low maintenance, bright red perennials

[HoosierLawnGnome]

I'd like to accent the house with some bright red flowers that show up in the spring, stay red for as long as possible, and don't require thinning.

Does such a thing exist?

[WestMIJay]

Does it have to be a perennial? Ideally how long do you want it to flower for?

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[HoosierLawnGnome]

Does it have to be a perennial? Ideally how long do you want it to flower for?

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I'm looking for low maintenance one way or the other. I'm looking for color as long as possible so that I get some contrast with the house, and I like red.

I'll only have a few, so its feasible I could garage them in the winter, etc.

[turf_toes]

I planted encore Azaelias last year. They bloomed right through late October.


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[WestMIJay]

For long periods of flowering I'm going to suggest a annual. Salvia will bloom from early summer to fall in your zone. It's low maintenance and looks great. Google 'Red Salvia' and let me know what you think.

[bernstem]

How big/tall do you want it to be?

[HoosierLawnGnome]

How big/tall do you want it to be?

No more than a few feet tall / wide.

Google 'Red Salvia' and let me know what you think.

Those are pretty. I def like the color - the bright red pop I'm going for.

[bernstem]

Red salvia is a very nice flower. It may even be a perennial in mild winters in marginal areas. Other choices in perennials that size that I like include red columbine, red dianthus, red coreopsis and red phlox. Other options that come to mind are likely to be too big. Most perennials are not going to bloom for the whole summer (for that you usually need annuals), but mixing them in a garden or border can work very well. Dianthus and coreopsis are fairly low maintenance for me. Phlox and columbine are a bit more finicky in my garden.

[Gags]

Have you considered a burning bush? I thought I just "red" (hah!) that there's varieties that keep their reddish hue year round (or at least while the leaves are still on them). Long-lasting spring flowering plants are rare - I've always considered them one of natures trade-offs - they're the sprinters that show up early to give you hope, then fade away to make room for the long-distance runners. Have you considered petunias? Not very tall growing - maybe some new guinea impatients? I've also had great luck with vinca's - I've seen several shades of red, but not as bold as in petunia's. If you leave them be, my vincas have reseeded themselves for the past several years, even spreading into the sidewalk cracks.

Also consider a knock-out rose - disease resistant, and usually more shrub-like than a traditional rose(hybrid tea, floribunda, etc.).

[Itscold]

How about some roses. We have a couple of knockout roses bushes that are fantastic.

[Jason1604]

If you go the annual route, geraniums are decent. They don't lots of water, and mine last until November. Sometimes they outlast fall mums. They are better off potted though. Azelias are nice, bought about 5 this year and they are looking good. I don't have a long term report on them, but they are good so far.


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[Jason1604]

For long periods of flowering I'm going to suggest a annual. Salvia will bloom from early summer to fall in your zone. It's low maintenance and looks great. Google 'Red Salvia' and let me know what you think.

+1 I have lots of purple salvia. Love them. I can imagine red would be even prettier.


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[Tsmith]

I recently found numerous varieties of Coneflowers at my local nursery one of which is called Tomato Soup with bright red flowers and sounds like exactly what you are looking for

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Thanks!!! With the irrigation system, well project, and getting the renovation roaring through spring, all I've had time to do for this project was cut back the lilac I want to replace quite a bit so I can pull it out of the ground when the time comes.

[Charley]

I recently found numerous varieties of Coneflowers at my local nursery one of which is called Tomato Soup with bright red flowers and sounds like exactly what you are looking for

I was just visiting a friend who maintains lots of different flowers. One that was pretty distinctive was a coneflower variety that she said was called Cranberry. Name is pretty apt description of the color and seemed to be growing well with little care. I'm not much of a fan of the intense red color but she liked it very much. It could also fit your requirements.

[Ocelaris]

Red salvia is a very nice flower. It may even be a perennial in mild winters in marginal areas. Other choices in perennials that size that I like include red columbine, red dianthus, red coreopsis and red phlox. Other options that come to mind are likely to be too big. Most perennials are not going to bloom for the whole summer (for that you usually need annuals), but mixing them in a garden or border can work very well. Dianthus and coreopsis are fairly low maintenance for me. Phlox and columbine are a bit more finicky in my garden.

That... The only other suggestions are a Red Achillea, hardy hibiscus, red butterfly weed (Asclepias sp.). But Bernstem is right, perennials are either spring to early summer or summer to late fall, but not many that stretch the entire length. Annuals are the only thing that goes the distance. I try to mix all my plants up so I get some spring, some summer, some fall; a little bit of color at all seasons.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Yeah, those all look like great options - it will probably come down to what would grow best in my area.

I hate digging out old bushes though. This lilac is going to be a big pain in the butt. I usually try to sever all the roots and then pull them out of the ground with my SUV with a chain.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Well I picked up several red double knockout rose shrubs on clearance tonight. I think I'm going to love them.

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[Ocelaris]

They do well in the Midwest, only thing I have heard is that Japanese Beetle love them. Watch for bite marks! Put some phosphorous in the planting hole to give them a good start.

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[HoosierLawnGnome]

They do well in the Midwest, only thing I have heard is that Japanese Beetle love them. Watch for bite marks! Put some phosphorous in the planting hole to give them a good start.

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I'm new to this kind of thing. Is triple super phosphate good for this?


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