Evergreen shrubs for landscaping
15 Best Evergreen Shrubs for Landscaping
Bring life to your landscape with these 15 bushes that keep their leaves all year By Anne Balogh
Evergreen shrubs bring life to dreary winter landscapes with their lush greenery. Like coniferous evergreens, evergreen shrubs create an everlasting framework for seasonal garden plantings. Some spring-flowering evergreen shrubs also produce attractive colorful berries in the fall, broadening their year-round appeal.
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On this page: Evergreen Shrubs | Winter Protection for Evergreens
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- EVERGREEN SHRUBS
- WINTER PROTECTION FOR EVERGREENS
EVERGREEN SHRUBS
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Sprinter® boxwood (Buxus microphylla). Photo: Proven Winners.
BOXWOOD (
Buxus spp.Zones: 5-9 for most, a few hardy to Zone 4
Exposure: Sun or shade
Mature size: 2 to 4 feet tall and wide for most, some to 8 feet
Probably the best evergreen for shaping and pruning, which is why they are often the gardener’s choice for creating formal hedges, borders, and even topiaries. Sprinter® (pictured) is a fast grower that will fill in more quickly than other varieties.
Learn more about growing boxwoods.
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Fluffy® arborvitae. Photo: Proven Winners.
ARBORVITAE (
Thuja spp.)Zones: 2-8, depending on variety
Exposure: Full sun
Mature size: Varies widely, from low growers at 3 feet tall to large trees in excess of 70 feet.
Fast-growing, easy-care evergreens that can be planted as privacy screens and hedges.
Planted in a row, their dense foliage will fill in to create a screen in just a year or two.
Learn more about growing arborvitae shrubs and trees.
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Dandy Man® Purple evergreen rhododendron. Photo: Proven Winners.
AZALEA & RHODODENDRON (
Rhododendron spp.)Zones: 3-9, depending on variety
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade, depending on variety and location
Mature size: 1 to 8 feet tall and wide, depending on variety
Bloom time: Peak bloom generally mid-spring, some as late as July; reblooming varieties with a second flush in late summer.
Azaleas are types of rhododendrons. There are thousands of varieties, including both evergreen and deciduous.
Learn more about growing rhododendrons and azaleas.
Stonehenge Dark Druid® yew(Taxus × media). Photo: Proven Winners.
YEW (
Taxus spp.)Zones: Varies, 3-10
Exposure: Full sun to shade
Mature size: Varies by cultivar; 3 to 20 feet tall, 1 to 10 feet wide.
Popular for privacy hedges, foundation plantings, and topiaries. These low-maintenance plants grow in all light conditions, but do require excellent drainage. Be careful, as yews are toxic to humans and animals.
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Gin Fizz® (Juniperus chinensis). Photo: Proven Winners.
JUNIPER (
Juniperus spp.)Zones: Varies, 4-9
Exposure: Full sun
Mature size: Varies by cultivar; smaller varieties 2 feet tall, 3 to 4 feet wide; larger varieties to over 25 feet tall and 7 to 10 feet wide.
Popular for four-season interest, junipers are also deer resistant. Vaieties range from ground-hugging bushes to towering specimens.
Use juniper to add strong structure to your garden, cover a slope or create a hedge for privacy.
Learn more about growing juniper shrubs and trees.
Photo: catus / Shutterstock.
OREGON GRAPE (
Mahonia aquifolium)Zones: 5-8
Exposure: Partial to full shade
Mature size: 3 to 6 feet tall with a spread of 2 to 5 feet
Bloom time: Spring
This native of western North America will provide color throughout all four seasons, producing cheery yellow flowers in spring, edible grapelike clusters of dark blue berries in late summer, and shiny green leaves that turn bronze red in the fall.
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Castle Spire® blue holly (Ilex × meserveae). Photo: Proven Winners.
BLUE HOLLY (
Ilex × meserveae)Zones: 5-7
Exposure: Partial to full sun
Mature size: Varies by cultivar; up to 6 to 10 feet tall, 3 to 4 feet wide
Bloom time: Spring
This broad, upright holly is sought after for its glossy blue-green leaves, which provide year-round interest.
Tiny white flowers in spring give way to a profusion of bright red berries that look stunning against a backdrop of snow. Note: A male holly plant must be planted nearby female plants in order for fruit to form.
Photo: Graham Prentice / Alamy Stock Photo.
MOUNTAIN LAUREL (
Kalmia latifolia)Zones: 4-9
Exposure: Partial to full sun
Mature size: 5 to 15 feet tall with an equal spread
Bloom time: May through June
This native southern New England evergreen is often grown for its exceptional spring flowers, but the leathery, glossy evergreen leaves extend its ornamental value in the garden. The striking cup-shaped flowers (the official state flower of Connecticut) range in color from rose to white with purple markings and last from May through June.
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Gem Box® inkberry holly (Ilex glabra).
Photo: Proven Winners.
INKBERRY HOLLY (
Ilex glabra)Zones: 5-9
Exposure: Partial to full sun
Mature size: 24 to 36 inches tall and wide
This dwarf evergreen is native to North America and makes a great alternative to boxwood. Inkberry grows in a dense, ball shape with good branching right to the ground so it never looks bare-legged.
Learn more about growing holly.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Massachusetts'. Photo: Sigur1 / Dreamstime.com.
BEARBERRY (
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)Zones: 2-7
Exposure: Partial to full sun
Mature size: Up to 1 foot tall with a spread of 3 to 6 feet
Bloom time: Spring
This tough-as-nails low-growing shrub, often called kinninnick, has small, rounded glossy leaves and produces clusters of pink-tinged white flowers in spring followed by red berries that last all winter.
It is extremely winter hardy and isn’t bothered by wind, salt spray, or sandy soil.
'Springwood Pink' winter heath. Photo: Marjancermelj / Dreamstime.com.
WINTER HEATH (
Erica carnea)Zones: 5-7
Exposure: Partial to full sun
Mature size: Up to a foot tall with a spread of up to 1 ½ feet
Bloom time: December through March
This hardy heath is valued for its small needlelike foliage and long-lasting clusters of bell-shaped pink flowers in winter. It will even bloom under snow in the northern areas of its growing range. The flowers are followed by new spring foliage that turns from bronze to forest green.
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Sunny Anniversary® abelia. Photo: Proven Winners.
ABELIA (
Abelia spp.)Zones: 4-11, depending on type
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 2 to 10 feet tall, 2 to 8 feet wide.
Bloom time: Spring to fall
An under-appreciated, eye-catching shrub. The foliage of many varieties changes color through the seasons. Flowers bloom for months and attract hummingbirds, butterfiles, and other pollinators. There are also deciduous varieties.
Learn more about growing abelia shrubs.
Cotoneaster dammeri 'Coral Beauty'. Photo: Maria D / Shutterstock.
COTONEASTER (
Cotoneaster dammeri)Zones: 5-8
Exposure: Full sun
Mature size: Up to 1 foot tall with a spread of 4 to 6 feet
Bloom time: Spring
'Coral Beauty' (pictured) is a popular cotoneaster cultivar that is stunning year-round, especially during fall and winter, when its small, glossy leaves turn a rich bronze red and it bears an abundance of coral red berries. In spring, this showy broadleaf will also reward you with masses of creamy white flowers.
Euonymus japonicus 'Aureo-marginatus' golden euonymus. Photo: Hecos / Shutterstock.
GOLDEN EUONYMUS (
Euonymus japonicus)Zones: 6-9
Exposure: Partial to full sun
Mature size: Up to 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide
Bright, bold, variegated leaves provide color throughout the year, making this quite a colorful choice. Plus, it is very low maintenance and easy to grow.
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Color Guard yucca (Yucca filamentosa). Photo: Proven Winners.
YUCCA (
Yucca spp.)Zones: Varies, 4-10
Exposure: Partial to full sun
Mature size: Varies by type; 2 to 4 feet tall and wide to 30 feet tall and 25 feet wide.
Bloom time: Varies by type; some in spring, others in summer
Yuccas are extremely drought tolerant, slow growers that need little maintenance.
Established clumps can be difficult to remove.
Learn more about growing yuccas.
WINTER PROTECTION TIPS FOR EVERGREEN SHRUBS
In cold climates, winter wind and sunshine can parch and wither the foliage of even the toughest broadleaf evergreens because the frozen soil prevents water uptake. In addition, heavy snowfall can bend and break weak branches. Here are a few tips for shielding your shrubs from winter’s worst.
- Plant delicate evergreens, such as azaleas and rhododendrons, in spots protected from harsh north and west winter winds and late afternoon sun, such as on the east side of a building, garden wall, or fence.
- In the fall, keep your bushes well watered before the first hard frost arrives so they receive an ample supply of moisture before going dormant over the winter. Adding a layer of mulch will also help conserve moisture.
- Shrubs with weak, brittle or floppy branches, or those with leaves that are easily damaged should be wrapped with burlap or shrub covers that are designed specifically for protecting bushes and small trees.
- In northern climates, consider spraying an anti-desiccant product, such as Wilt-Pruf, on evergreens to reduce the amount of water loss through leaves. Be sure to coat the undersides of the leaves as well where the pores, or stomata, are located.
- Build a temporary windbreak using stakes and burlap. One large screen can be used to protect several bushes planted side by side.
- Bind the branches of upright shrubs, such as boxwoods, with heavy twine before the first snowfall to prevent heavy snow from collecting on the branches. Remove the twine in early spring before new growth begins.
To learn more about shrubs, read Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs.
Last updated: May 12, 2021
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Every single garden needs these evergreen bushes.
By Arricca SanSone
fotolinchen
Evergreens are an essential part of any garden, no matter where you live across the country. They provide year-round color, texture, and privacy and offer food and shelter to birds and wildlife. There are thousands of types of evergreen shrubs in every size and shape with shades of green ranging from deepest emerald to sunny golden-green. Some varieties tolerate extreme heat and cold, so be sure to read the plant label or description when shopping to find one that's suited to your USDA hardiness zone (find yours here). When you're planning your garden, don't forget to pay attention to how tall and wide the plant gets, especially if you're considering a fast-growing shrub.
That cute little shrub won't stay tiny forever, and you don't want to create a maintenance nightmare by having to prune it three times a year. The good news is that many new varieties of shrubs have been developed in recent years to stay nice and compact, so they fit well up against your house as a foundation planting or in containers to flank your front door or patio steps.
Here are our favorite evergreens (including flowering shrubs!) for your garden.
helga_sm
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False Cypress
This cold-tolerant shrub has graceful limbs and pretty needles. Many varieties grow in a pyramidal or roughly pyramidal shape, which makes a nice, low-maintenance accent plant.
Why We Love It: Soft fern-like needles
SHOP FALSE CYPRESS
Alexandra Grablewski
2 of 20
Gardenia
Beautiful glossy, dark green foliage and creamy white fragrant blooms make this shrub just about perfect for every warm climate! Some newer varieties rebloom all season long.
Why we love it: Eye-catching scented blooms
SHOP GARDENIAS
demerzel21
3 of 20
Hemlock
Dense branching and finely textured foliage make this shrub a winner as a specimen or planted in a mass to create an interesting screen. Most tolerate some shade.
Why We Love It: Graceful appearance with cute little cones
SHOP HEMLOCK
Nahhan
4 of 20
Mirror Bush
This evergreen has super-shiny leaves in bright lime green or pinks! It's suited only to warm climates, but in colder parts of the country, keep it potted and bring indoors to enjoy as a houseplant over the winter.
Why we love it: Interesting, shiny leaves
SHOP MIRROR BUSHES
Diane Labombarbe
5 of 20
Inkberry Holly
Upright branches and a mostly round shape make this lesser-known native holly a good plant for foundation planting or along walks.
Why We Love It: Good substitute for boxwood
SHOP INKBERRY HOLLY
Joseph Strauch
6 of 20
Blue Holly
Featuring sharp, pointy leaves and bright red berries, this is the type of holly most commonly associated with the holidays.
Make sure you have both “female” and “male” plant types so berries will form.
Why We Love It: Winter color and a classic holiday feel
SHOP BLUE HOLLY
freemixer
7 of 20
Arborvitae, Pyramidal Form
These pyramidal forms include many different heights, ranging from a few feet to 30 feet tall or more. Bonus: Most don’t need shearing to maintain their conical shape!
Why We Love It: Hardy and fast-growing evergreen
SHOP ARBORVITAE, PYRAMIDAL FORM
MaYcaL
8 of 20
Arborvitae, Round Form
Arbs that grow in a roundish form are, let’s just say it: adorable! Many stay in the 12- to 24-inch-tall range, so you can tuck them just about anywhere in the landscape. And they’re super tough in cold climates.
Why We Love It: Dwarf evergreen shrub
SHOP ARBORVITAE, ROUND FORM
Supersmario
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Wintercreeper
This lovely shrub has a mounding form, making a nice foundation planting.
Many types have variegated leaves tinged with gold and green or white, which turn pinkish to red in for bright winter color.
Why We Love It: Evergreen shrub for shade
SHOP WINTERCREEPER SHRUBS
Rosemary Calvert
10 of 20
Azalea
These shrubs with glossy green leaves put on a show in early spring with lovely shades of pinks, peach, coral, purple, or white flowers. Some types, which are suited to warmer climates, re-bloom. Make sure to purchase an evergreen (not a deciduous) variety if you want it to retain its foliage year-round.
Why We Love It: Evergreen flowering shrub for shade
SHOP AZALEAS
ed chechine
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Juniper
Junipers come in a ton of different shapes and sizes with colors ranging from blue-green to gold. Some are low-growing and hug the ground while other types are more upright.
Why We Love It: Extremely cold-hardy evergreen
SHOP JUNIPERS
dmf87
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Boxwood
Tiny rounded leaves that keep their deep green color through the coldest months make boxwood an all-time favorite for landscapes.
Most types can be sheared into a hedge, ball form, or left to grow in a more naturalized shape. Look for newer, disease-resistant varieties that don't need coddling.
Why We Love It: Classic shrub that works in many garden settings
SHOP BOXWOODS
RICHARD RADFORD
13 of 20
Rhododendrons
Against this plant's deep green shiny leaves, showy flowers in brilliant purples, pale pinks, and snowy whites pop. Once grown only in warm climates, some new varieties are cold-tolerant. They prefer dappled shade and are nice as a hedge or accent plant.
Why We Love It: Evergreen flowering shrub
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seven75
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Yew
This shrub has dense, finely textured foliage and attractive reddish bark. There are both low-growing and upright varieties.
Why We Love It: Cold-hardy evergreen shrub
SHOP YEWS
OllgaP
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Spruce
These conifers come in a startling array of options from dwarf to gigantic.
They’re pretty garden accents, especially some of the dwarf or weeping varieties.
Why We Love It: Dwarf and tall evergreen shrubs in many interesting shapes
SHOP SPRUCE TREES
Getty Images
16 of 20
Japanese Holly
With small, rounded leaves and many interesting forms, Japanese holly boasts a strong architectural form to add as an accent to your garden or in pots flanking your front door.
Why We Love It: Strong architectural form
SHOP JAPANESE HOLLY
Dan Rosenholm
17 of 20
Fir
Interesting needles and showy cones are the hallmark of many types of fir trees. Dwarf evergreen shrub varieties of fir form a carpet and work well in rock gardens, while upright types make a sensational focal point.
Why We Love It: Unique foliage and cones
SHOP FIR TREES
rotofrank
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Mugo Pine
This hardy pine works beautifully in rock gardens, mass plantings, and mixed with other broadleaf plants.
Colors range from deep green to gold.
Why We Love It: Unique forms and slow-growing so it doesn't crowd everything else out in a hurry
SHOP MUGO PINES
Meindert van der Haven
19 of 20
Cedar
These evergreens have a striking form and elegant blue-green foliage. Some grow quite tall, so read the plant description before buying.
Why We Love It: Striking profile in the garden
SHOP CEDAR TREES
STEVEN WOOSTER
20 of 20
Mahonia
This low-care shrub has bright flowers that appear in late winter to early spring and become blue to black berries by late summer to fall. It’s perfect in mass plantings.
Why We Love It: Evergreen flowering shrub
SHOP MAHONIA SHRUBS
Cheap and Easy Greenhouse Plans for Your Backyard
Arricca SanSone Arricca Elin SanSone writes for CountryLiving.com, WomansDay.com, Family Circle, MarthaStewart.com, Cooking Light, Parents.
com, and many others.
Evergreens (shrubs) for a garden near Moscow
Evergreens do not shed their foliage for the winter: it is renewed more slowly, not all at once, and therefore the branches and shoots remain beautiful all year round. This helps to add color to the winter garden, create corners or decorative compositions in it that will always look attractive. Evergreens are not necessarily conifers. This group contains deciduous trees and shrubs, as well as several types of herbs. nine0003
What types of evergreen plants will take root in the Moscow region?
This is almost any coniferous trees and shrubs. Spruce, pine, arborvitae, fir, juniper remain green in winter, do not require special care and can withstand even severe frosts. Among the deciduous evergreen species for landscaping in the climate of the Moscow region, the following can be used.
Boxwood. These are ornamental shrubs that tolerate shearing well and are often used in border plantings.
For the winter, it is worth mulching the trunk circle to protect the root system from frost. If the winters are snowy, additional bushes can not be covered. If there is little snow, severe frosts, and boxwood grows in a windy place, it is better to cover it with burlap. If it is important that boxwood retain its decorative effect in winter, it is better to plant it in a place well protected from the wind (like any other evergreen species). nine0003
Privet. Winters well, especially if there is a lot of snow and light frosts. The foliage does not shed, remains green and looks beautiful until spring. If a molded hedge is grown from privet, it should be cut closer to the end of the warm season: then the shrub will retain the correct shape all winter (growth of branches will slow down with cooling).
Medicinal laurel cherry. There are several varieties: in the form of low trees, shrubs, undersized plants similar to ground cover species. In order for cherry laurel to remain decorative in winter, it must be planted in places well protected from the wind.
It is desirable that they be shaded: the plant does not tolerate sunburn. nine0003
Rhododendron. Beautiful, bright blooms in summer and does not shed foliage for the winter. Under the snow, he can winter without additional shelter, but the leaves can droop, darken. In windy places, branches are tied, wrapped, protected from frost.
Kalina David. Unpretentious, looks like a low shrub, can be used for hedges, borders. For the winter, you can not cover it, do not tie the branches. If there is a risk of early snowless frosts, it is better to mulch the soil under the bushes. nine0003
Heather. Low ornamental shrub, forms compact "bumps". In winter, it can be covered with snow, but green shoots with flowers will break out from under it. Heather does not need special preparation for the cold season.
Holly mahonia. Foliage stays green until spring. The shrub does not need to be sheltered from the cold, it tolerates frost well.
Sea buckthorn. In the winter, silver leaves and bright orange berries remain on its branches, which attract birds to the garden. Sea buckthorn does not need to be protected from cold or wind, it winters well in almost any conditions. nine0003
Pyracantha. A thorny shrub, often used for hedges. In spring, it blooms profusely with small white flowers, the fruits are small red berries that remain on the branches all winter. Leaves do not shed, winter-hardy varieties do not require additional shelter from frost.
Herbaceous plants can also remain green in winter. If there is little snow or the flower bed is protected from it, they will add color to the garden before the onset of heat. Many of the evergreen herbaceous species are groundcovers. This is a tenacious with brown-beetroot or dark green leaves, geyher, whose large leaves are collected in rosettes, shaving (requires shelter in severe frosts). Of interest are the winter-green forms of Iberis, some types of saxifrage, milkweed, stonecrop.
Some juvenile varieties winter well in the open field and remain green for the entire cold season. nine0003
Evergreens in decorative landscaping
Greentek recommends using evergreen species for the following compositions and elements of garden design.
Hedges and borders. If the shrubs keep green for the winter, the hedge stays dense throughout the year. The site is closed from the wind and the views of strangers, and its borders are always neatly decorated.
Single landings. The use of conifers and deciduous evergreen trees or shrubs helps to diversify the winter garden, to preserve color accents in it. nine0003
Decorative compositions and groups. These can be multi-tier plantings, landscape compositions, rock gardens or rockeries, compact flower beds or front gardens. Evergreen species can be combined with deciduous ones: bare branches covered with snow will contrast with needles or foliage.
Functional fit. If plants are used to "mask" the economic zone, pipes, technical structures, it is better that they are evergreen: then they will perform their functions in winter. Windbreaks, shading plantings, zoning elements can also be created using evergreen species so that they “work” all year round. nine0003
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Evergreen shrubs - a piece of summer in winter
There is a proven way not to say goodbye to summer completely due to the arrival of winter cold - it will leave a piece of itself if you plant evergreen shrubs in the garden. Even under the snow cover, green foliage will remain, reminding that winter has not come forever. Wintergreen plants can be used as tapeworms, in a composition with flowering perennials or in hedges. They look good in any season: summer and winter. nine0003
Contents
Magonia
Shrub with glossy leathery leaves about 1 meter high.
The plant is very interesting and extraordinary. Its decorative effect lies not only in beautiful foliage: in spring bright yellow paniculate inflorescences appear, which stand out beautifully against a green background, and in late summer clusters of blue berries appear.
Magonia has good frost resistance and easily tolerates dry periods. But in the shade, mahonia bushes lose their attractiveness somewhat, so it is better to plant it in sunny areas protected from the wind. nine0003
Laurel cherry
Leathery leaves, shaped like bay leaves. It produces edible fruits, but you need to be careful with them, as the seeds are poisonous. It grows mainly in warm and temperate latitudes on sandy loam, loam and humus-calcareous soils.
Plants that have undergone acclimatization, that is, grown not in greenhouse conditions, but from cuttings in open ground, have frost resistance. This method is suitable for breeding cherry laurel in the Moscow region.
If in severe frosts the shrub loses part of the foliage, in the spring it grows back. nine0003
Fortune's Euonymus
This is a short, unpretentious shrub with creeping shoots. As a rule, the height of the plant does not exceed 30 cm, but there are larger varieties. In contact with the soil, shoots can take root and take root on their own - this feature is used to propagate Fortune's euonymus.
If during heavy snowfalls the bush was completely covered with snow and it disappeared from sight, do not be upset. With the first thaws, curtains with green, silver-green, yellow-green or reddish (depending on the variety) leaves will not slow down to appear from under the snow covers. nine0003
Boxwood
Slow growing shrub with a compact dense crown. The lower branches are located very low, so that the trunk is almost not visible. The leaves are small and shiny, first light green, then change color and become dark green.
Boxwoods are very unpretentious, grow on stony soils and easily tolerate shading.
They lend themselves well to shearing, so they are used to create hedges and borders. Small annual growth makes them a unique material for topiary. nine0003
Yew
Canadian yew and Middle yew are frost-resistant - shrub forms with a height of 2 to 3 m. They are often used in landscape design in areas with a temperate continental climate. There is also a dwarf form of common yew, or berry, whose height does not exceed 1 meter.
In essence, these are conifers that do not shed their needles. Although adult yews are very unpretentious, young plants need careful care: deep loosening of the soil, fertilizing, watering and mulching the near-stem space. nine0003
Juniper
Juniper bushes come in different shapes: sprawling, creeping, spherical, pyramidal. They are grown as a background in mixborders, to create hedges, in group plantings and as tapeworms. Creeping species feel great on the stony soils of alpine hills
In regions with severe winters, winter-hardy species of junipers are used in landscape design: Cossack, common, Virginian, Siberian and Daurian.
