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Are you looking to add some red hydrangeas to your garden this season? So often brightly red flowers are found on annual flowering plants but there are some great perennial and flowering shrub options, including the beautiful blooming hydrangea.
Planting hydrangeas for beautiful blooms is always on the gardeners to-do list for people who are looking for blue or white blooms. But you may not be aware that hydrangeas also come in a variety of different shades of red!
Choosing a hydrangea can be a tricky task because there are just so many wonderful options. In the list below, we’ve hand-picked some dependable and equally beautiful red hydrangeas for you no matter where you live, or what type of garden setting you have. Let’s dig in!
Smooth Varieties
These shrubs are also known as Hydrangea arborescens. This species is well known for its varieties in the ‘Invincibelle’ and ‘Incrediball’ series. Both are extremely popular and can do well in a variety of climates.
‘Invincibelle Ruby’
- Bloom Time: Summer
- Plant Size: 3-4 feet
- Plant Zones: 3-8
- Uses: Border gardens, Cutting gardens, Mass plantings
‘Invincibelle Ruby’ holds true to its name. The flowers on this shrub will bloom light pink and age to a deep shade of burgundy as the seasons progress. This variety is a reblooming hydrangea and will fill your garden with flowers all season long.
This variety has very attractive dark green foliage, making a nice accent for these pretty flowers.
Bigleaf Varieties
Also known as Hydrangea macrophylla, shrubs from this species are probably the most common types you’ll see in gardens around the world. They are easy to care for, and come in a variety of different bloom colors, including red.
‘Cardinal Red’
- Bloom Time: Mid Summer- Fall
- Plant Size: 4-5 feet
- Plant Zones: 6-9
- Uses: Border, Container, Foundation Planting, Cut Flowers
This is red hydrangea that will not falter. Even though its blooms are sensitive they will remain in the red family.
Acidic soils will experience a mauve colored flower, where alkaline will get to enjoy a bright red jewel. ‘Cardinal Red’ will flower heavily with eight inch flowers on almost every branch.
‘Cherry Go Round’
- Bloom Time: Late Spring- Fall
- Plant Size: 2-3 feet
- Plant Zones: 5-9
- Uses: Container, Perennial Garden, Cut Flowers
‘Cherry go Round’ is a nicely shaped, smaller shrub. The blooms are bold and make a nice statement in a mass planting. The large clusters of flowers are long lasting, and make nice cut flowers that will dry well long after the summer has passed.
‘Cherry go round’ is low maintenance and would fill your shady areas with a gorgeous splash of color.
‘Grateful Red’
- Bloom Time: Summer
- Plant Size: 3-4 feet
- Plant Zones: 4-9
- Uses: Foundation planting
This variety is covered in scarlet blooms all summer long. As these flowers age they will fade to a lavender shade of purple. Plant this shrub in a partially shaded area, and your blooms will last even longer due to the break from the sun.
This is one of the most popular varieties with stunning red blooms. If you are looking for some serious visual interest in your garden, this is a great option.
‘Endless Summer Summer Crush’
- Bloom Time: Summer
- Plant Size: 2-3 feet
- Plant Zones:4-9
- Uses: Border, Container, Perennial garden
A red option from the very popular Endless Summer collection is sure to wow any gardener. Endless summer hydrangeas are a reblooming variety, which means that you will get flowers on new growth as well as old.
This also means that you will have these flowers around all summer long. This variety is pH sensitive, if your soil is acidic these flowers will be a pretty shade of purple. On the contrary if your soil is alkaline you will be blessed with the raspberry red flowers this shrub is known for.
‘Everlasting Crimson’
- Bloom Time: Late Spring- Late Summer
- Plant Size: 2-3 feet
- Plant Zones: 5-9
- Uses: Border garden, Perennial gardens, Cutting garden
This is a richer red that some of the other bigleaf hydrangeas, and the red lasts a bit longer because it is a reblooming hydrangea. It will transition through the normal pinks and greens but will finish with that true deep red.
Be sure to snip some of these flowers for your vase arrangements. They will be long lasting, and will dry very nicely.
‘Heart Throb’
- Bloom Time: Summer- Fall
- Plant Size: 3 feet
- Plant Zones: 5-9
- Uses: Border gardens, Containers, Mass plantings
‘Heart Throb’ is a newer variety that offers a lot of charm. Use this ruby red shrub in containers for a year long show that will be easily accented by seasonal annuals. These flowers have little accents of lime green but settle and age to a deep dark red.
‘Heart Throb’ is a great option for those looking for a more compact plant. They aren’t as big as some of the other macrophyllas on this list.
‘Kimono’
- Bloom Time: Mid Spring- Fall
- Plant Size: 2-3 feet
- Plant Zones: 5-9
- Uses: Borders, Perennial Gardens
Unlike others on this list, ‘Kimono’ is not quite a red hydrangea. It has white blooms with deep red edging. This hydrangea will rebloom all season long, keeping this pretty red show of flowers going. Blooming will start in the mid to late spring and carry through the first frost.
‘Lady in Red’
- Bloom Time:
- Plant Size: 3-5 feet
- Plant Zones: 6-9
- Uses: Border gardens, Containers, Woodland edge
This variety is a show stopper in your garden and one of my favorites. This lacecap hydrangea begins to bloom in the early summer with a light pink flower and slowly matures to a deeper pink and sometimes blue if your soil is more on the acidic side.
‘Magical Ruby Red’
- Bloom Time: Late Spring- Late Summer
- Plant Size: 3 feet
- Plant Zones: 5-9
- Uses: Border gardens, Containers, Cutting gardens, Perennial Gardens
This pretty red shrub starts out as a ruby red color that deepens into a wine color that is often speckled with lime green. The foliage is a deep green that accents the flowers very nicely.
‘Magical ruby red’ is a nice compact hydrangea that could be easily used anywhere that you have partial shade in your garden, including your containers!
‘Red Beauty’
- Bloom Time: Summer
- Plant Size: 3 feet
- Plant Zones: 5-9
- Uses: Border gardens, containers, perennial gardens
This variety has some similarities to ‘Magical Ruby Red’ but one of the main differences is the burgundy stems on ‘Red Beauty’.
This shrub has red flowers that will turn to a dark plum for the perfect fall color. It has a very nice mounded habit and would be a lovely foundation plant.
‘Tuxedo Red’
- Bloom Time: Summer- Fall
- Plant Size: 3 feet
- Plant Zones: 6-10
- Uses: Containers, Cutting Garden, Perennial Gardens
This variety has massive red flowers. This variety is such a prolific bloomer that these flowers nearly hide all of the foliage. Usually, this would be welcomed, but the foliage on this particular hydrangea is quite spectacular on their own.
The leaves are serrated and a dark purple, that almost looks black in some lighting. This is a great option for someone looking for a very unique plant that adds visual interest not seen in other varieties.
Panicle Varieties
Panicles are great for warmer climates, and also the go-to species for garden spaces that are in full sun. Also known as Hydrangea Paniculata, they are are hardier than other types of hydrangea, and can stand up well to more difficult living conditions.
‘Fire Light’
- Bloom Time: Summer
- Plant Size: 6-8 feet
- Plant Zones: 3-8
- Uses: Border Plant, Mass planting, Screen, Specimen
The flowers on this shrub will emerge white and as they age will turn bright red for the perfect summer punch of color. This is a great option for a first-time gardener because it is easy to grow and very low maintenance.
There is also a dwarf version of ‘Fire Light’ called ‘Fire Light Tidbit’ which has many of the same attributes in a smaller form.
‘Little Lime Punch’
- Bloom Time: Early- Late Summer
- Plant Size: 3-5 feet
- Plant Zones: 3-8
- Uses: Border gardens, Containers, Perennial gardens
‘Little Lime Punch’ is a really pretty panicle hydrangea with a fun color combination. The flowers will bloom as a lime green and slowly deepen and change from pink to a deep red.
The really special part of this shrub is that you will often find all of these colors on one plant at the same time. The flowers on ‘Little Lime Punch’ are very long lasting, taking your well into the fall.
‘Quick Fire’
- Bloom Time: Mid Summer- Late Fall
- Plant Size: 6-8 feet
- Plant Zones: 3-8
- Uses: Cutting Garden, Foundation gardens
‘Quick fire’ is an early blooming panicle hydrangea. The flowers will open white, and turn to pink and fade to red as they age. This shrub is extremely hardy and a great choice for colder climates, with notable recovery after even the harshest winter weather.
These flowers make for a very pretty cut flower as well, so save those blooms and bring the outside in!
Oakleaf Varieties
Also known as Hydrangea Quercifolia, this species is well known for their larger foliage. Their leaves are in the shape of an oak tree, which is where this species gets its common name. They are also hardier than other species.
‘Ruby Slippers’
- Bloom Time: Summer
- Plant Size: 3-4 feet
- Plant Zones: 5-9
- Uses: Border gardens, Cutting gardens, Woodland gardens
‘Ruby slippers’ is a mid-size oakleaf hydrangea that will grow to about three feet high. The flowers are a crisp white at the start that will turn to pink a little earlier than the rest, finally settling on red just in time for the fall.
The foliage on ‘Ruby Slippers’ is dark green until fall comes around when they will fade to a rich brown.
Image Credit: F.D. Richards via Flickr (Image Use Allowed With Attribution)
Mountain Varieties
Also known as Hydrangea Serrata, mountain varieties often display a lacecap flower, and are a bit less common than other species. If you are looking for something to help your garden stand out a bit from others, this species will add plenty of visual interest wherever it’s planted.
‘Tuff Stuff Red’
- Bloom Time: Summer-Fall
- Plant Size: 2-3 feet
- Plant Zones: 5-9
- Uses: Border gardens, Containers, Mass Planting
If you love bigleaf hydrangeas, but live in a cooler climate than the mountain hydrangea is for you. ‘Tuff Stuff Red’ has very pretty deep-pink or red lacecap flowers that are long blooming beginning in the summer and taking you through the fall.
This variety is versatile and easily tucked into your landscape. It will add plenty of visual interest to your garden, and isn’t as common as the others on this list.
Final Thoughts
Red is a color for all seasons. These hydrangeas are easy to care for and add such a bright pop of color to your gardens. You can plant them in containers or in your gardens and your garden will be brightened immediately! Add a vibrant splash of red to your hydrangea gardens this season!
