These evergreen shrubs will allow color and structure in your landscape 365 day a year .
From recondite green to shades of blue and even maroon , both needle and broadleaf evergreen shrubs add class - round gloss and texture to your landscape — especially inborder gardensor space where you have deciduous plants that shed their leaves in the fall .
Evergreen Shrubs Are Versatile
You ’ve arrest pick from fragrant gardenia to shade - loving rhododendron , and others that work in a formal landscape painting or a softercottage garden . you’re able to plant a living fencing of evergreen bush as a privacy and sound barrier , as well as a windbreak and a nesting site for songbirds , and to providewinter interestto bang .
Here are our recommendation for the best types of evergreen shrubs for your region and farm circumstance .
Arborvitae
lot of gentle , rooter - similar foliage givearborvitae(Thuja occidentalis ) a unique show . This baffling evergreen ’s feathery texture counterpoint well with broadleaf plants . Arborvitae is commonlyused as a reliable , long - lived hedgeor screening works . employ smaller salmagundi in mixed edge for a footling evergreen plant color .
grow circumstance : Full Sunday to part nuance and well - drained soil
Size:2 to 15 human foot improbable and 2 to 8 feet wide
Credit: Scott Little
Zones:4–8
Blue Holly
A dense evergreen shrub with shining blue - green foliage , blueholly(Ilexxmeserveae ) has bright red berries in gloaming and wintertime . Be sure to plant a manful cultivar near a female cultivar for fruit set . Use it as a hedge or screening plant or set a few near an entryway for wintertime interest .
develop Conditions : Full Dominicus to part shade and moist , well - drained soil
Size:8 to 10 foot tall and 6 to 8 foot wide of the mark
Credit: Jason Wilde
Zones:5–9
Boxwood
Useboxwood(Buxusspp . ) tocreate an well-to-do - guardianship low hedge . Tiny folio and a dense branching habit give Turkish boxwood a strong optic front in any landscape . rotund cultivar , such as ‘ Green Gem , ’ course grow in a globose form . Other cultivars , such as ‘ Green Mountain ’ and ‘ Green Tower , ’ are more just . This slowly - growing shrubtolerates shear well ; it can be sculpt into formal shapes .
Size:2 to 6 feet marvellous and 2 to 4 groundwork wide
Zones:4–9
Credit: Denny Schrock
Be aware of potentially serious issues with box , includingboxwood blightand box tree moths .
Camellia
A easy - grow broadleaf evergreen plant with large glowering unripened leaves , camellia(Camelliaspp . ) is beloved for itswinter or early spring flowers . The flowers can be undivided or two-fold , and come in white , crimson , pinkish , or bicolors . Add it to a mixed borderline or plant several together as a flowering hedging .
Growing Conditions : Part shadowiness and rich , moist , well - drained soil
Size:6 to 12 invertebrate foot tall and 6 to 10 feet wide
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Zones:7–10
Common Juniper
Prized for its adaptability , commonjuniper(Juniperus communis ) produce well in a potpourri of intriguing conditions . This native evergreen shrub has slightly burred leafage . Ittakes to pruning welland can be trimmed into formal shapes . small - growing varieties embrace the solid ground while other types have a more just habit .
grow consideration : Full sun to part shade and average grunge
Size:2 to 12 feet improbable and 2 to 6 foundation wide
Credit: Rob Cardillo
Zones:2–8
Dwarf Blue Spruce
Dwarf bluespruce(Picea pungens’Globosa ' ) is a slow - grow evergreen plant shrub with blue - gray needles that aid it stand out in any landscape . sum it to a foundation planting or works a few of these belittled , mounding conifer together in a mixed bush border for year - round color .
grow Conditions : Full Sunday to part shade and well - run out , ironical territory
Size:3 to 6 feet tall and wide
Credit: William N. Hopkins
Zones:3–8
Evergreen Euonymus
Also called loge - folio or Japanese genus Euonymus , evergreen genus Euonymus ( Euonymus japonicus ) is a tough shrub that adapts to a extensive range of mountains of growing condition . Use it as a hedge plant life oradd it to a miscellaneous shrub border . There are several cultivar of evergreen euonymus . Some works sport variegated yellow and green leafage while others have sinister green or chartreuse leaves .
Size:2 to 8 invertebrate foot magniloquent and wide
Zones:6–9
Credit: Justin Hancock
False Cypress
False cypress ( Chamaecyparisspp . ) is a conifer with soft foliage and good deer resistance . usable both as shrubs or trees , some false cypress variety offer chartreuse foliage , while others have grass greenish leafage . matured sizing can vary quite a bit too , so make certain to opt the unspoiled type for your planting patch .
Size:2 to 10 feet tall and 2 to 6 foot wide
Gardenia
Peter Krumhardt
Glossy , evergreen plant leaves are the perfect backdrop forgardenia’s(Gardenia jasminoides ) shining blank prime . While the flowers are visually spectacular , their fragrance is their most attractive quality . There are several small varieties of this spring - flowering plant that work well in container garden and small urban planting spaces .
Size:2 to 10 feet tall and 2 to 8 foot across-the-board
Credit: Denny Schrock
Glossy Abelia
With springtime flowers and small leaves , glossy abelia ( Abeliaxgrandiflora ) is an evergreen plant or semi - evergreen shrub that works well as a hedging or sieve . It has an upright , mounding habit . Abelia ’s plush flower clump ornament the plant for weeks in summertime and attract pollinators , include butterfly .
Size:3 to 6 foot tall and all-embracing
Indian Hawthorn
Denny Schrock
An easy - care , low - growing bush , Amerind hawthorn ( Rhaphiolepis indica ) has sweet fragrant pink or ashen flowers in spring . disconsolate - black Charles Edward Berry form in previous summer and adorn the dull , mound evergreen shrub through wintertime . Native American haw has leathery , sullen green leave that take on a pleasing imperial hue in winter .
Growing consideration : Full sunshine to part spook and moist , well - run out dirt
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Inkberry
A sturdy member of the holly kinsfolk , inkberry ( Ilex glabra ) is a native broadleaf evergreen plant shrub that tolerates wet planting sites , growing well inheavy clay territory . It has small leaves and a compact development habit alike to box . Use inkberry in a mixed shrub border to offer yr - round color and sake . Or use it to constitute a hedge in wet , take exception planting areas . It can bepruned into a schematic soma .
Size:4 to 6 feet tall and all-encompassing
Japanese Holly
Brie Williams
A hardworking holly with small foliage and a dense growth drug abuse , Japanese holly ( Ilex crenata ) makes a great hedging or gain to a interracial border garden . This tough evergreen plant bush tolerates drouth , tincture , and wretched soils ( include Henry Clay ) , and is easy to transplant . ‘ Sky Pencil ’ is a narrow-minded , columniform form that is popular for tally tallness to small space .
Size:2 to 8 feet tall and 2 to 6 foot wide
Credit:Peter Krumhardt
Japanese Pieris
Also known aslily - of - the - vale bush and andromeda , Nipponese pieris ( Pieris japonicus ) is grown for its succulent ropes of bell - shaped flowers in the natural spring , which are followed by colorful berries . The upright , slow - originate , evergreen shrub has calendered green foliage that is maroon when it emerges .
farm consideration : Part shade and moist , deep , well - drained grease
Size:3 to 7 feet tall and wide
Credit: Denny Schrock
Zones:5–8
Nandina
Also calledheavenly bamboo , nandina(Nandina domestica ) has bamboo - like foliage that often takes on reddish hue in spring and dip , depending on the assortment . It also bears clusters of showy red Berry from tardy summertime into wintertime . Nandina is a verylow - maintenance shrub that never needs pruning .
Size:2 to 4 infantry tall and 2 to 3 feet wide
Zones:6–11
Credit:Denny Schrock
In warm region , nandina is view invasive , so look for aseptic kind that do n’t produce berry to avert its uncontrolled spread . Or thin out the clusters of berry off the plant when they appear .
Oleander
Oleander(Nerium rose bay ) is a flower tropical evergreen plant shrub that makes an ideal filmdom or loose hedging in warm climate . Both heat- and drouth - tolerant , it blooms from former summer until mid - autumn . Oleander is well - suit for seaside gardens , thanks to its tolerance of salt spray .
develop condition : Full sun and well - drained , dry soil
Size:5 to 12 feet improbable and encompassing
Credit: Denny Schrock
Zones:8–10
All part of oleander are extremely toxic , including the milky sap . Even the smoke from burning the plant can be insecure .
Oregon Grape Holly
Oregon grape holly(Berberis aquifolium ) is adrought - liberal native shrubwith shiny , holly - like leafage , It has showy yellow flowers in spring that are followed by blue - shameful berry in summer . Birds roll in the hay to exhaust the berries . Plant this small to medium evergreen shrub in groups of three to five in a woodland garden or any shaded spot where you need some twelvemonth - round pursuit .
Growing Conditions : Part to full shade and moist , well - drained soil
Size:3 to 6 pes marvellous and 2 to 5 feet broad
Credit:Brie Williams
Rhododendron
Rhododendronsare refinement - loving evergreen bush that recognise the spring with vibrant efflorescence in shades of red , pinkish , purplish and bright white . A honest understory flora , it thrives when it find dappled luminance all Clarence Day long or morning sun and afternoon subtlety . Plant groups of three or five rhododendron in large shade gardens for a splash of color in spring and blank green foliage class - circular . Compact varieties are perfect for planting on the Frederick North or east side of a home .
grow condition : Part to full shade and moist , well - run out , acidulous ground
Size:3 to 10 feet tall and 2 to 8 fundament wide of the mark
Credit: Marilyn Ott
Scarlet Firethorn
Scarletfirethorn(Pyracanthacoccinea ) get under one’s skin its name from its boisterous thorns and bright red berries in fall that persist into tardy wintertime . It tolerates heat and drought well and it grows very fast , putting on as much as 2 base of growth a year . Firethorn isevergreen in warmer zones , and semi - evergreen plant in cold areas . Some variety , such as ' Lalandei ' ( shown here ) propose a little more wintertime hardiness ( to Zone 5 ) and orange - red yield .
Growing Conditions : Full sun and well - enfeeble territory
Viburnum
Viburnumsare valuable habitat plants , furnish food and shelter for many species . There are many different eccentric of viburnums and not all of them are evergreen . One instance is David viburnum ( Viburnum davidii ) , a low - growing evergreen miscellany that reach 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet broad . A semi - evergreen type is Burkwood viburnum ( V.xburkwoodii , shown here ) that rise 6 to 12 feet tall and is prized for its flowers ' spicy - dulcet fragrance .
Size:3 to 15 feet tall and 3 to 8 understructure all-embracing
Yew
dependable evergreenshrubs for nuance , yew ( Taxusspp . ) have been popular landscape flora for decade . Several newfangled sort on the mart can even exploit in sites with just a few hour of sunlight a day . ‘ Emerald Spreader ’ has chartreuse foliage and acquire just 2 feet marvellous while spreading to 8 foot or more wide . Other varieties have a pronounced vertical growth use . Mostyewsare verylow - maintenance bush .
Growing Conditions : Part shade and well - drained , dry to moist soil
Size:2 to 10 foot tall and wide
Credit: David Goldberg
All part of yew are highly toxic .
Frequently Asked Questions
Prune your evergreen shrubs with hand trimmers in belated spring , just after new growing emerges .
Your evergreens will lose moisture through the wintertime . In the fall , check that you give your evergreen plant shrubs a deep soaking before the primer coat freezes . debar pruning in the fall ; you do n’t want new growth that may not indurate off .
“ Top 10 Reasons to Plant Shrubs . ” The National Gardening Association .
Credit: Chipper R. Hatter
Box Tree Moth . U.S. Department of Agriculture .
Nerium rose bay . North Carolina State University Extension Plant Toolbox .
Taxus . North Carolina State University Extension Plant Toolbox .
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
Best Time to Prune Evergreen Shrubs . Kansas State Research and Extension .
Caring for Evergreens . Chicago Botanic Garden .
Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
Credit: Edward Gohlich
Credit: Jerry Pavia
Credit: Scott Little
