Red Leaf Houseplants: Best Varieties for Colorful Foliage

Red, burgundy, and crimson foliage brings warmth and contrast to an indoor plant collection in a way that green-dominant plants cannot. As with purple-leaved plants, red coloration in foliage comes primarily from anthocyanin pigments, which are most vivid in bright light conditions. Most red-leaved houseplants require more light than their green-leaved counterparts to maintain their color intensity.

Croton (Codiaeum Variegatum)

Croton produces some of the most colorful foliage of any houseplant: leathery leaves in combinations of yellow, orange, red, and green on a single plant, with new leaves often emerging green before developing their full color. The range of cultivars is enormous, from narrow-leaved forms to broad, paddle-shaped varieties. Croton needs bright indirect light with some direct morning sun to maintain the red and orange pigmentation: in lower light, the colors fade toward green. It requires consistent moisture, higher humidity, and warm temperatures. Leaf drop is common after purchase as the plant adjusts from nursery to home conditions.

Red Aglaonema

Red aglaonema (Chinese evergreen) cultivars produce glossy leaves marked with red, pink, or scarlet in patterns ranging from solid to variegated. Standard aglaonema is one of the most low-light-tolerant houseplants; the red cultivars are slightly more demanding in their light needs than the standard green forms, needing bright indirect light to maintain the red coloration. They are otherwise tolerant plants that forgive irregular watering. Aglaonema is toxic to cats and dogs.

Caladium

Caladiums are tuberous plants grown for their large, paper-thin leaves in vivid combinations of red, pink, white, and green. Red-dominant cultivars include ‘Red Flash’ with green-edged red leaves, and ‘Scarlett Pimpernel’ with near-solid deep red. Caladiums need bright indirect light, warm temperatures, high humidity, and consistent moisture. They go fully dormant in winter, losing all their leaves, and re-emerge in spring from the tuber. They are toxic to cats, dogs, and humans if ingested.

Begonia Rex with Red Tones

Several rex begonia cultivars include deep red or burgundy in their foliage patterning. The combination of metallic sheen and red tones creates a particularly distinctive appearance. Rex begonias need bright indirect light and careful watering without wetting the foliage. Full care is in the rex begonia care guide.

Plants with Red New Growth

Several plants produce new leaves in red or copper tones before darkening to green at maturity: philodendron micans produces coppery-bronze new leaves (full care in the philodendron micans care guide), and the standard rubber plant (Ficus elastica) produces new leaves in deep red sheaths that dry and drop as the leaf opens. Hoya krimson queen produces new leaves in pink or salmon tones before the cream and green coloring develops.

Red Undersides

Several popular plants show red on the reverse of their leaves rather than the top surface. Begonia maculata has a vivid scarlet underside; triostar stromanthe shows bright pink-to-red on the leaf reverse; calatheas in the ornata and medallion groups all show deep burgundy undersides. These are most visible from below or when the leaves fold in the evening.