Red flowers are the ultimate sign of love and passion. Red is often the color of the heart, so these pretty flowers are ideal for your sweetheart.
But you may want just want to give your loved one a bunch of flowers. With our 18 beautiful types of red flowers you may not have seen before, you can even give an unusual gift.
Plant them in your garden as a symbol of your love or keep them in a pot on your windowsill. These bright red flowers put a smile on your face every day because they remind you of your love.
1. Red Lilies
Lilies come in a great variety of colors. Purple, orange, yellow and white lilies are some of the most popular flowers. However, red lilies are a little more unusual.
These exotic flowers with their elegant appearance stand for desire and passionate love. While white lilies are commonly used for funerals, red lilies are the perfect wedding flowers.
They symbolize partnership and union that lasts for years to come.
2. Celosia
The name for Celosia comes from the Greek word for “burned”. While this pretty flower isn’t literally on fire, its bright flower head resembles a flame.
These tropical plants are perfect for adding more color to your backyard but you can also use them as decorations for a wedding, birthday party or anniversary.
The strong red blooms convey powerful emotions, warmth and kindness. Plus, these flowers are used in traditional herbal medicine to treat diarrhea and chest infections.
3. Red Hibiscus
Red hibiscus is not just well known as a tea but it also has stunning red flowers. Red hibiscus is also commonly called the “flower of an hour” because it is a symbol of new opportunities.
If someone gives you this red flower in full bloom, then this is a gesture of deep love and passion. It may also be a reminder to seize the moment for a chance that presents itself to you.
4. Red Pygmy Water Lily
Another beautiful red flower that you may not have seen before is the red dwarf water lily. With its pretty red heads and large, green leaves, this type of water lily stands for innocence and friendship.
If you want to add a dash of color to your garden pond, then this small water lily makes a big statement.
5. Blood Sage
While sage comes in a great variety of pretty colors, Salvia coccinea is one of the most impressive herbaceous perennials.
Known as scarlet sage, tropical sage or Texas sage, the unusual color of this plant stands out from other red wildflowers.
Just like other sage plants, this flower belongs to the mint family and it produces deep red blooms. As the flowers are tube-shaped, they attract a great range of bees, butterflies and other insects.
You might even be lucky to spot a hummingbird around this red sage in your garden.
While blood sage is believed to be from Mexico originally, you can find out all around Central America and in the South East of the United States.
6. Red Bush Monkeyflower
Also known as San Diego monkeyflower, Diplacus piniceus is a perennial plant with large red-orange blooms.
These evergreen shrubs have their name from their flowers that look like the face of a monkey.
With a large spread, red bush monkeyflower plants are commonly found around the coastal hills of California.
7. Red Yarrow
Common yarrow is usually white, although you can also find Achillea millefolium in some other colors, such as golden yellow or bright red.
This perennial plant originally comes from temperate regions in North America, Asia and Europe.
Red yarrow plants can produce large flower clusters that make an attractive display. They are often found in the wild, although you can also plant them in your backyard.
If you want to enjoy red yarrow in your garden, then look for the “Red Velvet” variety which creates striking dark red blooms.
8. Avens
While avens aren’t the same bright red as some other red flowers on our list, they make up for the subtle color with their unusually hairy flower head.
These herbaceous plants are part of the Rosaceae family. They thrive in warmer climates where temperatures don’t drop below freezing.
This makes them popular wildflowers in Southern US states, such as California, Florida and Texas. This being said, you can also find them across Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and South America.
Avens plants only have a single flower that blooms in shades of red, white, pink, orange and yellow.
9. Red Sunflower
Everyone knows yellow sunflowers but did you know that there are also red varieties? Red sunflowers are native to North and South America.
Similar to their yellow cousins, red sunflowers have large flower heads with red-orange petals and a deep dark red center.
Sunflowers are popular with gardeners, so you can find a great variety of cultivars in various hues, from burnt-orange and crimson to maroon and red.
10. Egyptian Stars
As the name of this plant suggests, Egyptian stars are native to the tropical zones of Africa. You can also find them on Madagascar and the Arabian Peninsula.
Egyptian stars come in a range of different colors, including purple, white, pink and red. Their star-shaped petals are arranged in small clusters around the top of the plant.
11. Red Trumpet Creeper
If you want to create a stunning floral display with red flowers, then the red trumpet creeper is a great option.
This creeping wine is deciduous and woody. It has green foliage with large trumpet-shaped blooms that come in various colors, from cherry-red to orange.
Just keep in mind that a trumpet vine can grow up to 30 feet long, so you may need a support or structure to ensure your trumpet creeper can show off its full beauty.
12. Pineapple Sage
Pineapple sage originally comes from the high mountain regions of Mexico. Despite its name, pineapple sage is different to the traditional garden sage.
In fact, this type of sage is much closer related to honey melon sage and tangerine sage.
These hardy plants produce large red flowers that attract different pollinating insects and birds.
13. Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe is a plant variety that covers over 120 succulents. Part of the stonecrop family, these tropical plants are native to Madagascar and the tropical regions of Africa.
Similar to other succulents, kalanchoe have waxy leaves and flower clusters that produce a large number of tube-shaped petals.
Kalanchoe plants are also popular as houseplants, although they don’t always flower throughout the year in cooler climates.
14. Coral Honeysuckle
While honeysuckle is a popular garden plant, coral or red honeysuckle is more unusual. Native to the US, this species of the honeysuckle family has red and pink flowers.
The trumpet-shaped flower tubes also give trumpet honeysuckle its name. As a flowering vine, this plant requires a good supportive structure to climb.
But what makes coral honeysuckle a true gem in every garden is its wonderfully fragrant smell. It attracts hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and many other pollinating insects.
15. Maltese Cross
The Maltese cross originally comes from Western and Central Asia where this plant thrives in warmer temperatures.
Its round clusters of bright red to orange flowers make it also a popular garden variety.
The Maltese cross plant has its name from the V-shape of its flowers that resembles the shape of a Maltese cross.
This being said, you can also find this flower under different names, synch as Jerusalem cross or Burning love.
16. Blanket Flower
If you love many different colors in your garden, then blanket flowers are a fantastic way to spruce up your flower beds.
These shrubby plants have a bright red center with yellow petal tips. While they are originally from South and North America, you can find them almost everywhere in the world.
Although these plants have a subtle smell, they can be used for more colorful ground cover because they spread quickly.
17. Gladiolus
Gladiolus plants are part of the iris family. Native to South and tropical Africa, they also thrive in parts of the Mediterranean and Asia.
The name “Gladiolus” comes from the Latin word for sword which refers to the sword-like shape of these plants.
They produce trumpet-like flower heads that come in a variety of different colors, from yellow, purple and white to fire red.
18. Tickseed
Also known as coreopsis or red satin, this flowering plant is commonly found with bright yellow blooms.
However, some tickseed species, such as Red Satin, also produce vibrant, red flowers with a light satin hue.
They are popular wildflowers that grow across the United States. This being said, they are also easy to grow in your own backyard at home.
Just keep in mind that they can quickly spread across the garden through their rhizomatic root system. This makes them especially good as colorful ground cover.
Final Thoughts
Our 18 beautiful types of red flowers you may not have seen before stand out from the classic yellow, white and purple plants.
I love sharing my experiences with individuals in this community, and I enjoy sharing some of the best tips I have learned over the years caring for my own garden at home.
In my articles, you will find the best flowers, most fragrant flowers you can plant in your garden, how to care for your favorite plants, informative guides and how-tos so you can have the best backyard in town!
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