7 Summer Bulbs With Red Flowers (A Summer Exotic Selection)

The sun makes the red blossoms of summer sparkle and shine; they are fiery and bold. Bulb-grown species with high tolerance levels include hardy annuals like cannas, dahlias, and gladiolas, which provide the bulk of summer’s blooms.

Even though most of them need a lot of direct sunlight, a few can thrive in partially shaded areas. Here are some stunning bulbs with red flowers to liven up your summer flower beds.

1- Spartacus Dahlia

To kick things off in grand fashion, please enjoy this magnificent red DahliaDahlia, the Spartacus Dahlia, named for the most famous gladiator.

Spectacular first and foremost for its size, as this giant stands more than 3 feet tall in summer, colorful with its divine dark garnet red dress, and impressive finally for the size of its flowers, which measure about 8 inches in diameter.

It is a pretty Dahlia with large flat petals that are slightly wavy and come together to form a rosette. The foliage is a gorgeous dark green, and the plant has sturdy stems that can withstand the weight of an avalanche of blossoms from July through the first frost.

Spartacus Dahlia is easy to grow as long as you give it sun and water at the base to keep the soil fresh, prune the flowers to keep them blooming until November and store the tubers at the end of the season in most places so you can plant them again in April. It just doesn’t like clay soil.

I recommend planting “Spartacus Dhalia” in a large mixed-border or vegetable garden. It looks incredible next to vibrant red and purple flower beds, Cannas, Ricinus, and lush greenery like banana trees.

2- Canna ‘Red King Humbert’ (Canna Lily)

Cannas are examples of lush plants with an unrivaled exotic appeal. Picked in red tones and big sizes, they are masterful and exotic.

The beautiful Canna ‘Red King Humbert’ is an old variety that can reach a height of five feet or more.

It has large green leaves that turn purple to bronze, like a banana tree, and brilliant red flowers with orange overtones.

It’s best suited for exotic gardens, which can be architecturally planted in a bed, but it also looks fantastic when grown in a large pot on a terrace.

Like many of these bulbous summer plants, it needs sun or light half-shade, rich but light soil enriched with potting soil that holds water well because it is a thirsty plant.

Like the DahliaDahlia, it comes from South America and can’t stand long cold periods, not even a little bit.

So removing the rhizomes in November and replanting them in a frost-free location will also be necessary.

3- Crocosmia ‘Lucifer

The timeless Crocosmia, which used to be called Montbretia, is a classic of summer gardens. Among all the beautiful cultivars, ‘Lucifer’ is the most well-known and esteemed.

It has everything this blazing bulbous perennial needs: many flowers from June to October that look like fireworks and grow in arched sprays of red and delicate, thin, green leaves that surround the unique and easy-to-spot flowers.

The tubular flowers of Lucifer’ are a deep fiery red and resemble those of Gladiolus but are much smaller. They are arranged in long horizontal spikes, giving the impression of a string of flowers.

They are nectariferous and melliferous. After a plant well has been set up, the clump can quickly grow to 4 or 5 feet. This plant, like all Crocosmias, thrives in full sun and moist, well-drained soil.

Even though it can survive temperatures down to about 15°F, you can grow it in many different climates as long as you mulch the base when you plant it and protect the stump during the winter, especially the first year.

It thrives in containers too. It is a beautiful perennial that is hardy, easy to care for, and not too picky. However, because of its bright red, you should use it sparingly to stand out.

4- Gladiolus ‘Atom’

Gladiolus was a popular flower in gardens in the 1970s and 1980s, but they are less popular now. However, in solid colors like red, they make beautiful patches of color and attractive tall verticals.

In contrast to the large gladioli we have in mind, Gladiolus’Atom’ is a small-flowered variety of the Gladiolus primulinus or “butterfly” gladiolus hybrids.

It stands out with its lovely bright red bloom, bordered by a fine white edge, but is smaller overall, at about 12 inches in height.

The flowers are arranged along the sturdy stem, giving the appearance of a more elegant gladiolus. It has a very classy appearance and is suitable for landscape garden beds, pots, and city gardens.

It blooms for several weeks between July and September. As with the larger GladiolusGladiolus, ‘Atom’ is an ideal cut flower because it holds up exceptionally well in bouquets.

5- Peruvian Lily or Lily Of The Incas

The Peruvian lily, also known as the lily of the Incas, has brilliant red flowers that open in June and continue to bloom throughout the summer.

The flower’s three central golden yellow petals have brown streaks, characteristic of these exceptional tuberous perennials.

We like Alstroemerias because they bloom for a long time, and the ‘Lily of the Incas’ is no exception; it is available from June to October, the peak of the summer season.

Plant it in a sunny location with humus-rich, well-drained soil. It is a perennial that takes some time to establish itself before forming vigorous clumps.

It can grow in many places (up to 14°F), but make sure to mulch its foot well before winter so that it returns as beautiful as it was the summer before.

This tall variety, reaching a height of about 32 inches, is ideal for use in exotic-themed flower beds and as a cut flower for bouquets, thanks to its long vase life.

6- Begonia ‘Nonstop Red.’

The Begonia ‘Nonstop Red’ thrives in cool, shady conditions, making it an ideal plant for those who want to brighten up a gloomy corner or plant in northern-facing containers on a balcony.

Its bright red flowers shine brighter there than in the sun (if it can stand it), and its beautiful, toothed, fleshy leaves are more profuse.

However, at the end of its flowering period, you will need to dig up this tuberous begonia and bring it indoors to overwinter because it is still cold.

Always keep the substrate fresh, especially for container plantings. Plant the bulbs in well-loosened soil in April. You can get them to bloom faster if you plant them in February.

7- Tigridia pavonia (Tiger Flower)

The Tiger Flower, or Tigridia pavonia, is a relatively rare sight in American backyards.

However, this plant’s distinctly exotic appearance belies its many practical benefits, such as the attractive flower it bears (triangular, with bright colors, speckled in its center), the rapid growth it exhibits, its ability to thrive in full sun or bright half-shade, and its resistance to dry spells.

The Tigridia pavonia (Tiger Flower) corolla blooms between June and August, consisting of three large scarlet sepals and three smaller petals spotted with yellow.

It reaches a maximum height of 1.5 feet. The medium green, sword-shaped leaves that fall off in the winter grow sheathlike along the stems.

The Tiger flower is in the same family as Iris. Soil high in humus and organic matter, or even sandy soil as long as it drains well, is ideal for planting.

The type species from Central America gives this cultivar medium hardiness, down to 17 °F and 23 °F for a short time.

Like the DahliaDahlia and these cold South American flowers, you will need to pull the bulbs out of the corms at the beginning of fall and store them in a dry, frost-free place.