don’t have to wait until fall to see a tree with a red or ruby crown. Some trees have beautiful red leaves all year long.
There are both wild and cultivated ornamental trees with red leaves, from small red maples and even dwarf red maples to bigger red maples.
There are many red-leafed trees that can be used to make a dull space more interesting and set off a real fireworks show of colors. To give you ideas, we chose 10 of the most beautiful trees with red or crimson leaves based on how bright the colors were and how long the fire lasted.
When it comes to injecting vibrant color into the garden landscape, trees with red foliage provide a visually striking focal point. While many trees only display fiery red leaves briefly in fall, there are several tree varieties that will keep their ruby red or burgundy leaves from spring to fall giving your yard gorgeous color all season long.
Red leafed trees make excellent specimen plants, providing unique texture and eye-catching contrast. They also work beautifully planted in groups or mixed borders. From small Japanese maples to larger shade trees, there are diverse red foliage trees suitable for gardens of any size and style.
If you’re looking to add year-round color and interest to your yard. here are 8 spectacular trees that hold onto their crimson or burgundy leaves through multiple seasons
1. Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
The Redbud is a spring show-stopper, igniting gardens with a blaze of bright pink blooms before its leaves emerge. The highly ornamental heart-shaped leaves then unfold in a deep purple-burgundy color, persisting from spring to fall before turning golden orange in autumn. Growing 15-30 feet tall and wide, Redbud is a nicely compact small tree perfect for smaller yards. It thrives in full sun to part shade.
2. Smoketree (Cotinus coggygria)
Smoketree is prized for its unique and decorative foliage. The large, round leaves emerge greenish-red in spring then mature to a dark maroon-purple, holding this rich color all summer. In fall, airy plumes of smoky looking flowers cover the tree, resembling puffs of smoke, giving Smoketree its common name. A multi-season beauty growing 10-15 feet tall and wide, it does best in full sun and well-drained soil.
3. ‘Royal Burgundy’ Cherry (Prunus ‘Royal Burgundy’)
For a smaller flowering tree with red leaves, Royal Burgundy Cherry is a superb choice. Its purple-red foliage emerges glossy and deep burgundy, contrasting beautifully with fragrant pink spring blooms. The lance-shaped leaves keep their dark hue right through summer without fading. Growing just 15-20 feet tall, it’s well-suited to yards with limited space. Plant it in full sun for the deepest red coloring.
4. Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
Japanese Maple offers some of the most diverse red-leafed cultivars, ranging from laceleaf to upright forms. Varieties like ‘Bloodgood’, ‘Red Dragon’, and ‘Crimson Queen’ hold their carmine colored leaves from spring to fall before turning brilliant crimson-orange in autumn. Slow growing to 15-25 feet with elegant form and nicely textured foliage, they bring splendid color as specimen trees or grouped plantings.
5. Red Norway Maple (Acer platanoides ‘Crimson King’)
For a larger shade tree that keeps maroon leaves year-round, look no further than Crimson King Norway Maple. This vigorous tree emerges with rich crimson red leaves in spring, holding the vibrant color straight through summer and fall before shedding. Growing 40-50 feet tall, it provides ample scale yet needs minimal pruning. Plant it as a colorful focal point specimen.
6. Copper Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’)
Copper Beech displays stunning foliage from spring through fall – glossy purple-red leaves that shine iridescently in sunlight. This classic large shade tree grows 40-60 feet tall with a broad, dense canopy that provides ample dappled shade. As an added bonus, its coppery bark also offers great winter interest after the leaves fall. Use Copper Beech as a gorgeous garden focal point.
7. Photinia (Photinia x fraseri)
Also known as Red Tip Photinia, this large evergreen shrub or small tree shows off its best red colors in spring and fall. The oval leaves emerge as a striking brick-red before maturing to dark green in summer. In autumn they shift back to fiery reds and oranges for a fall display of color. Photinia grows 10-15 feet tall and can be pruned into tree form. Plant in full sun for boldest leaf colors.
8. Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Our native Red Maple lives up to its name, igniting spring landscapes with vivid scarlet flowers and red-orange leaves that persist through summer and fall. Fast growing to 40-60 feet tall, it develops an oval crown with ascending branches when mature. Red Maple makes a superb large shade tree for northern climates, bringing stunning fall color. Plant it in full sun or partial shade.
With their unique and eye-catching shades of ruby, crimson and burgundy, trees with persistently red foliage liven up gardens and provide four seasons of interest. They come in diverse sizes, growth habits, and leaf shapes to suit any landscape needs. For an infusion of color from spring to fall, look no further than these beautiful red leafed trees.
1: ‘Crimson Queen’ Laceleaf Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Crimson Queen’)
‘Crimson Queen’ laceleaf maple has one of the brightest shades of red you can find. It really has it all….
It has brightly colored leaves that are very thinly divided into segments that give it the look of fine lace. It also has dark, arching branches, and it’s not too big, so you can grow it even in small gardens or pots!
The leaves hang pretty and wave in the wind. They stay red all year, until they fall off in the fall. It is also a strong plant, with leaves that do not burn in the hot summer Sun.
It is a receiver of the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society.
The “Crimson Queen” laceleaf maple is great for Japanese gardens, city gardens, and all kinds of casual designs.
You can also have it on patios and terraces because it grows well in pots, but the pots need to be big.
- Hardiness: USDA zones 5 to 9.
- Light exposure: full Sun or partial shade.
- Size: 8 to 10 feet tall (2. 4 to 3. 0 meters) and 10 to 12 feet in spread (3. 0 to 3. 6 meters).
- It needs loam, clay, or sand-based soil that is organically rich, fertile, regularly humid, and well drained. The pH level should be between mildly acidic and neutral.
3: ‘Red Silver’ Flowering Crabapple (Malus hybrida)
‘Red Silver’ flowering crabapple is a semi-weeping, upright, medium sized deciduous tree with a lot to offer. Lots of red actually!.
The leaves are ovate, bronze red, and large, about 3 inches long (7. 5 cm), and they are covered in an interesting silver fuzz that creates interesting light effects.
The flowers are red too, fragrant and long lasting. And they are also followed by berries, which, you guessed, are of the same color!.
Add the spreading habit of this tree and the partly weeping branches and you have a real winner.
If you want this color from spring to fall, however, the “Red Silver” flowering crabapple is the best choice.
It will suit all informal gardens as a specimen plant or in small groups with other trees. It tolerates pollution and this makes it perfect for urban gardens.
- Hardiness: USDA zones 4 to 8.
- Light exposure: full Sun.
- Blooming season: spring.
- Size: 15 to 30 feet tall (4. 5 to 9. 0 meters) and 10 to 20 feet in spread (3. 0 to 6. 0).
- Soil needs to be moderately fertile, regularly humid, well-drained loam, clay, chalk, or sand with a pH between 5.5 and 7.0. It tolerates some drought.
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FAQ
What tree is always red?
Do red maple trees stay red all year?
Which trees have red leaves all year round?
The following are eleven beautiful trees that have red leaves on them all year round. The Japanese red maple tree is a small-sized tree that features gorgeous red leaves for three seasons. The leaves are reddish-purple during parts of the year, but for the most part, this tree does feature red or red-tinted leaves throughout much of the year.
Are trees with red leaves always beautiful?
There is no argument that trees with red leaves are almost always breathtakingly beautiful in any yard. The problem is that it is often difficult to know which trees have red leaves all year round, not only during the cool autumn months.
What are the best trees with red leaves?
If you don’t like the regular green foliage plants, here are some stunning Trees With Red Leaves that are highly ornamental and bring color to any dull yard. Ornamental trees are the perfect way to add a colorful appeal to your garden. Here are the most beautiful Trees With Red Leaves that you can grow to beautify your yard. 1. Copper Beech 2.
What are the best red-flowering trees for ornamental value?
The best red-flowering trees for ornamental value are dogwood, Chinese hibiscus, magnolia, and red frangipani trees. Large trees with red flowers like the red buckeye, horse chestnut, and red maple trees are perfect shade trees in wide landscapes. This article is an identification guide to stunning red-flowering trees.