SHRUBS
A-G
Abelia
Graceful arching branches have ½-1½” long oval leaves that are usually quite glossy, with bronzy colored new growth. Small tubular flowers bloom during summer and early fall. Evergreen in milder climates, deciduous in cooler climates. To keep graceful form, prune selectively instead of shearing. Needs average watering. Sun to part shade. Zone 6.
A. x ‘Edward Goucher’
Hardy shrub in mild climates reaching heights of 4-5’. Small, pink flowers make it a delightful informal hedge
A. x grandiflora \ Glossy Abelia
Hardy shrub growing to 8’ with fragrant white flowers.
A. x grandiflora ‘Frances Mason’
Densely branched form, 3-4’ high and wide, covered by a blending of green and rich yellow variegated foliage. Variegation is intensified in full sun. Soft pink, flowers bloom from spring through summer. Adaptable to a wide range of soils, but needs drainage and moisture for best results.
A. x grandiflora ‘Sherwoodii’
A hardy shrub which is semi-deciduous in cold climates. Grows 3’ tall with a 5’ spread. Place in full sun for best development of pink and white flowers.
Agapanthus \ Lily of the Nile
Plant this perennial with evergreen, strap-like leaves in part-shade, moist, well-drained soil.
A. africanus
Large clusters of blue flowers on 24” stems. Makes a nice cut flower. Zone 8.
A. africanus ‘Albus’
Plant is similar to A. africanus except it has large clusters of white flowers on 23" stems. Zone 8.
A. Headbourne Hybrid
Hardier than species, this long lasting bloomer produces sky-blue to deep-blue blooms on 3-4’ stalks. Foliage to 2’ high. Can be evergreen in warmer climates. Zone 6.
A. ‘Peter Pan’
Dwarf form growing 12" tall with strap-shaped leaves. Long-blooming, sky-blue flowers form 4" umbels. Drought tolerant after established. Part shade to full sun. Zones 7-10.
A. x 'Pinocchio'
Vivid, cobalt blue blooms on plant growing 2-3' high and 18-20" wide. Zone 7.
Agave americana \ Century Plant
Truly a tough, southwestern specimen! Gray-blue to blue-green, stiff, sword-shaped leaves form tight rosettes for an overall plant height of 6-8' and of spread 8-10'. Spines are at tip of margins on leaves that can be up to 6' long and 10" wide. Blooms on tall spikes up to 20’ tall, occuring between 10-25 years, and then the plant meets its demise. Tolerant of drought and various soil types. Do not overwater, expecially in clay soils. Part shade, part sun. Zones 8-11.
Alpinia sanderae ‘Variegata’ \ Variegated Ginger
(al-PIN-ee-a)
Tropical looking perennial. Give lightly shaded, wind free exposure with good soil. Leaves are striped and marked with clear white. Seldom blooms. Grows 24-48” tall. Root hardy to Zone 9.
Aspidistra elatior \ Cast Iron Plant
Leafy shrub growing to 24” that will tolerate neglect and dark situations. Plant in the shade. Zone 7.
Aspidistra elatior ‘Milky Way’ \ Dwarf Cast Iron Plant
A leafy, dwarf evergreen, with yellow speckled, dark green foliage growing from the base of the plant. Likes shade and warm climates. Will grow 8-10” tall. Zone 8.
Aucuba japonica 'Variegata' \ Gold Dust Japanese Aucuba
Dark green, leathery, slightly serrated, 7" long leaves are speckled with gold variegation. This moderately dense evergreen shrub grows 3-8' in height and 3-4' wide, in most any well-drained soil. Great for the shady garden. Zone 7.
Berberis \ Barberry
Barberries require no more than ordinary garden care. Most all have spiny branches and are vigorous growers that can take a lot of cutting back for growth renewal. Most any soil, full sun. Zone 4.
B. thunbergii ‘Aurea Nana’ \ Dwarf Golden Barberry
Grows 24-36" tall in a compact habit with bright yellow foliage, turning bright red for fall color.
B. thunbergii ‘Crimson Pygmy’
An excellent foundation plant with blood red foliage. Deciduous shrub reaching 18-24".
B. thunbergii ‘Rose Glow’
New growth is a pretty variegated pink, that turns rose-red at maturity. Grow this deciduous shrub in sun to part shade. Will reach 5-6’ in height.
B. x gladwynensis ‘William Penn’
Bright, yellow flowers bloom on this vigorous evergreen. A good barrier or hedge that will reach 5’.
B. x ‘Webberi’ \ Winter Green Barberry
Holly-like dark green, with spiny toothed foliage. Upright growth habit. Evergreen with red new growth, older leaves are a rich green. Grows 6-8’ with yellow blooms in spring. Zone 5.
Buddleia \ Butterfly Bush
(BUD-lay-a)
Attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and bees. Produces rich, dense flower spikes on a deciduous shrub. Prefers dry, well-drained soils. Grows in full sun. Buddleia breaks dormancy late and should be pruned back each spring. Zones 6-10.
B. davidii ‘Black Knight’
Grows 8-10’ tall with an open, spreading form. The deep, dark purple flowers are almost black. Most popular of the varieties.
B. davidii ‘Pink Delight’
The dense clusters of pink flowers are a delightful companion to the rich, violet purple blooms of '‘Black Knight’. Grows to 6’ tall.
B. davidii ‘Royal Red’
Similar to ‘Black Knight’, but the blooms are more reddish-purple. Grows 6-8’ tall.
B. var. nanhoensis ‘Nanho Blue’
Spreading dwarf habit of about 3-5’ high, the mauve-blue flowers lie in a bed of silver-green foliage. A dwarf variety of B. davidii.
B. var. nanhoensis ‘Nanho Purple’
Similar to ‘Nanho Blue’, with purple flowers. Grows 3-5’ tall.
Buxus \ Boxwood
Widely used evergreen for hedging and topiary. If left to do its own, most grow soft and billowing. Once adapted, this is an easy-to-care-for plant.
B. microphylla japonica \ Japanese Boxwood
A boxwood that is popular for sheared hedges or containers. Slow-growing evergreen shrub reaching 4-6’ tall. Sun to part shade. Zone 7.
B. microphylla japonica 'Richardi' \ Richardii Boxwood
Larger leaves and darker green than most boxwoods. Vigorous grower to 6'. Zone 7.
B. microphylla var. koreana ‘Winter Green’
Oval-shaped, dark green leaves having a small, dense, compact growing habit. A great plant for edges or individual specimen plantings. Grow in full sun. Zone 5.
B. microphylla var. koreana ’Winter Gem’
Small, dark green oval leaves on this compact grower to 2’ in height. Zone 5.
B. x ‘Green Gem’ COPF No.3736
A green globe, described by the introducers as a perfect round ball. Hardier than 'Green Beauty', slow growing, and requires little pruning. Bronze foliage throughout the winter. Mature size is 2x2' and has the smallest leaves of this group of boxwood. Zone 3.
B. x ‘Green Velvet’
This rounded, full-bodied, slow-growing boxwood has small dark green leaves. Grows 4x4’. Zone 3.
Callicarpa americana \ American Beautyberry
µTexas Nativeµ Bright purple berry clusters in fall are the main attractions for this deciduous shrub. Mature height is 6-8’. Adaptable to various type soils Full sun or part shade. Zone 7-11.
Callicarpa dichotoma \ Compact Purple Beautyberry
Grows 4-5’ high and 6-8’ wide, in a graceful, refined habit. Long, slender branches ultimately arch and their tips touch the ground. Pinkish-lavender flowers turn to violet-colored berries in fall. Native to China, Japan, and Korea. Various soil types. Zone 5.
Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Blue Mist’ \ Bluebeard
Compact, deciduous shrub with mounding tendencies, has fragrant blooms of powder blue. Moderate grower to 2½' tall, and 2' wide. Long blooming season. Plant in full sun and well-drained soil. Zone 7.
Cephalanthus occidentalis \ Buttonbush
µTexas Nativeµ This fast-growing, large, deciduous shrub grows 6-8’ tall and 6-10’ wide. White flowers form 1-2” balls, blooming from early summer to early fall. Does well in sunny exposures on damp, alkaline clays. Zones 5-11.
Chaenomeles \ Flowering Quince
One of the first blooming shrubs to welcome spring. Leaves are shiny green, tinged with red when young. Some varieties bear small fruit. Most have thorny branches, but there are a few that are thornless. Full sun to partial shade. Zone 5.
C. speciosa
Rapid-growing dense shrub reaching 6-10’ tall and spreading to 6’. Showy rose-pink flowers stand out among the glossy green foliage. Generally low-maintenance and very durable.
C. speciosa ‘Cameo’
Double, soft apricot-pink blooms, and a compact growth habit at 2-3’.
C. speciosa ‘Jet Trails’
Grows 2-3’ tall, pure white blooms and fruit bearing.
C. speciosa ‘Texas Scarlet’
Tomato red blooms form on this 2-3’ variety. Also bears fruit.
Chamaerops humilis \ Mediterranean Fan Palm
Slow-growing evergreen palm that reaches up to 20’ tall in a clumping form. Blue-green, fan-like leaves spiral around the main stem and make an attractive crown. Insignificant yellow flower clusters form among the bases of the leaves. Full sun to part shade. Zones 8-11.
Cotoneaster glaucophyllus \ Greyleaf Cotoneaster
Evergreen shrub growing 6-8’ tall. Leaves are small with distinct gray cast. Red berries are retained most of the summer. Good hedge or divider. Full sun. Zone 7-8.
Elaeagnus x ebbingei \ Silverberry
Broad-leafed, vigorous growing shrub from Japan, reaching a normal height of 10-15’. The narrow, long leaves and small, silver-white flowers look great as a specimen, hedge, or espalier. Needs no special care. Adapts to a wide range of soils in sun or part shade. Zone 6.
Euonymus
E. alatus ‘Compactus’ \ Dwarf Burning Bush
A deciduous shrub, forming a dense, rounded mound. Has small, corky “wings” on the stems. Outstanding feature is the blinding red leaves in the autumn. Grows at least 4-6’ tall in average soil. Full sun. Zone 3.
E. americana \ Strawberry Bush
µTexas Nativeµ Flowers appear in late spring on this 6’ shrub. Red fruit develops in the fall, then splits open revealing seeds, thus giving the appearance of strawberries. Dark green leaves are persistent. Prefers rich, moist soil. Zone 6.
E. fortunei ‘Coloratus’ \ Purple Wintercreeper
Trailing evergreen groundcover. Foliage turns purple with cold weather. Low maintenance. Excellent for erosion control, will tolerate any well-drained soil. Full sun. Zone 5.
E. fortunei 'Emerald Gaiety' \ Wintercreeper
Evergreen, with leathery, lustrous, oval leaves 1-2" long. Green and white variegated climber. Margins become pink-tinged in winter. Not particular as to soil. Full sun, part shade. Moderate watering. Zones 5-9.
E. fortunei ‘Kewensis’ \ Kew Wintercreeper
Evergreen trailing groundcover with tiny leaves. Forms a low growing mat and is a good choice for small areas. Reaches a height of 3-4”. Zones 5-8.
E. kiautschovicus ‘Manhattan’
Glossy, dark green leaves on this medium sized, upright growing evergreen. Height to 6’. Sun or part shade. Zone 5.
E. sachalinensis
Green leaves turn to a great red in fall at about the same time scarlet red fruit are produced on this deciduous shrub. Grows 8-12' tall and about 8' wide. Prefers well-drained soil, full sun, and part shade. Zone 5.
Exochorda x macrantha ‘The Bride’ \ Pearlbush
Deciduous shrub has a dense compact habit reaching 3-4X3-4’. Flower buds resemble white pearls, opening to five petaled. Needs well-drained soil in full sun to light shade. Zones 5-8.
Fatsia japonica \ Japanese Fatsia, Japanese Aralia
Use as a shade garden accent plant with bold and handsome foliage. Deeply palmate leaves are leathery and evergreen, 7-9 lobed, reaching 6-14” across. Shrub grows in a rather rounded and open manner, 6-10’ and as wide. Late fall flowers are white, with 1½” umbels forming a 20” wide panicle. Prefers moist, acid, high organic soil, but will tolerate sandy and heavy clay. Moderate to full shade. Zone 8, 7b with protection
Forsythia viridissima var. koreana ‘Kumson’
Pale yellow flowers in spring highlight dark green leaves with bright silver venation, turning mahogany red in the fall. Semi-deciduous shrub grows 4-8' tall and as wide in well-drained soil, in part to full shade. Zones 5-8.
Forsythia x intermedia ‘Lynwood’
Named after Miss Adair’s Lynwood Garden in northern Ireland. A deciduous, somewhat fountain shaped shrub with an upright growth habit. In early spring, bare branches are profusely covered with extremely bright, yellow flowers that can survive spring storms. Tolerates most soils. Full sun. Grows 7-10' tall and 4-6' wide. Zone 5.
Fothergilla major ‘Mt. Airy’ \ Fothergilla
Small dense shrub growing 5' tall with a 6' spread. With dark green foliage turning brilliant yellow to an orange/scarlet color in the fall. Great for borders. White, bottle-bush-like blooms appear in spring. For best results place in an acidic soil with good drainage under full sun to part shade. Zones 4-8.
Gardenia jasminoides ‘Radicans’ \ Dwarf Gardenia
A dwarf that grows 2-3’ high with a 4’ spread. Fragrant summer flowers, 1-2” wide and small glossy green leaves. Prefers moist, acidic, well-drained soil. Full sun, some shade in hottest part of summer is beneficial. Zone 8.
