Shrubs That Flower Red in Winter

When buying shrubs avoid plants that have scars since they can become cankerous.joSon/Digital Vision/Getty Images

There are not that many shrubs that will bloom flowers in winter. Many plants will lose their leaves and color during the cold fall and winter months, so adding plants that have colorful foliage or flowers will help bring life and color back into a garden. Some shrubs that will bloom red flowers during the winter season are camellia, heath and witch hazel. These shrubs are cold hardy and are fairly easy to care for as long as they are placed in proper soil conditions. The camellia, heath and witch hazel come in a wide variety of colors so it is important to know exactly what color it will flower before buying.

Camellia

The camellia comes many flower color varieties including different shads of red. Flowers can grow up to 5 inches in diameter. Depending on the exact variety, camellias bloom between late fall to early spring. The hybrids that bloom larger flowers will not bloom until late winter. They are especially hardy in Zones 8 and 9. They generally grow best in partial shade with early morning and late afternoon sunlight avoided. However, the red flowering camellias tend to be more sun tolerant. Planting should be done between fall and early spring in loose, well drained soil.

The heath plant is also known as heather. It is a perennial shrub known for its small bright flowers. The winter heath also named snow heather is a dwarf variety that blooms small red flowers in winter. It makes a good ground cover since it will only grow to about one foot tall. They are easy to grow and should be planted in sandy soil in full sun. They are hardy to Zones 5 to 8. There are also other varieties that can grow up to 10 feet tall and usually produce pink flowers.

Witch hazel is a fragrant winter shrub that can bloom yellow, gold, orange and red flowers depending on the exact variety. The flowers are small, ranging from 1/2 to 3/4 inches in diameter. The shrub if left un-pruned can range up to 6 to 15 feet tall. The grow best in moist soil will partial shade but they can tolerate full sun. Hardiness depends on the exact variety and bloom time can range from fall, late winter, or early spring.