These plants with red and green leaves are so pretty that by the end of this article, you're probably going to want one in every corner of your house or garden. If you love the color red, there are many different houseplants with red and green leaves that you can add to your indoor garden or to give a boost to your outdoor patio. With speckled, striped, variegated, or mottled leaves, red plants deliver an unexpected color to your house without relying on bright blooms.
4 Plants With Red and Green Leaves for Your In - and Outdoors
If you are searching for plants with red and green leaves that can both be indoor and outdoor, we've got you covered. Houseplants with red leaves are a great way to add color and interest to your indoor and outdoor spaces. Whether you're looking for a pop of color in your garden or a striking addition to your indoor plant collection, there are plenty of options to choose from. Here are some of the best outdoor and indoor plants with green and red leaves.
Coleus Wizard Scarlet
A plant with an old window sill' image. The nettle-like leaf has many shape and color variations. Easy to show if you plant it outside but also easy to care for as an indoor plant with red and green leaves. It's one of those houseplants that's back from the past. The Coleus Wizard Scarlet is a versatile foliage plant that, incidentally, eventually blooms with blue flowers. It has deep red leaves with a yellow-green border. The Coleus Wizard Scarlet is a compact grower tolerant of low-light conditions.
Image via @plantastic_mr_fox.
Begonia Barkos Baladin
The red begonias from the Barkos series you find at Koppe Begonia are widely cultivated by begonia growers during the winter season because they are so hardy and last a long time in consumers' homes. This plant with red and green leaves might grow a little slower but is therefore much stronger. In addition, the flowers are filled with many petals, creating a beautiful full, and fluffy effect that exudes romance. The largest variety in the Barkos series is the Begonia Baladin, a beautiful red begonia that can easily liven up your home.
Mangave Red Wing
Never heard about a Mangave before? That's okay! Check out this beautiful variety with red leaves. The Mangave is actually an intergeneric hybrid that takes the best of both parents: agave's durability and large, architectural forms, and the manfreda's unique colors and drawing. Its spikes are a lot softer than those of the agave, so it's also a lot easier to handle. The Mangave Red Wing comes in a beautiful, deep red color that prefers full sun - this is where the colors and distinctive leaf markings show best. It's a fast grower that is an ideal outdoor plant with red and green leaves for your patio, balcony, or as a houseplant. Want to discover more Mangaves? You can read all about them in the article 'Mangave, the Next Must-Have Plant? Oh, Yes!'.
Mangave Red Wing. Images via @madaboutmangave & @thatbotanicguy
A houseplant with red leaves can add dramatic shades of crimson, burgundy, maroon, and deep pink to any home interior. Plants with bright red and green leaves brighten up rooms and add a touch of warmth to the décor. Some red-leaf houseplants such as coleus, caladium, and anthurium have bright red foliage. Other types of red-leaved plants such as begonia and dracaena have darker reds or subtle shades of red.
If you’re searching for houseplants with red leaves, look no further because we've got you covered:
Codiaeum Variegatum (Mammy Red)
This Codiaeum Variegatum called 'Mammy Red' has some of the boldest and brightest foliage you will find on a tropical plant. The dark green oval-shaped leaves are covered in bright red and often orange, green, and yellow patterns. The upright growth of this fiery-looking plant makes them popular. The common name for Codiaeum is Croton. This plant with red leaves is known for its colorful foliage and is often grown as a houseplant or as an outdoor ornamental plant in warmer climates. The leaves of the croton can be variegated with shades of green, red, orange, yellow, and purple, making it a popular choice for adding color to gardens and indoor spaces.
Image via @toms_plants
Indoor Plants With Red and Green Leaves
An indoor plant with red and green leaves can bring a pop of color and life to any space, and there are so many options to choose from. From the vibrant flowers of the anthurium to the striking red and green leaves of the red aglaonema, these plants can add uplifting and positive energy to your home or workspace. Not only do they look beautiful, but they also have numerous health benefits, such as improving air quality and reducing stress. Whether you're a seasoned indoor gardener or just starting out, adding plants with red leaves to your collection can bring joy and positivity to your daily life.
Bromeliad Guzmania
The Guzmania from Bromelia Specialist is a plant with red and green leaves native from the northwest of South America and in the Caribbean; mostly in tropical rain forests. Guzmania is an excellent indoor plant that can add a vibrant and tropical feel to any indoor space. It's a low-maintenance plant that requires minimal care and can thrive in a variety of indoor environments.
The Guzmania plant prefers bright, indirect light and should be placed near a window that receives filtered sunlight. Direct sunlight can scorch the plant's leaves and cause damage. It can also tolerate lower light conditions, but may not produce as many blooms.
Guzmania requires consistent moisture to thrive, but it's important not to overwater the plant. It's best to water the plant when the soil feels dry to the touch, and make sure to water the soil directly rather than the cup in the center of the rosette. Overwatering can cause root rot and other issues. In terms of temperature, Guzmania prefers warm and humid environments.
Image via @babyjungleplantsliverpool.
Philodendron Imperial Red
The Philodendron Imperial Red from Evanthia is a gorgeous, tropical foliage plant that has large, oval-rounded glossy leaves. The leaf color starts off as bright reddish/green and turns darker red to dark green over time. Perfect for when you want temporary pops of color, seeing as only new leaf growth shows this bright shade of red. Philodendron is native to South America, where it grows as an evergreen perennial in tropical rainforests. As an indoor houseplant with red and green leaves, it is in high demand for its glossy appearance, easy care, and air-purifying qualities.
Begonia Maculata
One of the most popular and photogenic houseplants at the moment is the Begonia Maculata, also known as the Polka Dot Begonia or the Spotted Begonia. The Begonia Maculata is the most famous variant of the Dot Begonia. This striking plant has beautiful leaves with a red bottom and characteristic white dots on the top.
Image via @botanicaetal.
In the right conditions, the Polka Dot Begonia will produce small flowers similar in shape to other begonia plants. They are a white rounded fan shape with a small yellow center. Begonia Maculatas are not pet safe (and can be harmful to humans if ingested, as well), but the good news is that they are air purifying. By the way, you can read everything about this begonia in the article 'The Polka Dot Begonia (Begonia Maculata) is One of the Most Photogenic Houseplants'.
Sedum Rubrotinctum Aurora
The Sedum Rubrotinctum Aurora is a gorgeous little succulent with rounded plump green and red fleshy leaves. This plant starts out mostly green or bi-colored red and green but will get redder and redder over time when it gets a lot of sunlight exposure. The Sedum Rubrotinctum is also known as the Jelly Bean plant and is -like most succulents - relatively easy to care for.
Image via @succulent_kim_garden.
Phalaenopsis Scarlett Jubilee
The orchid group includes several hundred different genera and thousands of species, but most people are introduced to orchids through the Phalaenopsis genus, which is a particularly good orchid for beginners. These are thick-leaved plants with elegant, arching sprays of bloom — the orchids featured in so many design magazines sitting on coffee tables across the world. Phalaenopsis orchids are rewarding plants. They are not demanding, and in the right conditions, they will display showy blooms for months. That's what makes the Phalaenopsis Scarlett Jubilee such a must-have because this variety from Floricultura flowers at least 90 days!
Hypoestes Phyllostachya Confetti Compact Red
The Hypoestes Phyllostachya from Evanthia is a fun, tropical foliage plant, with a neat and compact habit and a very playful look. It has heart-shaped leaves, with colorful dark green and bright scarlet/red speckles and blotches. This houseplant with red and green leaves is native to tropical Madagascar, where it grows as an herbaceous perennial in shaded areas where it can form dense carpets of vegetation in the understorey layers of woodlands and rainforests. It makes for a great windowsill plant.
Hypoestes Phyllostachya Confetti Compact Red. Images via @citrus_harlot & Evanthia
Anthurium Micra
The red Anthurium Micra plant is a stunning tropical plant that is renowned for its vibrant red flowers and glossy green leaves. The anthurium is a popular choice for indoor gardening due to its easy-to-care-for nature and impressive visual appeal.
The plant features green, heart-shaped leaves that provide the perfect backdrop for its signature flowers. The anthurium's flowers are actually modified leaves, known as spathes, that come in a range of colors, including red, pink, white, and even green. The plant's true flowers are small and located on the spadix, which protrudes from the center of the spathe.
Image by @anthurabv.
Caring for an anthurium plant is relatively straightforward. The plant prefers bright, indirect light and should be watered when the soil feels dry to the touch. Overwatering can cause root rot, so it's important to avoid letting the plant sit in standing water. Anthurium plants also appreciate high humidity levels, which can be achieved by misting the leaves regularly or placing a humidifier nearby. In addition to its striking appearance, the anthurium plant is also known for its air-purifying properties. It can remove toxins such as formaldehyde and ammonia from the air, making it an excellent choice as an indoor houseplant with red leaves.
Whether you're a seasoned indoor gardener or just starting out, the red anthurium plant is a beautiful and easy-to-care-for plant that can add a touch of tropical elegance to any indoor space.
