Shrubs

Everything you need to grow and care for shrubs: light, water, troubleshooting, and pet & child safety, all in one place.

Arrowwood ViburnumViburnum dentatumA tough native shrub that gives you spring flowers, blue-black berries, and fiery fall color with almost no fuss.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyAsiatic JasmineTrachelospermum asiaticumTough, glossy, and happy in sun or deep shade, Asiatic jasmine carpets the ground and asks for almost nothing.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyAzaleaRhododendronGive it acidic soil, dappled shade, and steady moisture, and the azalea rewards you with a spring it's hard to look away from.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateBeautybushKolkwitzia amabilisAn easy, arching shrub that drapes itself in pink, bell-shaped flowers every spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBlack ChokeberryAronia melanocarpaTough, cold-hardy, and edible from spring flower to winter berry, chokeberry asks almost nothing of you.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyBlackberryRubus fruticosusGive it full sun and room to ramble, and a blackberry hands you buckets of fruit for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyBluebeardCaryopteris × clandonensisCut it back hard each spring and bluebeard answers with a haze of blue flowers when the rest of the garden is winding down.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBlueberryVaccinium corymbosumGet the soil acidic and a second bush nearby, and the blueberry rewards you with summers of fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateBorder ForsythiaForsythia × intermediaPlant it for the first burst of yellow that opens long before anything else wakes up in spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBoston IvyParthenocissus tricuspidataPlant it for a wall of crimson in fall, but give it masonry to climb, not your siding.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyBougainvilleaBougainvillea spectabilisKeep it sunny, thirsty, and a little neglected, and bougainvillea answers with a riot of color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateBoysenberryRubus ursinus × idaeusGive it full sun, a sturdy trellis, and a yearly prune, and the boysenberry crops with big, wine-dark fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateBurning BushEuonymus alatusPlant it in full sun and the fall foliage flares a deep scarlet you can spot from across the yard.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyButterfly BushBuddleja davidiiGive it full sun and a hard spring cut, and the butterfly bush fills with flowers and wings all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCalifornia LilacCeanothus thyrsiflorusGive it full sun, sharp drainage, and almost no water, and California lilac rewards you with a wall of blue every spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 15–30 daysPet & child safeModerateCamelliaCamellia japonicaGive it acidic soil, dappled shade, and steady water, and the camellia answers with blooms when little else flowers.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateCarolina JessamineGelsemium sempervirensGive it full sun and a sturdy support, and this evergreen vine pours out fragrant yellow trumpets in late winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyChinese Fringe FlowerLoropetalum chinensePlant it in acidic soil with good drainage, and loropetalum gives you colored foliage and fringed blooms with almost no fuss.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyChocolate VineAkebia quinataFragrant chocolate-purple flowers and edible fruit on a climber that grows fast and needs a firm hand.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyClematisClematisGive it sun on its head and shade on its feet, and clematis climbs into a wall of bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicModerateClimbing HydrangeaHydrangea anomala subsp. petiolarisSlow to start, then a wall of fragrant white lacecaps that lasts for decades.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateClimbing RoseRosaTie it up, train the canes sideways, and a climbing rose will drape a wall in bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateCoffeeCoffea arabicaGive it warmth, bright indirect light, and humid air, and the coffee plant grows into a glossy evergreen that may one day bear its own cherries.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–7 daysToxicModerateCommon BoxwoodBuxus sempervirensSlow, steady, and evergreen year-round, boxwood is the backbone of a clipped, formal garden.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateCommon JasmineJasminum officinaleGive it sun, warmth, and a sturdy support, and common jasmine fills the summer air with scent.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateCommon LilacSyringa vulgarisPlant it in full sun with room to breathe, and the common lilac repays you with heavy spring scent for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCommon NinebarkPhysocarpus opulifoliusA tough native shrub with peeling bark and colorful foliage that asks for almost nothing in return.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCotoneasterCotoneasterTough, drought-proof, and covered in red berries through winter, cotoneaster asks for almost nothing once it takes hold.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyCranberryVaccinium macrocarponGive it acidic peat, full sun, and steady moisture, and this low creeping vine rewards you with tart fall berries.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeDemandingCreeping JuniperJuniperus horizontalisGive it full sun and soil that drains, and this tough evergreen mat looks after itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasyCrossvineBignonia capreolataA tough native climber that throws up a wall of spring trumpets and keeps the hummingbirds coming back.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCurrantRibes rubrumTough, cold-hardy, and heavy with tart berries, the currant earns its keep in a cool-climate garden.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasyDavid Austin RoseRosaOld-rose looks and scent with modern repeat flowering from late spring right through to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateDipladeniaMandevilla sanderiGive it full sun, warmth, and sharp drainage, and dipladenia pours out trumpet flowers from early summer to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerateDragon FruitHylocereus undatusGive this climbing cactus sun, a sturdy post, and a pollination partner, and it rewards you with night-blooming flowers and bright pitaya.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateDrooping LeucothoeLeucothoe fontanesianaGive it shade, acidic soil, and steady moisture, and this arching evergreen earns its keep all year.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateDutchman's PipeAristolochia macrophyllaA fast, heavy climber that throws up a wall of overlapping leaves and feeds the pipevine swallowtail.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyDwarf FothergillaFothergilla gardeniiHoney-scented spring flowers and blazing fall color on a tough, low-care native shrub.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyElderberrySambucus canadensisGive it sun, steady moisture, and a second cultivar nearby, and elderberry hands you heavy clusters of dark fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyEncore AzaleaRhododendronGive it acidic soil, filtered sun, and steady moisture, and the Encore azalea blooms in spring and again into fall.☀️ Partial sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateEvergreen EuonymusEuonymus japonicusA tough, shade-friendly evergreen that shears into a hedge and asks for almost nothing in return.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyFloribunda RoseRosaGive it full sun, room to breathe, and water at the base, and a floribunda blooms in clusters from spring to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateFlowering QuinceChaenomeles speciosaOne of the first shrubs to bloom each spring, flowering quince lights up bare branches with color before the leaves arrive.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGardeniaGardenia jasminoidesGive it acidic soil, steady moisture, and humid air, and the gardenia rewards you with intensely fragrant white flowers.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicDemandingGlossy AbeliaAbelia × grandifloraGive it sun and well-drained soil, and glossy abelia blooms from late spring until frost with almost no fuss.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyGoji BerryLycium barbarumGive it full sun, lean alkaline soil, and room to sprawl, and this tough nightshade pays you in superfood berries.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGooseberryRibes uva-crispaA tough, cold-hardy berry bush that wants cool conditions, an open shape, and steady moisture.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateGrandiflora RoseRosaTall, long-stemmed, and built to bloom from spring to frost, the grandiflora gives you hybrid-tea flowers on a floribunda frame.☀️ Full sun · 💧 4–7 daysPet & child safeModerateGrapeVitis viniferaGive a grapevine full sun, sturdy support, and a hard yearly pruning, and it rewards you with fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicModerateGroundcover RoseRosaGive it full sun and room to breathe, and a groundcover rose carpets the ground in bloom from spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyHardy KiwiActinidia argutaA cold-hardy vine that hands you smooth, grape-sized fruit you eat whole, no peeling required.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateHazelnutCorylus avellanaGive it full sun, a compatible partner, and room to spread, and the hazel rewards you with nuts each fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateHeavenly BambooNandina domesticaTough, drought-proof, and fiery in winter, nandina earns its keep, but its berries are poison to wildlife.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyHoneyberryLonicera caeruleaPlant two cultivars together for the earliest berry of the year, sweet-tart and frost-tough.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasyHoneysuckleLonicera sempervirensGive it full sun and something to climb, and trumpet honeysuckle answers with coral flowers and a steady stream of hummingbirds.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyHybrid Tea RoseRosaGive it full sun, deep water, and a hard spring cut, and the hybrid tea rose returns long-stemmed blooms from summer to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–8 daysPet & child safeModerateHydrangeaHydrangea macrophyllaGive it rich, moist soil and afternoon shade, and the hydrangea answers with armfuls of bloom all summer.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerateInkberry HollyIlex glabraA tough native shrub that takes wet ground, hard winters, and shade and stays green right through.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyJapanese BarberryBerberis thunbergiiTough, thorny, and richly colored, but think hard before you plant it where it can spread.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese HollyIlex crenataGive it acidic soil and sharp drainage, and this evergreen shears into clean, lasting shape.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyJapanese KerriaKerria japonicaGive it dappled shade and well-drained soil, and Japanese kerria lights up spring with golden flowers on bright green stems.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese LaurelAucuba japonicaA tough, glossy evergreen that lights up deep shade where little else will grow.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyJapanese PierisPieris japonicaGive it acidic soil and shelter from wind, and andromeda hangs out drooping white flowers every spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateJapanese PittosporumPittosporum tobiraAn evergreen shrub that takes sun, shade, drought, and hard shearing and still smells like orange blossom in spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese SkimmiaSkimmia japonicaGive it shade and acidic soil, and this evergreen carries fragrant spring flowers and bright winter berries.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateJapanese SpireaSpiraea japonicaTough, fast, and forgiving, Japanese spirea gives you flat pink flower clusters and shifting foliage color from spring to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyKiwiActinidia deliciosaGive it full sun, a strong trellis, and a male partner, and a kiwi vine rewards the patience with fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateKnock Out RoseRosaGive it full sun and a yearly cleanup prune, and the Knock Out blooms from June to frost with almost no fuss.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyLingonberryVaccinium vitis-idaeaGive it acidic soil, full sun, and steady moisture, and this low evergreen carpet hands you two crops of tart red berries a year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–5 daysPet & child safeModerateLoganberryRubus × loganobaccusGive it full sun, rich soil, and a sturdy trellis, and the loganberry hands you a long summer of tart-sweet fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateMandevillaMandevilla × amabilisGive it full sun and summer warmth, and mandevilla climbs and blooms in trumpets right through fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerateMiniature RoseRosaGive it full sun, steady water, and good airflow, and a miniature rose blooms from spring right through fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerateMock OrangePhiladelphus coronariusGive it full sun and a prune at the right time, and mock orange floods early summer with orange-blossom scent.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyOld Fashioned WeigelaWeigela floridaGive it full sun and a well-timed prune, and weigela floods the late-spring garden with tubular blooms.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyOld Garden RoseRosaTough, fragrant, and easygoing on their own roots, old garden roses earn their keep year after year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateOleanderNerium oleanderA tough, drought-proof shrub with summer-long bloom and a warning attached: every part is dangerously poisonous.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyOregon GrapeMahonia aquifoliumGive it shade and shelter from winter wind, and Oregon grape rewards you with yellow spring flowers and blue-black berries.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyPassionflowerPassiflora incarnataGive it full sun and room to roam, and the maypop climbs fast, feeds butterflies, and flowers all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyPassionfruitPassiflora edulisGive it full sun, sharp drainage, and a strong trellis, and this fast vine rewards you with fragrant fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModeratePomegranatePunica granatumGive it full sun and steady water, and the pomegranate rewards you with jewel-red fruit each fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysMildly toxicEasyPrivetLigustrum vulgareA tough, fast hedge that shears into almost any shape, but one that escapes the garden and poisons grazing animals.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyRambling RoseRosaGive it full sun, a strong support, and a prune at the right moment, and a rambler will smother a fence in early summer flowers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateRaspberryRubus idaeusGive it full sun, rich soil, and a yearly prune, and the raspberry repays you with berries by the handful.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateRhododendronRhododendronGet the acidic soil and dappled shade right, and a rhododendron rewards you with spring trusses for decades.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateRose of SharonHibiscus syriacusGive it full sun and room to breathe, and this tough shrub throws color from midsummer to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyRugosa RoseRosa rugosaTough enough for salt spray and bitter cold, the rugosa rose blooms all summer and ends it draped in red hips.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyScarlet FirethornPyracantha coccineaTough, fast, and armed with thorns, firethorn pays out clouds of white spring flowers and orange-red winter berries.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyShrub RoseRosaGive it full sun and good airflow, and a shrub rose blooms from late spring to frost with barely any fuss.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyShrubby CinquefoilPotentilla fruticosaTough as nails and flowering all summer, shrubby cinquefoil asks for almost nothing in return.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyShrubby St. John's WortHypericum frondosumTough, drought-proof, and topped with bright yellow summer flowers, this native shrub asks for almost nothing.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasySilver Lace VineFallopia baldschuanicaCover a fence in a single season with a vine that asks for almost nothing but a sharp pair of loppers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasySky Pencil HollyIlex crenataA slim green exclamation point for tight spaces, asking only for acidic soil and a little winter care.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateSlender DeutziaDeutzia gracilisAn easygoing, pet-safe shrub that smothers itself in white spring flowers and asks almost nothing in return.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasySmoke BushCotinus coggygriaGive it full sun and sharp drainage, and a smoke bush rewards you with summer haze and fiery fall leaves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasySnowball BushViburnum opulusGive it full sun and room to spread, and the snowball bush crowns itself in white globes every spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyStar JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoidesTrain it up a fence or wall and star jasmine pays you back with clouds of fragrant white flowers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasySummersweetClethra alnifoliaGive it steady moisture and a little shade, and summersweet rewards you with fragrant spikes when most shrubs have quit for the year.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasySweet Autumn ClematisClematis ternifloraA wall of fragrant white bloom every late summer, on a vine that needs a firm hand to keep it in bounds.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyTeaCamellia sinensisGive it acidic soil, dappled shade, and steady moisture, and this evergreen shrub grows the leaves behind every cup of tea.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateTea PlantCamellia sinensisGive it acidic soil, part shade, and steady moisture, and Camellia sinensis grows the leaves behind every cup of tea.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateTrumpet VineCampsis radicansGive it full sun and a sturdy support, and the trumpet vine draws hummingbirds all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyViburnumViburnumGive it sun, room, and a steady drink while young, and viburnum returns spring fragrance and fall berries for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyVirginia CreeperParthenocissus quinquefoliaA tough native vine that trades brilliant fall color for a constant need to keep it in bounds.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyVirginia SweetspireItea virginicaA tough native shrub that handles wet soil, deep shade, and hard winters while putting on a long fall show.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyWinter DaphneDaphne odoraFew shrubs scent a winter garden like daphne, but every part of it is poisonous.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysToxicDemandingWinterberry HollyIlex verticillataPlant a male alongside the females and winterberry hands you bare stems lit with red berries all winter long.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyWintergreenGaultheria procumbensGive it acidic soil and cool shade, and wintergreen spreads into a glossy evergreen mat dotted with red berries.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 4–7 daysMildly toxicModerateWisteriaWisteria sinensisGive it full sun, a heavy support, and two hard prunings a year, and wisteria drips with flowers each spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateWitch HazelHamamelis virginianaGive it moist, acidic soil and room to spread, and witch hazel rewards you with ribbon-like flowers when the rest of the garden has gone to sleep.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyYaupon HollyIlex vomitoriaTough, evergreen, and the one North American holly you can brew, yaupon shrugs off drought, salt, and shade alike.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy