by Jennifer Poindexter
Do you need new shrubs around your home? Would you like a shrub which produces color or even beautiful berries?
You’ve landed in the right spot. I’m going to walk you through a few options for shrubs which produce red berries and add a vibrant splash of color during certain parts of the year. I’ll share with you which planting zones and growing conditions the shrubs grow best in.
Don’t feel overwhelmed when trying to narrow down your options for this style of bush. Instead, utilize this list and tips to help you choose the perfect shrubs for your planting area.
Here are your options for shrubs which produce red berries.
1. Red Heavenly Bamboo
If you’re in the market for a mid-size shrub that produces red berries and has vibrantly colored leaves, red heavenly bamboo could be for you.
This shrub grows to be between four and eight feet tall. It prefers nutrient dense soil that’s also well-draining. You should grow red heavenly bamboo in full sunlight and in planting zones six through nine.
2. Buffalo Berry
The buffalo berry bush has foliage which reminds me of sage. However, the shrub produces vibrant red berries. This bush is hardy in zones two through nine, prefers full sun, and isn’t picky about soil types.
Be mindful that this shrub can grow anywhere from three feet tall to twenty feet tall. Ensure you have the room for it prior to planting.
3. Red Elderberry
Elderberry bushes produce gorgeous fruit that’s edible. This would be a great choice for someone who is trying to grow an edible landscape.
If you’d like to grow red elderberries around your home, be sure you plant them in full sunlight and well-draining soil. These bushes are hardy in planting zones three through seven.
4. Butcher’s Broom
The butcher’s broom shrub is small in comparison to some of the other choices mentioned on this list. This plant only reaches heights of one to three feet and is a hardy option for planting zones seven through nine.
If you choose to plant this shrub, ensure it’s surrounded by shade and any type of well-draining soil. This is a drought-tolerant and sturdy choice of bush to add to your landscape.
5. Snake Berries
This next plant may not be considered a shrub by everyone, but it deserves a mention on this list. The plant is known as snake berries or sometimes called Indian mock strawberries. The reason being is the plant looks just like a strawberry plant.
However, the berries are round and have small bumps all over them. If interested, you can grow this plant in full to partial sunlight. It’s hardy in planting zones five through nine.
6. Red Chokeberry Bush
Chokeberries can put on quite the show. This shrub has bright green foliage and produces dark red berries. During the fall, the leaves become a rich red.
If you’re interested in growing the red chokeberry bush, it’s hardy in planting zones four through nine. This shrub can grow to be six to twelve feet tall. However, it needs rich soil that’s well-draining.
7. Winterberry
The winterberry bush is another great plant for many landscapes. This shrub grows to be approximately twenty-four feet tall and twelve feet around.
Winterberry thrives in planting zones four through eight. It naturally grows in bogs, so try to recreate this in your growing space. The shrub can handle full to partial sunlight. However, it does need moist soil that’s also acidic.
8. Hobblebush
The hobblebush is a smaller shrub that likes to spread out lower to the ground. It grows to become approximately six feet tall.
The bush produces green foliage, white blooms, and red berries. It likes damp soil that’s sandy and acidic. This plant is hardy in planting zones six and higher.
9. Red Gooseberry Bush
Sometimes people like to grow shrubs for their beauty. Other times, they want to grow them for their functionality. This might be the case if you grow red gooseberries.
You can grow this plant in full to partial sunlight. However, the more sunlight the plant receives the more the plant should produce. This plant is hardy in zones three through eight.
10. Sumac
Sumac is sometimes considered a bush and, in some cases, a small tree. Whichever category you place it in, it could still make a great addition to your home.
This shrub is hardy in planting zones five through eight. It isn’t picky as far as soil goes as long as it drains adequately. This plant can also handle full to partial sunlight.
11. Barberry
Barberry is a smaller shrub which comes in an array of colors ranging from green to dark red. It also produces elongated, small red berries. If you’re interested in adding this shrub to your home or garden, it’s hardy in planting zones four through eight.
This plant prefers loamy, well-draining soil and can handle full to partial sunlight. However, the warmer the climate, the more shade the shrub needs.
12. Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster is an eye-catching shrub. It matures to heights ranging from five to seven feet tall and is hardy in planting zones five through eight.
If you need a shrub with deep green foliage and red berries, you don’t want to overlook this option. It can handle most soils as long as they’re well-draining, and the plant needs full to partial sunlight as well.
13. Raspberry
Raspberry bushes are another plant most people grow for their functionality instead of their looks. However, with the right pruning, this plant could be a great selection for an edible landscape.
This style of plant can grow to be between five and six feet tall. It needs full sunlight, well-draining soil, and it’s vital that the soil is nutrient dense. Raspberries are a great choice because they’re hardy in planting zones three through ten.
14. Redcurrants
Do you want a bush that creates both beauty and provides a functional product? You should consider growing redcurrants.
Redcurrants are wonderful for making jam or using in smoothies. If you’re interested in growing this plant, it’s hardy in zones three through eight. It only needs full sun and nutrient rich, well-draining soil.
15. Tatarian Honeysuckle Bush
The Tatarian honeysuckle bush has green foliage and colorful blooms. The blooms will eventually produce red berries. It can become invasive, so be mindful as to how and where you plant this bush.
This honeysuckle bush can grow in full sun or shade, and it isn’t particular about soil types. It’s also hardy in planting zones three through eight.
16. Bittersweet Nightshade
The bittersweet nightshade can be grown vertically as a vine or pruned to be a bush. This plant will grow to be between two and eight feet tall depending upon how you prune.
If you’re interested in growing bittersweet nightshade, it’s hardy in planting zones four and higher. It isn’t particular about growing conditions as it’s considered invasive in many areas. It’s also toxic so take this into consideration prior to planting.
17. Bunchberry
The bunchberry bush looks very quaint. It produces leaves in groups of five. From there, small blooms appear in the center.
When growing this plant, ensure it’s planted where it will receive full shade or only morning light. It needs rich, well-draining soil as well. This is a hardy bush for planting zones two through seven.
18. Wild Coffee
The wild coffee bush has elongated leaves which produce small red berries. This is an edible plant but also makes a wonderful option to border your garden areas.
If you choose to grow this shrub, ensure it’s only planted in shaded growing spaces. The foliage can’t handle full sunlight. It also must have well-draining soil. Wild coffee is only hardy in planting zones nine through eleven.
This concludes our list of shrubs which produce red berries. Whether you’re looking for a shrub that produces fruit you can eat or a basic bush to add a splash of color during certain parts of the year, this list should have you covered.
Be sure to review the facts shared about each plant. Ensure you plant in the right planting zone and provide the right growing conditions. Hopefully, this list will inspire you as you’re creating a new look for your landscape.
More About Shrubs with Red Berries
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/shrubs/wild-coffee.html
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cornus-canadensis/
https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-raspberries-home-garden
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