Plants that bloom in May in Zone 8 with red flowers

Anemone de Caen

Poppy-like flowers in jewel tones bloom in mid-spring over ferny foliage.

Apeldoorn Tulip

Bold, goblet-shaped Darwin hybrid in scarlet with a black base. Strong stems and long-lasting.

Azalea

Explosive spring color in every warm hue. Acid-loving woodland classic.

Clematis

The queen of flowering vines. Over 300 species, something for every spot.

Columbine

Delicate, spurred flowers that dance on wiry stems. Hummingbird favorite.

Coral Bean

Bold spikes of tubular red flowers in spring attract hummingbirds before bean pods form.

Coral Bells

Grown mostly for dramatic foliage, but the tiny bell flowers are a bonus.

Coral Honeysuckle

Non-invasive native honeysuckle with brilliant coral-red tubular flowers that hummingbirds hover at for months.

Crossvine

Tubular orange-red trumpets line this vigorous semi-evergreen vine in spring, attracting every hummingbird in the neighborhood.

Dianthus

Spicy clove-scented pinks with fringed petals in pink, red, white, or salmon, one of the best long-blooming edgers and front-of-border perennials for sun.

Double Delight Rose

Creamy white petals blush to strawberry red at the edges. Knockout fragrance matches the looks.

Double Knock Out Rose

Fuller, double-petaled version of the Knock Out. Same bulletproof performance with more petal count.

Drift Rose

Groundcover rose that stays low and spreads wide. Tough, disease-resistant, and constantly in bloom.

Festiva Maxima Peony

Pure white double blooms flecked with crimson at the center. Beloved since 1851 and still unmatched.

Firecracker Penstemon

Spikes of scarlet tubular flowers that hummingbirds fight over. Southwestern native at its finest.

Flame Azalea

Outrageous blooms in hot orange, red, and yellow on a deciduous native azalea that stops people in their tracks.

Honeysuckle

Tubular, nectar-rich flowers with a fragrance that defines summer evenings.

Impatiens

The shade annual champion. Flowers prolifically where nothing else will.

Indian Paintbrush

Bright red to orange bracts surround small flowers and glow across spring prairies.

Japanese Maple

Small flowers are modest but foliage is the star. Hundreds of cultivars from laceleaf to upright. The connoisseur's tree.

Knock Out Rose

The rose that changed everything. Disease-resistant, self-cleaning, and blooms nonstop from spring to frost.

Lantana

Multi-colored flower clusters that bloom relentlessly in brutal heat.

Lupine

Dramatic spikes in every color. Short-lived but self-seeds generously.

Mountain Laurel

Exquisite geometric buds open to cupped flowers. A native evergreen gem.

Peony

Lush, ruffled blooms with intoxicating fragrance. Lives for decades.

Persian Buttercup

Ruffled, rose-like blooms in vivid colors brighten cool spring beds and pots.

Petunia

Cascading color for containers and beds. Blooms nonstop until frost.

Pomegranate

Brilliant orange-red blossoms in late spring and summer are followed by decorative, edible fruits.

Prairifire Crabapple

Deep pink-red flowers on a disease-resistant crabapple. Persistent small fruit feeds winter birds.

Red Hot Returns Daylily

Brilliant red with a small yellow center, compact and one of the earliest daylilies to kick into rebloom.

Rhododendron

Big, bold trusses of bloom over glossy evergreen foliage.

Rose

The queen of the garden. Modern varieties are surprisingly low-maintenance.

Salvia

Vertical flower spikes that hummingbirds and bees cannot resist.

Snapdragon

Vertical flower spikes with squeeze-open blooms. Kids love them.

Spirea

Flat-topped flower clusters on tidy mounds. The easiest flowering shrub.

Sweet Pea

Ruffled, intensely fragrant climbing flowers in every pastel shade. Cool-season annual that hates heat.

Trillium

Three leaves, three petals, pure elegance. The jewel of eastern woodlands.

Tulip

The classic spring icon in almost every color imaginable.

Wax Begonia

Glossy leaves and nonstop flowers in sun or shade. One of the most reliable bedding plants anywhere.

Weigela

Tubular blooms smother arching branches in late spring. Hummingbird haven.

Western Red Columbine

Scarlet and yellow spurred flowers that hummingbirds follow through the Pacific Northwest's mountain meadows.

Wild Columbine

Nodding red-and-yellow spurred flowers that hummingbirds love on a self-sowing native that naturalizes along woodland edges.

Wonderful Pomegranate

Reliable cultivar bearing large red fruits and vivid orange flowers.