Red flowering rhododendrons
We've hand-picked the best red flowering rhododendrons below, spanning bright reds to deeper, darker reds and vibrant to soft, pastel colours. Reds are adjacent (similar) to purples and oranges on the colour wheel and contrast well with blues, greens and yellows in planting schemes. Red rhododendrons are part of the wider group of acid-loving, spring-flowering bushes which have been mainstays of woodland-style planting schemes for decades. They're grown for their abundant clusters of spectacular, showy flowers, produced above an impressive structure of spirally arranged, typically evergreen, large leathery leaves. Rhododendrons are generally larger than Azaleas, preferring a sheltered, shaded spot in a moist, acidic soil in dappled shade, protected from cold, drying winds. Smaller and dwarf varieties are well-suited to growing in containers, whilst larger specimens are ideal for informal, woodland-style or naturalistic schemes. Incorporate plenty of ericaceous compost when planting and keep well watered, using rain water where possible, especially in hard water areas where tap-water contains calcium that will neutralise their preferred acidic soil. Dead head faded flowers to encourage a continuous flush of fresh blooms.