When selecting shrubs for landscaping, gardeners often prioritize plants that offer a blend of aesthetic appeal, functionality, and ease of maintenance. The most popular choices typically include species that provide vibrant seasonal color, whether through flowers, foliage, or berries, ensuring year-round interest in the garden. These shrubs are often favored for their ability to enhance curb appeal, define borders, or create privacy screens.
Many of the top shrubs for landscaping are valued for their ecological benefits, particularly their ability to attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, or to provide food and shelter for birds and other wildlife. These plants often feature long blooming periods or produce berries that persist into winter, supporting local ecosystems while adding visual interest.
Durability and multi-season interest are key factors in the popularity of certain shrubs, with many offering evergreen foliage for year-round structure or dramatic fall color changes. Gardeners often choose shrubs that can serve multiple purposes, such as acting as foundation plantings, groundcovers, or hedges, while also being disease-resistant and drought-tolerant.
Flowering Shrubs
- Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.) – Known for large, colorful flower clusters; popular cultivars include ‘Endless Summer’ and ‘Annabelle.’
- Rose (Rosa spp.) – Includes shrub roses like ‘Knock Out’ and ‘David Austin’ varieties, prized for fragrant blooms.
- Azalea (Rhododendron spp.) – Evergreen or deciduous, with vibrant spring flowers; popular in Southern gardens.
- Rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.) – Evergreen shrubs with large, showy flowers, often used in woodland gardens.
- Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) – Fragrant spring blooms in purple, white, or pink; a classic garden favorite.
- Forsythia (Forsythia spp.) – Early spring bloomer with bright yellow flowers; often used for hedges.
- Camellia (Camellia spp.) – Evergreen with glossy leaves and winter-to-spring flowers in pink, red, or white.
- Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) – Fragrant white flowers and glossy evergreen foliage; popular in warm climates.
- Hibiscus (Hibiscus spp.) – Large, tropical-style flowers in vibrant colors; includes hardy and tropical varieties.
- Weigela (Weigela florida) – Bell-shaped flowers in pink, red, or white; attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.
- Spirea (Spiraea spp.) – Spring or summer blooms in white, pink, or red; includes cultivars like ‘Goldflame’ and ‘Little Princess.’
- Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii) – Fragrant flower spikes that attract pollinators; popular cultivars include ‘Black Knight’ and ‘Miss Ruby.’
- Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) – Summer blooms in pink, red, or white; often used as a small tree or shrub.
- Viburnum (Viburnum spp.) – Fragrant flowers and attractive berries; includes cultivars like ‘Viburnum tinus’ and ‘Snowball.’
- Mock Orange (Philadelphus coronarius) – Fragrant white flowers in spring; a traditional garden shrub.
Evergreen Shrubs
- Boxwood (Buxus spp.) – Dense, evergreen foliage; popular for hedges and topiaries; includes ‘Green Velvet’ and ‘Wintergreen.’
- Holly (Ilex spp.) – Glossy leaves and red berries; includes ‘Nellie R. Stevens’ and ‘Blue Prince/Princess.’
- Juniper (Juniperus spp.) – Evergreen with needle-like or scale-like foliage; used for groundcovers and hedges.
- Arborvitae (Thuja spp.) – Evergreen conifer often used for privacy hedges; includes ‘Green Giant’ and ‘Emerald Green.’
- Yew (Taxus spp.) – Dense, evergreen needles; popular for hedges and foundation plantings; includes ‘Hicks Yew.’
- Euonymus (Euonymus spp.) – Evergreen or deciduous; includes variegated cultivars like ‘Emerald Gaiety’ and ‘Green Spire.’
- Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) – Glossy, evergreen leaves; commonly used for hedges; includes ‘Cherry Laurel.’
- Pieris (Pieris japonica) – Evergreen with bell-shaped flowers in spring; includes ‘Mountain Fire’ and ‘Valley Valentine.’
- Skimmia (Skimmia japonica) – Evergreen with red berries and fragrant flowers; popular for winter interest.
- Distylium (Distylium spp.) – Evergreen with glossy leaves; a disease-resistant alternative to boxwood.
Berry-Producing Shrubs
- Beautyberry (Callicarpa spp.) – Vibrant purple or white berries in fall; includes ‘American Beautyberry’ and ‘Purple Beautyberry.’
- Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster spp.) – Red berries in fall; includes low-growing and upright varieties.
- Firethorn (Pyracantha spp.) – Thorny shrub with red, orange, or yellow berries; great for wildlife gardens.
- Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) – Edible berries and spring flowers; includes ‘Pacific Serviceberry.’
- Elderberry (Sambucus spp.) – Edible berries used for jams and wines; includes ‘Black Lace’ and ‘Sambucus nigra.’
- Chokeberry (Aronia spp.) – Black or red berries high in antioxidants; includes ‘Viking’ and ‘Autumn Magic.’
- Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) – Deciduous holly with bright red berries in winter; requires male and female plants.
- Nandina (Nandina domestica) – Evergreen with red berries; includes ‘Firepower’ and ‘Heavenly Bamboo.’
Ornamental Foliage Shrubs
- Barberry (Berberis spp.) – Thorny with colorful foliage; includes ‘Crimson Pygmy’ and ‘Golden Nugget.’
- Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) – Peeling bark and colorful foliage; includes ‘Diablo’ and ‘Coppertina.’
- Smokebush (Cotinus coggygria) – Smoky flower plumes and vibrant fall foliage; includes ‘Royal Purple’ and ‘Golden Spirit.’
- Hebe (Hebe spp.) – Evergreen with colorful foliage and small flowers; includes ‘Little Leaves’ and ‘Red Edge.’
- Leucothoe (Leucothoe spp.) – Evergreen with arching branches and colorful new growth; includes ‘Rainbow’ and ‘Scarletta.’
- Aucuba (Aucuba japonica) – Evergreen with variegated foliage; includes ‘Gold Dust’ and ‘Picturata.’
- Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea) – Bright red winter stems; includes ‘Arctic Fire’ and ‘Cardinal.’
- Yellow Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’) – Bright yellow winter stems; adds winter interest.
- Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) – Often grown as a shrub; includes cultivars like ‘Katsura’ and ‘Orange Dream.’
Pollinator-Friendly Shrubs
- Lantana (Lantana camara) – Colorful flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds; thrives in warm climates.
- Bluebeard (Caryopteris x clandonensis) – Late-summer blue flowers; includes ‘Dark Knight’ and ‘Sunshine Blue.’
- Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) – Fragrant summer flowers; includes ‘Hummingbird’ and ‘Ruby Spice.’
- Bottlebrush (Callistemon spp.) – Unique, brush-like flowers; attracts hummingbirds; popular in warm climates.
- Abelia (Abelia spp.) – Fragrant, bell-shaped flowers; includes ‘Kaleidoscope’ and ‘Edward Goucher.’
- Potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa) – Long-blooming yellow, white, or pink flowers; includes ‘Goldfinger’ and ‘Pink Beauty.’
- Chinese Fringe Flower (Loropetalum chinense) – Evergreen with purple foliage and red flowers; includes ‘Ruby’ and ‘Purple Diamond.’
Native and Wildlife-Friendly Shrubs
- Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) – Native with large, oak-shaped leaves and white flowers; includes ‘Snowflake.’
- Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) – Native with red berries and fall color; great for wildlife.
- Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) – Native with aromatic leaves and red berries; supports spicebush swallowtail butterflies.
- Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) – Native with unique, spherical white flowers; attracts pollinators and birds.
- Inkberry (Ilex glabra) – Native evergreen holly; provides berries for wildlife; includes ‘Shamrock.’
- Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) – Native with aromatic leaves and waxy berries; great for coastal gardens.
- Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) – Native with fragrant white flowers; supports pollinators.
- Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) – Native with fragrant white flowers and brilliant fall color; includes ‘Little Henry.’
Low-Growing and Groundcover Shrubs
- Creeping Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) – Low-growing evergreen; includes ‘Blue Rug’ and ‘Wiltonii.’
- Dwarf Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster adpressus) – Low-growing with red berries; great for groundcover.
- Dwarf Spirea (Spiraea japonica ‘Alpina’) – Compact with pink flowers; ideal for edging.
- Dwarf Butterfly Bush (Buddleja ‘Flutterby Petite’) – Compact with fragrant flowers; perfect for small spaces.
- Dwarf Boxwood (Buxus microphylla ‘Kingsville Dwarf’) – Tiny evergreen for miniature gardens or containers.
- Dwarf Azalea (Rhododendron spp.) – Low-growing with vibrant spring flowers; includes ‘Girard’s Rose.’
- Dwarf Gardenia (Gardenia radicans) – Compact evergreen with fragrant white flowers.
Tropical and Subtropical Shrubs
- Ixora (Ixora coccinea) – Tropical with long-lasting blooms; popular in Florida gardens.
- Oleander (Nerium oleander) – Evergreen with fragrant flowers; thrives in warm climates but toxic.
- Blue Star Flower (Amsonia tabernaemontana) – Perennial-like shrub with blue spring flowers; thrives in warm regions.
- Lantana (Lantana spp.) – Tropical with colorful flowers; attracts butterflies; includes ‘Miss Huff.’
- Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spp.) – Thorny, tropical shrub with vibrant bracts; popular in warm climates.
- Angel Trumpet (Brugmansia spp.) – Large, trumpet-shaped flowers; tropical and fragrant; includes ‘Charles Grimaldi.’
Shade-Tolerant Shrubs
- Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) – Evergreen with bell-shaped flowers; thrives in shade.
- Sweet Box (Sarcococca spp.) – Evergreen with fragrant winter flowers; shade-tolerant.
- Leatherleaf Mahonia (Mahonia bealei) – Evergreen with yellow flowers and blue berries; shade-loving.
- Fatsia (Fatsia japonica) – Large, glossy leaves; thrives in shade; includes ‘Spider’s Web.’
- Aucuba (Aucuba japonica) – Variegated evergreen; shade-tolerant; includes ‘Gold Dust.’
Unique and Specialty Shrubs
- Paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) – Winter blooms with silvery buds; fragrant and unique.
- California Flannelbush (Fremontodendron californicum) – Yellow flowers and fuzzy leaves; native to California.
- Chinese Snakeweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) – Tropical with year-round flowers; attracts pollinators.
- Dwarf Flowering Almond (Prunus glandulosa) – Spring blooms on a compact shrub; great for small spaces.
- Acacia (Acacia dealbata) – Winter mimosa with golden-yellow blooms; popular in Mediterranean climates.
- Andromeda (Andromeda polifolia) – Evergreen with urn-shaped flowers; includes ‘Compacta.’
- Blue Lagoon (Ceanothus spp.) – Evergreen with blue flowers; popular in Mediterranean gardens.
- Red Azalea Japonica (Rhododendron japonicum) – Evergreen with red flowers; often used for bonsai.
- Japanese Quince (Chaenomeles japonica) – Early spring blooms in red, pink, or white; includes ‘Cameo.’
- Witch Hazel (Hamamelis spp.) – Winter blooms with fragrant, spidery flowers; includes ‘Jelena.’
Additional Popular Shrubs
- Deutzia (Deutzia spp.) – Spring blooms in white or pink; includes ‘Yuki Snowflake.’
- Photinia (Photinia spp.) – Evergreen with red new growth; includes ‘Red Robin’ and ‘Carre Rouge.’
- Heath (Erica spp.) – Evergreen with small, bell-shaped flowers; includes ‘Springwood White.’
- Heather (Calluna vulgaris) – Evergreen groundcover with pink or white flowers; includes ‘Firefly.’
- Rock Rose (Cistus spp.) – Drought-tolerant with papery flowers; popular in Mediterranean gardens.
- Escallonia (Escallonia spp.) – Evergreen with small, fragrant flowers; includes ‘Apple Blossom.’
- Pittosporum (Pittosporum spp.) – Evergreen with glossy leaves; includes ‘Silver Sheen.’
- Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) – Evergreen herb with blue flowers; includes ‘Tuscan Blue.’
- Lavender (Lavandula spp.) – Fragrant, drought-tolerant shrub; includes ‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead.’
- Sage (Salvia spp.) – Aromatic with purple or white flowers; includes ‘May Night.’
- Clematis (Clematis spp.) – Climbing shrub with showy flowers; includes ‘Jackmanii.’
- Wisteria (Wisteria spp.) – Climbing shrub with fragrant, cascading flowers; includes ‘Amethyst Falls.’
- Jasmine (Jasminum spp.) – Fragrant, climbing shrub; includes ‘Star Jasmine’ (Trachelospermum jasminoides).
- Climbing Rose (Rosa spp.) – Includes cultivars like ‘New Dawn’ and ‘Climbing Iceberg.’
- Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) – Fragrant, climbing shrub; includes ‘Dropmore Scarlet’ and ‘Goldflame.’