10 Gorgeous trees with red leaves that look stunning

Trees with red leaves are beautiful and ornamental and are a great alternative to the standard green foliage plants if you’re looking to spice up a dull garden. If you want your garden to stand out, plant some ornamental trees. Red foliage trees look great on a lawn or when planted in a separate garden section because they help create a sense of isolation for the subject and add an undeniable splash of joy to any outdoor space.

Some trees wear their ruby or crimson foliage like a crown all year long; this is in contrast to the more common practice of only doing so in the autumn. Most of us picture trees with green leaves, but red trees create a beautiful contrast in the fall and winter. A plethora of red-leafed trees is available, each of which is guaranteed to inject life into a flat area and set off a veritable fireworks display of color.

We’ve compiled a list of 10 eye-catching trees that turn red or crimson in the fall based on the vividness of their leaves and the length of time they stay that way. The types of red trees are discussed in this article.

What are the trees with red leaves?

Trees with vibrant red leaves are an attractive ornamental option for any garden. For a dramatic effect, plant a red-leaf tree in your yard to contrast the lush greenery and bright blooms. Several fantastic trees feature red leaves, ranging in hue from orange-red to crimson, maroon, burgundy, and reddish-purple.

In the fall, certain trees’ leaves turn a vibrant shade of red, creating a breathtaking seasonal display. However, there are also trees whose evergreen foliage is a stunning shade of red, elevating the aesthetic value of your garden all year round. All you need is a small tree, and its red leaves will provide all the curb appeal and interest you could ever want.

What is a tree with red leaves called?

Red leaves tree are called Acers. Acers are a great option if you like the thought of dark red leaves. They offer a wide range of plumy tones from true crimson to nearly purple darkness.

Some red tree leaves look admired, and their red foliage provides a charming effect.

1. Crimson Queen’ Laceleaf Maple (Acer Palmatum Crimson Queen)

Crimson Queen’s laceleaf maple’s crimson hue is among the most vivid of any species. That thing has everything… This maple tree with red leaves is best for the Japanese and some gardens.

It has dark, arching branches, vibrantly tinted foliage resembling delicate lace, and small stature that makes it suitable for even the most miniature gardens or pots.

Red leaves remain on the tree from spring until fall when they finally die and fall to the ground. It’s a hardy plant with leaves that stay cool even when the outside temperature soars.

2. Smoke bush (Cotinus ‘Grace)

The Cotinus ‘Grace’ shrub is an eye-catching tree due to its pinkish-purple flower clusters and burgundy-red foliage. Its common name, “smoke bush,” comes from the belief that the puffy flowers that cover the plant in June make it look like smoke is emanating from it.

This tree’s foliage goes through dramatic hue changes as the season’s change. The oval, deciduous leaves start out looking pinkish-red in the spring, darken through the summer and then turn a brilliant scarlet red and orange in the fall.

It grows best in full sun but can tolerate partial shade and requires moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil.

3. Red Robin (Photinia)

The striking evergreen foliage of this beautiful tree makes it one of the best trees for privacy. It has shiny green leaves but sprouts a blaze of red new growth each spring.

Additionally, in April and May, ‘Red Robin’ bears beautiful ivory white flowers, making it a fantastic tree for sprucing up the garden at any time.

If you’re looking for an evergreen shrub that will keep your garden looking good all year long, look no further than photinia.

It will flourish in either partial shade or full sun if you provide it with well-drained soil. The leaf color deepens to a brilliant scarlet when exposed to more sunlight. Put a layer of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the plant’s base in the early spring to boost it.

4. Crimson Cascade’ (Malus Purpurea)

This plant is also called the purple weeping crab apple tree. However, the most beautiful weeping tree for small gardens is the Malus purpurea ‘Crimson Cascade,’ named for its vibrant ruby fall foliage. The dramatic focal point is created by the long, whippy branches that cascade almost to the ground.

If you’re a fan of flowering trees, you may want to consider this variety. In the spring, it blooms a soft pink and is accompanied by beautiful purple foliage. In the summer and fall, the leaves turn a bronze green, and the ornamental crab apples ripen to a deep red-purple.

Crab apple trees are unusual because their fruits are so extremely sour that humans cannot consume them, even though this is the usual reason for cultivating fruit trees.

For a short time in the spring, crabapple trees provide a riot of color thanks to the abundance of white, pink, or red flowers that seem to explode from the branches. While the flowers only last a short while, the lot of shiny, colorful fruit.

5. Red Maple (Acer Rubrum)

Red maples are fast-growing deciduous trees that maintain their bright orange-red coloration from spring through fall. They are the trees with dark red leaves. Their leaves are five-pointed and palmate, just like the maple leaf on Canada’s national flag.

They appear after the small ruby blooms have faded and are noticeably less dented and broader than those on a Japanese maple.

With a straight trunk and a broad crown that is pyramidal when the plant is young but eventually turns rounded, this tree makes quite an impression. The bark develops grooves later in life, changing it from smooth and grey to more irregular.

The red maple is perfect for temperate landscapes, especially as a focal point in parks and gardens.

It will stand out beautifully against a lush lawn but can also complement a substantial structure like a home.

6. Red Silver Flowering Crabapple (Malus Hybrida)

The Red Silver flowering crabapple is an upright, moderately sized, deciduous bush with a semi-weeping form and many desirable characteristics. Red, red, everywhere!

The ovate leaves are a deep bronze color and are about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in length; they are covered in a silvery fuzz that casts intriguing shadows.

Red, fragrant, and long-lasting flowers are also present. They are followed by berries that are the same color, as you probably guessed.

These partially weeping branches and the tree’s spreading form make for a formidable combination.

The Red Silver flowering crabapple is an excellent choice if you want this color from spring through fall but want it to change as the seasons do.

It is ideal for all casual gardens as a single specimen or in clusters with other trees. In addition, because of its high pollution tolerance, it is well-suited for use in city yards.

7. Chitose Yama’ Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum ‘Chitose Yama’)

Japanese maple “Chitose Yama” is a small tree with red leaves. A crown of spiky leaves tops the very graceful branches of this small bush; each has seven rounded, serrated points.

They emerge atop crimson stems, start bronze, turn bright red, and remain that way through the fall. Like other Japanese maples, it has a timeless, eastern aesthetic that works well in shady environments. As a result, the Royal Horticultural Society has recognized it with its Award of Garden Merit.

Chitose Yama should be played in a Japanese garden, preferably in the shady canopy of some tall trees.

But you can grow it in containers and keep it on your terrace or patio, so it’s suitable for most casual designs, including urban and gravel gardens. The least it can do is brighten your garden with its vivacity and color.

8. Red Leaf Peach Rubira (Prunus Persica Rubira)

Long, ruby red leaves that age to a deep purple makes the Red Leaf Peach Rubira a beautiful ornamental tree. The tree bears delicious fruit and has exceptional decorative value thanks to its unique breaking. But, first, it is adorned with lovely pink flowers this spring, in April.

The bright red leaf tree, which ages to purple, makes this fruit tree especially attractive, and it is perfect for eating and growing ornamental fruit.

It is decked out in lovely pink flowers in April, a welcome sight every year. Then, naturally, this peach tree with red leaves naturally bears small, dark red fruits, almost purple, from July until September.

Sweet and juicy, these peaches can be eaten without having to graft the tree. Grouped in a small orchard, Red Leaf Peach Rubira trees offer both visual and gustatory pleasures.

9. European Beech (Fagus Sylvatica ‘Purpurea’)

The copper beech, also known as the purple beech, is a magnificent tree that can grow between 15 and 25 feet tall and is known for its exceptional, unique foliage.

Obtuse in shape, or “ovate with a point,” the leaves are coppery brown at the beginning of the growing season, redder by summer, and purple as the growing season winds down.

Majestic in appearance, this tree has a large, rounded but conical and spreading crown, elegantly arching branches, and dark, smooth bark.

Tiny yellow-green flowers will bloom in the spring, followed by tasty fruits.

The European beech tree is an iconic element of any landscape, evoking feelings of nostalgia and tradition.

It’s ideal for use as a focal point or focal plant in extensive, casual gardens and parks from spring through fall. In addition, its sculptural quality persists throughout the winter, drawing admiration wherever it goes.

10. Black Gum (Nyssa Sylvatica)

The black gum is an impressive tree with vibrant green leaves. As the seasons change, they will go from green to red and yellow before falling to the ground during the first frost. Though each leaf is quite sizable, the foliage is dense, glossy, elliptical, and smooth.

It forms beautiful “clouds of leaves” of fiery red that can be seen from a distance on this tree’s broad, conical crown with layered branches.

It will produce a profusion of tiny, bluish-green flowers in the spring. TIn addition, the crocodile-like appearance of the bark adds to the tree’s aesthetic value.

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has recognized the black gum tree by awarding it the Cary Award and the Gold Medal.

The black gum tree is indigenous to North America and is a beautiful addition to informal gardens and parks with a natural, temperate feel.

Conclusion

You have met the most beautiful trees with red leaves from the far east to the far west. Like European maple, some require a sizable area in which to thrive. However, some are compact and can be grown on a small patio or balcony, such as the lace leaf maple ‘Crimson Queen’ or the red leaf hibiscus. No matter the circumstances, red-leafed trees will add the splash of hue to your yard that you’ve been looking for.