Types of evergreen shrubs

20 Essential Evergreen Shrubs - Best Types of Evergreen Bushes

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Every single garden needs these evergreen bushes.

By Arricca SanSone

Updated: Feb 26, 2022

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

11 of 20

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

SHOP RHODODENDRONS

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

18 of 20

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 SanSone writes for CountryLiving.com, WomansDay.com, Family Circle, MarthaStewart.com, Cooking Light, Parents. com, and many others.

Common Evergreen Shrubs For Landscaping

Home › Ornamental Gardens › Shrubs › General Shrub Care

General Shrub Care

By: Nikki Tilley, Author of The Bulb-o-licious Garden

Image by Milkos

As with coniferous trees, adding some evergreen shrub varieties to the landscape can provide year-round interest. Unlike the majority of evergreen trees, however, these shrubs include many small- to medium-leaf varieties in addition to the needle-leaf types.

Both needled and broad-leaf shrubs offer interesting berries as well as foliage. There are also many flowering evergreen shrubs for landscaping.

Needle-leaf evergreen shrubs

Coniferous evergreen shrubs exist and are oftentimes used to fill in low, empty spaces of the landscape. They also make excellent backdrops for many of the flowering shrubs. A couple favorites include:

Juniper – Of the most common needle-leafed varieties is juniper. This sprawling evergreen has attractive blue-gray foliage. It is relatively drought tolerant and a good choice for these conditions. The low-growing variety also makes an ideal ground cover for naturalized areas of the landscape.

Yew – Yew is also quite popular. This evergreen shrub is extremely versatile, performing well in a number of growing conditions. Yew shrubs have an upright growth habit and are, for the most part, slow growing. As these shrubs are excellent pruning specimens, they are suitable for growing as hedges.

Broadleaf evergreens

Not all evergreen bushes need be needle-like. These leafy evergreen shrubs for landscaping are also attractive choices:

Boxwood – What landscape setting hasn’t had its share of boxwood plantings? This slow-growing evergreen shrub has small leaves and dense growth. It adapts easily to a variety of conditions in either sun or part shade. However, boxwood generally prefers moist, but well-draining, fertile soil. Boxwood shrubs can be grown as a formal or informal hedge or as foundation plant.
Holly – Holly is another commonly planted evergreen shrub. The English variety (I. aquifolium) is a popular holiday attraction, easily recognized by its glossy, dark green, spiny-edged foliage and bright red berries (found on female plants). The Chinese holly (I. cornuta) can produce without males, however, and berry color may be orange-red or yellow. There is also a Japanese species (I. crenata), which produces oval leaves and black berries. Hollies are excellent for mixed borders, foundation plantings, and hedges.
Euonymus – Evergreen euonymus has waxy, dark green foliage year round. While hardly ever noticed, this particular shrub produces faint white flowers in early summer. By fall, the plant is covered with attractive orange-pink berries. Euonymus shrubs make effective screening or specimen plantings in the landscape.
Photinia – Another common evergreen shrub is the red-tip photinia. Oftentimes planted as a hedge, the young spring foliage appears reddish in color but matures into a deep green flushed with red tips. It also produces red berries that turn black.
Firethorn – Firethorn is a small-leaf evergreen shrub with slow growth and bright berries. These shrubs make excellent low-growing cover in suitable areas of the landscape and can also be used as foundation plantings.

Flowering evergreen shrubs

There are numerous flowering evergreen shrub varieties too. Here are just a few:

Azalea/Rhododendron – The evergreen azaleas and rhododendrons are probably the most common. The majority of these bloom in spring in various shades, depending on the species. They enjoy lightly shaded areas and acidic soil, and look great planted in borders in groups or as specimens. It should be noted that in some of the cooler regions, these evergreens may lose some of their foliage.
Gardenia – Gardenia is another popular flowering evergreen shrub, thriving year round in southernmost regions. They have leathery, dark green leaves and stunning white blooms in summer that are highly fragrant. Gardenias are commonly used as foundation plantings or placed in shade borders and gardens.
Camellia – Another common evergreen shrub variety is the camellia. With its glossy, pointed leaves and beautiful single to semi-double flowers, growing a camellia in the landscape is a must. This spring bloomer thrives in shade to part shade and tolerates a range of soil conditions, as long as it remains well draining.

Now that you know a little about just some of the bushes that stay green all year, you can find one that is suited to your landscape. For additional help with choosing evergreen garden shrubs, contact your local extension office.

This article was last updated on 03/31/21

photos with names and descriptions

Evergreen shrubs are widely used in landscape design. They are able to create the necessary comfort and shade other garden crops. And their main advantage is an attractive view all year round. You can choose a suitable shrub for yourself according to the description and photo.

Contents

Variety of evergreen garden shrubs
Late flowering evergreen shrubs
Early flowering evergreen shrubs
Evergreen garden: video

Variety of evergreen shrubs for the garden

Evergreens include coniferous and deciduous species. There are many of them, and they differ in size, direction of growth (upright and weaving). In addition to shrubs, gardeners use evergreen trees and ground cover plants. All these crops are quite hardy, undemanding to the composition of the soil, oppress weeds.

Evergreen shrubs are in demand on small plots. They become a good background for other plants and keep the garden neat and decorative all year round. Gardeners often combine shrubs that are different in terms of flowering and plant height. Popular types:

Camellia - bush with beautiful greenery and flowers. Depending on the variety, it produces pink, red or white buds. Flowering occurs in the first half of summer. The shrub loves plenty of sun.
Common holly or holly - has a dense dense crown of unusual spiky foliage, which contains the main decorative value. They can be not only green, but also yellow. An adult plant reaches 2-3 m in height. Blooms in late autumn. Grows well in partial shade. nine0008

Holly

Lavender is a low growing shrub with purple or white flowers. Perfectly fits into the decor of borders or hedges.
Rhododendron is a sought-after crop that blooms in late spring. It reaches a height of no more than 1.5 m. The buds differ greatly not only in color, but also in shape, depending on the variety. The shrub grows well in partial shade.
Bindweed – the curly variety is great for hedges. Height - only 0.5 m. Flowering time occurs in the summer (necessarily in the warm period). In general, this culture is extremely susceptible to adverse weather conditions, is easily injured and withers from improper care. nine0008

Be careful when choosing a shrub. Despite belonging to the category of evergreens, many of them do not tolerate winters in the climate of the Russian Federation and need shelter (common holly or bindweed).

Late flowering evergreen shrubs

In addition to the holly, this includes the strawberry tree. The plant got its name because of the fruits that hang from the branches and visually resemble strawberries. With external similarity, the taste of the berries is different. nine0003 Strawberry tree

Fruiting in the strawberry tree occurs simultaneously with flowering, from mid-autumn to early winter. Flowers are pink or white. Shrub develops well in sun or partial shade, height - up to 2 m.

Advice. Due to the difficulty of rooting cuttings for planting, it may be easier to purchase a ready-made seedling.

Another shrub with relatively late flowering is defontenia prickly. It forms red buds with a yellow border from mid-summer to October. Although some varieties bloom in spring. The color of the petals can also be different and be, for example, black or pink. The shrub grows slowly (maximum - 50 cm), needs a mild climate and a gentle regime of sunlight. Therefore, summer residents usually plant already grown bushes, placing them in places shaded and protected from drafts, near walls or fences. nine0003

Aukuba is a neat shrub up to 2 m high. It has large leaves with an original ornament. On the street, it is usually grown in tubs, and hidden from the frosty wind for the winter. It grows in partial shade or shady corners of the garden, propagated by cuttings.

Aucuba

Boxwood is a shrub valued for its foliage. It is leathery, smooth-edged and has an elliptical shape. In the climatic conditions of the Russian Federation, it is very difficult to achieve flowering of this crop, and the inflorescences are not very decorative. Boxwood is propagated by cuttings, which are cut in spring and kept under a glass cap until autumn. nine0003

Shrub lends itself well to formative pruning. Although without it, it will also grow beautiful. According to the description, boxwood grows up to 3 m and even higher. A feature of the culture is resistance to wind and the possibility of growing on alkaline soils.

Early flowering evergreen shrubs

Escallonia. Almost all summer the bush is covered with bell inflorescences. The plant does not like excessive shading.
Cistus (rockrose). It blooms beautifully throughout the summer, replacing faded buds with new ones. White or pink petals at the base are covered with spots - this makes the flowers extraordinary. Both silvery leaves and buds are very fragrant. The height of the shrub is not more than 1 m, very neat and well-groomed. Grows in full sun or light shade. nine0008

Cistus

Choisia. The bush is beautiful not only because of the flat buds (pink or white), but also because of the pleasant yellowish tint of the foliage. It blooms in the second half of spring, experiencing a metamorphosis of shades by this period. The shape is round. Reproduction is carried out by cuttings, which are placed under glass jars for the summer.
Bamboo or arundinaria. A guest from Asia in a cultivated form reaches a height of 6 m. Although there are also lower varieties of shrubs. Although exotic, the plant is undemanding. Unless it needs shelter from the midday sun. Blooms all summer. nine0008

Bamboo

Trachycarpus. Blooms in June with large inflorescences. It has sharp long leaves that diverge radially from the shoot and in the composition resemble a palm fan. Strong, hardy resident of the garden. It tolerates frost well if protected from strong winds. Likes well-lit places.

Attention! If you wish, you can grow a 3-meter trachycarpus bush in your backyard. The width of the leaf plates will reach 1 m. Only for the winter it is more difficult to hide such a giant from cold winds. nine0003

Evergreen shrubs adapted to cool climates and will decorate your garden in winter. True, for some, take care of warming in advance.

Evergreen garden: video

Evergreen shrubs and plants: photo with names

Viewed: 5 720

Content

Evergreen flowering shrubs
- ARBUTUS
- Trachycarpus evergreen shrub
- Holly mahonia
- Padub -Emergency shrub
- Iberis evergreen
- Camellia
- Boxus -Buxus
- Shuasia
- Callistemon
  - Video
  - Forewood 9,000 Holly holly
  - Bay cherry
  - Japanese euonymus
  - Prickly goof
  - Juliana barberry
  - Japanese Akuba
  - Rhododendron Pontic
  - Barvinok Small
    - The best decorative shrubs for the Garden photo and name
Evergreen flowering bushes

In the article we will talk about the most popular and widespread types of bushes with photos and names.

ARBUTUS

Russian name for strawberry tree, strawberry.
Slow growing shrub with
hanging flowers and strawberry-like fruits - these fruits are tasteless.
A popular large-fruited strawberry reaches a height of 2 m.
Its flowers are white. Flowering time: October - December

Evergreen shrub-Trachycarpus

Blooms in June, loves sunny areas.
The plant is hardy, able to endure winter frosts in many regions, but requires protection from gusts of icy winds.

Huge inflorescences are formed at the beginning of summer, individual specimens grow up to three meters in height, leaf width up to one meter. nine0003

Holly mahonia

Holly mahonia is an ornamental evergreen shrub up to 4 m high.
This plant grows best in shade or partial shade.
Young mahonia leaves are orange-green in color, becoming dark copper in winter.

Tolerates cold well, propagated by seeds.

This shrub blooms very beautifully with small yellow flowers collected in hats. nine0155 Many sources refer this species to the genus Barberry under the name Berberis aquifolium

Holly is an evergreen shrub

A symbol of Christmas, it is with it that houses are traditionally decorated on winter holidays.
Holly evergreen shrub blooms from October to December, easily tolerates shading, but it is not a shade-loving plant.
The greatest contrast of colors in this plant appears in the sun.

Holly is especially beautiful in winter, when bushes with bright green leaves and
beads of red, white, yellow, black and orange berries that stay on the bushes all winter.

Evergreen Iberis

This is a branched, low evergreen shrub with small, dense and narrow green leaves.
The plant is very fond of light and blooms with white flowers in the month of May.
Photo of Iberis

Camellia

It is an evergreen shrub with dense glossy dark green foliage.
Blossoms unusually beautiful, forming inflorescences similar to roses. nine0003 Photo of Camellia
But the value of this evergreen shrub is that its flowering begins ... in autumn and lasts up to three months.

Boxwood - BUXUS

Boxwood can withstand wind, alkaline soils and some shade.
Stems can be cut regularly.
Boxwood evergreen shrub will grow to 3m if left unpruned.

Boxwood 'Aureovariegata' has yellow spotted leaves; "Suffruticosa" - dwarf. nine0155 Propagated by cuttings under glass in summer.
Russian names for boxwood - boxwood ^{, green tree, gevan, bukshpan, shamshit}

Shuaziya

Shuaziya is a rounded evergreen shrub with a year-round densely leafy crown.
Flat inflorescences of wax flowers appear in spring - both leaves and flowers are fragrant.
Photo of Choisia
Choisia trifoliate - 2 m high. Flowering time: April - May.
Location: sunny or slightly shady.
Reproduction: cuttings under glass in summer. nine0003

Callistemon

Callistemon blooms in the first two summer months.
It is recommended to plant in places well lit by the sun.
Propagated by cuttings planted in the summer under a glass canopy.

Flowering is small, stamens are produced in densely collected cylindrical inflorescences.
Usually planted on the sunny side of the plot.
Dark pink flowers, long leaves.
The height of the lemon-yellow callistemon can reach two meters, and the hard callistemon - only one and a half meters, but it is famous for its endurance. nine0003

Video - Evergreens in the garden

Winter garden with evergreens

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Some retain fruit.

Which evergreen trees and shrubs to choose for the garden

Photinia

Photinia is a perennial evergreen plant.
Very easy to grow as a short tree or shrub up to 2 m.
Fast growing, making it one of the most preferred hedge plants.
The leaves are shiny, dark green, but during the autumn season they turn a bright red hue.

Blossoms in May-June with tiny white flowers that turn into bright red fruits.
Photonia loves sunny places and moist soils. nine0155 Resistant to temperatures down to -15 C.
In more severe frosts, the roots must be well protected.
Can be planted individually or in groups.

Holly Holly

Holly Holly - Ileks can be grown as a small tree or shrub up to 3 m, its leaves remain green all year round.
It blooms with small white flowers, the berries are bright red.
The beautiful contrast between foliage, flowers and fruit makes holly a very attractive garden plant. nine0003

Shrub can withstand temperatures down to -20 C. Can grow in shady places, loves moisture.
Often used to make Christmas wreaths.

Cherry laurel

Cherry laurel is an evergreen shrub of high ornamental value.
It reaches a height of up to 2 m, has dark green leaves and white flowers.
Likes shady places and moist soil.

Propagated by seeds and cuttings in summer or autumn. nine0155 Laurel can be planted both individually and in groups, as well as used for hedges.
In the photo there are flowers of laurel cherry

Japanese euonymus

Japanese euonymus is a deciduous evergreen shrub that can reach up to 5 m in height.
Likes shade and cold, very unpretentious, needs moderate watering, blooms in spring.

It is planted alone or used as a complement to the composition.
It develops well in all types of soil and tolerates pruning very well. nine0003

Prickly willow

Prickly willow is an evergreen representative of the fragrant willow, has a height of about 3 m.
The leaves are glossy, dark green on the upper side and a silver tint on the lower side.

Blooms in autumn - early November. Mainly used for hedges.
Excellent growth and excellent resistance to cold and drought.

Barberry Juliana

Barberry Juliana is a cold and unassuming plant.
Tolerates both sun and drought.
Photo of barberry
It develops well on any soil.
Very suitable for hedges.

Japanese Akuba

Japanese Akuba (Aucuba japonica) is a simple plant with high ornamental value
which can be enjoyed throughout the year.
Likes shade or partial shade. Blooms in March-April. nine0003

Pontian rhododendron

Pontian rhododendron is an evergreen shrub up to 5 m high.
Learn more