Red and Purple Foliage

September 15, 2019 Some of the most stunning effects a gardener can take advantage of is growing plants with vibrant red or purple foliage. Here’s a few of my favorites. We’re used to seeing large patches of vibrant green ornamental sweet potato ground cover. But I think I’ve found a new favorite that’s quite different. Sweet Caroline Red Hawk Sweet Potato Vine is a fine choice for the garden with its attractive deeply cut lobed leaves which emerge light green and transition to a vibrant red throughout the season. Sweet Caroline Red Hawk has a dense trailing habit, eventually spilling over the edges of the landscape bed. It has a relatively fine texture which sets it apart from other garden plants. A great Alternanthera selection is Purple Prince, a tropical stunner with ravishing, splashy, colorful foliage. The spreading masses of Purple Prince rolls out a magic carpet of burgundy-purple and its beautiful leaves are complemented by reddish ruby rose undersides. The colors intensify when grown in the full sun. This plant thrives in blast furnace heat and sun; requires little water and is disease-resistant. I think that garden plants with red foliage are stunning. A favorite is Dragons Breath celosia with its unique red-green foliage that is topped with blazing red feathery flowers that resemble flames licking upwards. A great feature is the color intensifies during the harsh conditions of the summer season. You can’t go wrong with these bright plants in your landscape. I’m...