Red Barrenwort

Despite the name, this perennial is anything but barren! Loaded with dense, green, heart-shaped foliage featuring a gorgeous red color in spring and fall, Red Barrenwort is a perfect addition to any garden. Petite red flowers dust the foliage and add an air of allure to your garden from April through May. It has also received international recognition, receiving the prestigious Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society! 

Red Barrenwort is a deciduous perennial and is known to be exceptionally hardy. Rabbit and deer tolerant, it will be safe from all but the most persistent of critters. It is also tolerant of drought and drier soils! It spreads through rhizome roots, also known as runners, and will spread itself out and increase its area yearly. Propagate it by digging up the root ball and splitting it in the fall or after flowering; the divisions are perfect for highlighting different areas of your garden or even for giving as gifts! Its size of 1 to 2 feet tall and wide, and low-spreading habit, make it perfect as a low-growing groundcover or as an addition to a rock garden. 

Red Barrenwort Care

This plant thrives in full shade and prefers an average to slightly moist soil with an acidic or neutral pH. It also loves sandy, chalky, or loamy soil types. Incredibly low maintenance, Red Barrenwort requires an average amount of water and little fertilizer. Mulch it with dry leaves in the fall, and it will be well fed! Protect it from cold or dry winds by planting it under taller shrubs or against a wall for an attractive border. 

Prune back dead or damaged foliage in late winter or early spring. Pruning will encourage the plant to produce more greenery and flowers the following season! It shouldn’t require any other pruning.

Red Barrenwort Spacing

This plant requires a spacing of 2 feet from other neighbors, enough room to reach its entire spread. If it outgrows this spacing, divide the plant like other clump-forming perennials.

Red Barrenwort Information