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Red Beauty Cotton is a striking ornamental annual that transforms gardens with its deep crimson foliage and stems contrasted against pristine white bolls. This open-pollinated heirloom variety of Gossypium hirsutum reaches 36 to 60 inches tall and matures in 130 to 139 days, thriving in full sun across zones 6 through 11. Known for its fast growth and reliable performance, Red Beauty Cotton delivers dramatic visual impact while remaining surprisingly easy to cultivate, even for gardeners new to cotton growing.
Full Sun
Moderate
6-11
60in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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The dark red foliage paired with fluffy white bolls creates a two-tone aesthetic that few ornamental plants can match. Red Beauty Cotton grows quickly and tolerates drought well, making it forgiving for gardeners experimenting with cotton for the first time. In zones 6 and 7, starting seeds indoors and protecting young plants from cool weather extends your growing season, bringing this subtropical beauty into temperate gardens where cotton isn't typically feasible.
Red Beauty Cotton serves primarily as an ornamental plant, valued for its striking visual contrast and dramatic garden presence. The red stems and foliage create textural interest throughout the growing season, while the white bolls provide a striking late-season display. Some gardeners harvest the bolls for dried arrangements, craft projects, or to experience the tactile qualities of cotton fiber firsthand.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
For zones 6 and 7, start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Provide warmth (70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) and bright light. Transplant seedlings outdoors after hardening off for 7 to 10 days, once nighttime temperatures remain above 50 degrees Fahrenheit and frost danger has completely passed.
Harden off indoor-started seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Transplant into the garden when soil temperature reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures consistently stay above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Space plants 18 inches apart in rows 40 inches apart. Provide protection from cold snaps during the first few weeks after transplanting.
In zones 8 through 11, direct sow seeds outdoors after all frost danger passes and soil temperature reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant seeds at the appropriate depth and thin seedlings to 18 inches apart once they develop true leaves.
Harvest cotton bolls when they have fully opened and the fibers appear fluffy and white, typically 130 to 139 days after planting. Pick bolls by hand when they split open naturally, revealing the soft fiber inside. For ornamental purposes, you can leave bolls on the plant as they mature for seasonal visual interest, or harvest them for dried arrangements and crafts.
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“Red Beauty Cotton, also known as Red Foliated White Cotton, represents a lineage of open-pollinated, non-GMO cotton varieties preserved specifically for ornamental gardening. As an heirloom cultivar, it carries the mark of traditional seed saving practices, selected across generations for its distinctive red foliage and vigor. The variety has been maintained in seed collections and brought to contemporary gardeners through specialty seed catalogs, reflecting a sustained interest in ornamental cotton as both a decorative plant and a connection to agricultural heritage.”