Brazilian Red Hots™ Alternanthera

Brazilian Red Hots Alternanthera (Alternanthera dentata 'Brazilian Red Hots') is a foliage shrub that demands attention, with leaves in a hot pink that carries colour into any bed or pot it joins. It grows about 50 to 60cm high and wide, loves heat and humidity, and carries ball shaped white flowers in spring. It is an Ozbreed line for warm, frost free gardens.

Why you'll love it

• Hot pink foliage. The colour is in the leaves, so it lights up a bed without waiting for a flowering season.
• Loves heat and humidity. Where humid summers sulk other shrubs, this one is in its element.
• White flowers in spring. Ball shaped white flowers sit against the bright leaves for a clean contrast.
• Compact and tidy. At 50 to 60cm high and wide it suits small beds, borders and pots.
• Made for containers. Ozbreed recommends it for patio pots and containers as well as for garden beds.

Where it works best

Feature planting in garden beds. Plant 50cm apart in groups of three or five so the colour reads as one bold block. At that spacing, four plants per square metre, the foliage meets as the plants mature.

Containers and patio pots. One plant fills a medium pot on its own. Keep the potting mix moist, because a pot dries out faster than the ground.

Sheltered courtyards and entries. A warm, humid, frost free position beside a wall suits it best and brings the colour up close.

Growing Brazilian Red Hots Alternanthera in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade. It suits frost free climates: tropical, subtropical and the warm coastal parts of the south. Ozbreed lists Queensland, the Northern Territory and the coasts of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. It is frost tender, so where light frost can occur plant it in a sheltered spot or grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover.

Soil. Well drained but moist soil. Plant in a well mulched bed, using a chunky mulch, and avoid ground that is either dry and sandy or boggy.

Water and feed. Water as required for 8 to 13 weeks until established, then keep the soil moist in dry weather. This is not a plant to forget. A slow release fertiliser in spring is enough.

Pruning. Prune once a year. A yearly prune promotes vibrant new growth and keeps the shape compact.

What to expect when it arrives

Brazilian Red Hots Alternanthera is sold as tube stock and in 140mm pots in packs of 10. Tubes suit a bed you want to fill on a budget, and the potted packs suit a larger planting or a row of containers. Stock comes from Ozbreed's licensed growers and is not always available. When no grower has a size it shows as sold out, and the notify button on the page emails you the day it is back. It settles fastest in warm soil, so plant in spring or early summer once any chance of frost has passed.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• See the full Ozbreed range
• More plants for pots
• Pots and planters for a patio feature
• Potting mix, mulch and fertiliser

Common questions

Will frost damage it?

Yes, it is frost tender. Light frost marks the foliage, so grow it in a sheltered position or keep it in a pot you can move under cover.

Can I grow it in a pot?

Yes. Ozbreed recommends it for containers and patio pots. Use a good potting mix and keep it moist.

How much water does it need?

More than most shrubs we sell. Water for 8 to 13 weeks until established, then keep the soil moist in dry weather.