Great Plants with Pink Leaves

Great plants with pink leaves, stems and buds. I do like plants with eye-catching foliage, whether that’s a great shape or an interesting colour. They can accentuate their neighbouring plants and also stand out as the stars of a planting scheme.

Mustard Ruby Streaks has a pink purple rib on the leaves — Mustard Ruby Streaks has pink-purple ribs on the leaves

Looking around my garden I can see that, without making a conscious decision, I’ve been collecting plants with pink or reddish tones to their leaves. Some of the plants offer a hint of pink for just a few weeks, for example, when new growth appears, while others provide a splash of colour right through the year.

Loropetulum Chinense var. rubrum ‘Pipa’s Red’

Vivid pink flowers of Chinese witch hazel plant with deep pink and purple leaves

What a pink statement the Chinese witch hazel makes! The dark pinky-purple leaves become green later in the growing season, but as an evergreen shrub, this plant has a lot to offer. The pink ribbon-like flower petals are a vivid magenta and enhance the pinkness of this plant. It grows to 150-200cms. Plant Loropetulum Chinense var. rubrum ‘Pipa’s Red’ towards the back of the border in mild areas or in a large pot in cooler climates. And move under cover during the coldest months of the year. For a similar colour combination, try Loropetalum chinense Fire Dance.

Fuchsia ‘Tom West’

A hardy fuchsia with flowers that have attractive red-pink sepals and stamens, and purple corolla. Fuchsia ‘Tom West’ foliage has variegated cream and green with pink veins, leaf edges and stems. Ultimate height and spread are 50-60cms.

The young foliage can be very bright pink, and therefore, as seen in the photo, almost looks like a man-made product hiding among the rose and lavender plants in our rose arch beds. It is a relatively unfussy plant. Easy to propagate from cuttings. I find it responds best to semi-ripe cuttings taken in early autumn.

Coleus ‘Henna’

I spotted this Coleus ‘Henna’ at RHS Malvern Spring Festival and like the serrated, wavy-edged leaves that are hot copper in colour and also display the pink underside of each leaf. Ideal for planters or front of the border where you’ll be able to get close up and enjoy the frivolity of the leaves. It grows to 45cms height and spread and has been awarded an RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Generally, Coleus can be grown outside during the summer, but needs to be taken into a heated growing space before the temperatures fall if you want to overwinter the plant. It is often treated as an annual. Alternatively, for more great plants with pink leaves, try a rainbow mix of Coleus from seed.

Cordyline ‘Red Star’

Ideal for adding a tropical look to the garden, Cordyline are half-hardy, so will need protection in colder areas. They prefer full sun or partial shade and they do not like to sit in waterlogged soil (I learnt this the hard way). Cordylines retain the leaves throughout the year. There are several varieties that offer hints of pink in the leaves, including ‘Red Star’. If they do suffer from frost damage, they may still produce new leaves in spring, in which case remove the damaged area just above the new growth.

Phormium ‘Evening Glow’

Here’s another plant with a tropical look. New Zealand Flax can grow large, so ensure you have adequate space for the variety you plant. Phormium ‘Evening Glow’ reaches a height and spread of 100cms. The straplike leaves have two shades of pink and a bronze edge, it really stands out in our garden against the greenery surrounding it. Another variety for good pink tones is Phormium ‘Jester’.

Propagate by division by taking segments from the outer edges of the parent plant. I have found that after planting the divided segments, the leaves will often die back completely, but in time new leaves will grow, so be patient with them.

Lysimachia punctata ‘Alexander’

Yellow loosestrife is a vigorous herbaceous perennial that offers interest during spring and summer. The young shoots of the cream and green variegated leaves are tinged with pink. In the summer the stems of bear strong yellow flowers in the upper leaf axils. Height 50-100cms and spread to 50cms or more. Very easy to propagate by division. It is happy in full sun or partial shade, however it prefers moisture retentive soil and prefers not to dry out in summer. In damp soil conditions, Lysimachia punctata ‘Alexander’ can become a bit of a thug. Keep it under control by digging up and removing any growth that is outside its allotted space.

Hydrangea serrata ‘Euphoria Pink’

This eye-catching Hydrangea matches intense pink flowers with pink foliage. The pink flush appears on the silvery-white edged leaves in spring, giving it a tri-colour leaf. From June to September, pale pink flower buds open to lacecap two-toned pink flowers. Hydrangea serrate ‘Euphoria Pink’ is best in bright light, but out of full sun or in partial shade and prefers moist, well-drained soil. It grows to 100cms in height and was RHS Plant of the Year runner up in 2023.

Acer palmatum ‘Deshojo’

Often grown as a Bonsai, this elegant tree has pink leaves in spring. Leaf colour is best when grown in partial shade, but it will tolerate full sun. It is slow-growing and prefers moist, but well-drained soil. Acer palmatum ‘Deshojo’ grows to 3 – 4.5 metres in height. I saw this semi-mature specimen at RHS Malvern Spring Festival. Try Acer palmatum ‘Beni Maiko’ as an excellent alternative.

Peony ‘Eden’s Perfume’

This peony has the reputation of being the most fragrant of all peony blooms. I chose it for our garden for just this reason. The pink and cream frilled and sandwiched flower shape is highly attractive, but for me its the fragrance and the colour of the leaves that holds most interest. I can spot Peony ‘Eden’s perfume’ across the garden as the deep pink and bronze foliage grows in late spring. The colour interest holds right through the growing season until the stems die back in autumn. Provide support for stems from mid-spring

Bromeliad Fasicularia bicolour

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw this plant at Aberglasney Gardens. Although it’s not a pink plant, the vivid red leaves surrounding the blue flowers are so attractive, they have made it on to my list. For most of the year they are green plants, but as the blue flower head forms in summer, the leaves surrounding it become bright red. Bromeliad Fasicularia bicolour are hardy in coastal and mild areas of UK. In cooler areas, try growing them in pots and move to a light, frost-free area when temperatures are due to drop to below 2C.

Thymus pulegioides Foxley

A culinary herb and great for bees, this thyme grows to 15-20cms high and a spread of up to 50cms. Young leaves are tinted pink in cooler weather. Thymus pulegioides ‘Foxley’ is great for use as ground cover and can be propagated from cuttings.

Thrifty tip

Remove the chain from a hanging basket and turn it upside down. Use the domed frame as a plant support and also, to protect your young plants from being flattened by neighbourhood cats. Remember to peg it down firmly to prevent it tipping over.

More information

The article about great plants with pink leaves was written for Amateur Gardening magazine in early summer 2024. I have updated some of the specific varieties and images. Additionally, links are included to help you find the suggested plants.

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Liz Zorab

Author of the bestselling 'Grounded – A Gardener's Journey to Abundance and Self-Sufficiency' and The Seasoned Gardener. On less than an acre, she grows most of the food and drink her family enjoy each year, giving them food security, resilience and increased self-reliance. She also manages a further four acres of gardens and meadows. Liz regularly writes for Amateur Gardening magazine and Permaculture Magazine, teaches gardening and self-sufficiency skills and encourages thousands of people to take up their trowels and live their dreams through a vibrant YouTube Channel, Liz Zorab – Byther Farm.