Good Perennial Companion Plants for Red Leaf Hydrangea

Shrubs

• A mixture of evergreen and deciduous shrubs complement the upright, multistemmed growth pattern of a red leaf hydrangea. Provide enough space between shrub plantings so roots don't have to compete for moisture or nutrients. The Anthony Waterer spirea (Spiraea x bumalda "Anthony Waterer") grows to 3 feet tall and blooms with red and purple flowers in summer This compact, deciduous shrub is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9 and thrives in sun to partial shade and a variety of soils. The vicary golden privet (Ligustrum x vicaryi) adds yellow contrast to the garden. This 12-foot-tall evergreen prefers sun to light shade, tolerates drought and is hardy in zones 5 to 9.

Ground Covers

• Prevent weed growth around your hydrangea with ground covers. These spreading, low-growing plants also prevent erosion. Choose varieties that tolerate the light shade cast by the hydrangea's summer foliage. Myrtle euphorbia (Euphorbia myrsinites) is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8 and thrives in sun to light shade and well-drained soil. This spreading evergreen grows form 4 to 8 inches tall and has blue-green, succulent-appearing foliage that grows in tight spirals. The chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata) is hardy in zones 5 to 8. This fast-growing plant has heart-shaped, deciduous foliage in a variety of variegated hues, such as red, green, yellow, white and gray. It prefers sun to light shade, tolerates a range of soils and grows from 12 to 15 inches tall.

Ornamental Grasses

• Ornamental grasses also control erosion with their wide, yet shallow, root systems. Most varieties require very little maintenance and many native species are drought tolerant. Japanese blood grass (Imperata cylindrica rubra) provides contrasting red color near a hydrangea shrub. This 2-foot-tall grass has fine, red-tipped foliage. It grows well in sun to light shade and well-drained soil and is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 10. Fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) grows to 3 feet tall in clumps of fine foliage topped with silvery inflorescences. This deciduous grass prefers sun and well-drained soil and is hardy in zones 5 to 9.

Perennial Flowers

• Plant perennial flowers around summer-blooming hydrangeas for season-long color. Compatible species include clump verbena (Verbena canadensis), which grows to 18 inches tall and produces purple, red, pink and white flowers from spring through fall. It is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 10 and prefers sunny, well-drained sites. Purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) bloom with dark-centered, purple-to-pink summer blossoms. They grows to 3 feet tall, are hardy in zones 3 to 8 and thrive in a range of site conditions. Spike gayfeathers (Liatris spicata) bloom produce pink flowers through fall. They grow to 3 feet and are hardy in zones 3 to 9. Plant spike gayfeathers in full sun to light shade and well-drained soil.