Red barrenwort combines heart-shaped leaves tinted red in spring and autumn with small red-and-cream flowers above a spreading ground-cover clump.
- Height
- 15–31 cm / 0.5–1 ft
- Spread
- 30–77 cm / 1–2.5 ft
- Light
- Shade / Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Dry / Moist, well-drained
- Flowering
- Spring
- Foliage
- Semi-evergreen
- Maintenance
- Low
- USDA zones
- 5a–9b
Planting
Use light to full shade with well-drained soil, from average garden earth to humus-rich woodland beds. It also suits planting under trees once watering can support establishment.
Care
Cut away old foliage in late winter or early spring before new leaves emerge. Established plants tolerate drier conditions, making this a useful option for shaded ground.
Planting Red barrenwort?
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Sources & photo credit
Plant reference: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Content checked . Flowering seasons vary with local climate; USDA zones describe winter cold tolerance.
- Red barrenwort: Peganum · CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- Barrenwort: Peter coxhead · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- Bearberry: Walter Siegmund · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- Bergenia: Syrio · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.