iOS searchbar textfield placeholder color

// Get the instance of the UITextField of the search bar

UITextField *searchField = [searchBar valueForKey:@"_searchField"];

// Change search bar text color
searchField.textColor = [UIColor redColor];

// Change the search bar placeholder text color
[searchField setValue:[UIColor blueColor] forKeyPath:@"_placeholderLabel.textColor"];

//Change search bar icon if needed
[self.searchBar setImage:[UIImage imageNamed:@"searchIcon"]
   forSearchBarIcon:UISearchBarIconSearch
              state:UIControlStateNormal];

[self.searchBar setValue:[UIColor whatever] forKeyPath:@"_searchField._placeholderLabel.textColor"];