Recommended Shrubs

from Recommended Plants for Rockwall County by Rockwall Master Gardeners Association. To download the whole book click here or just browse from the categories at left.

	Agarita Mahonia trifoliolata (6 ft.)   Evergreen, holly-like foliage; yellow spring flowers; red edible berries. Prefer full to partial shade.

	Barberry Berberis atropurpurea 'Rose Glow' (5 - 6 ft.)   New foliage marbled bronzy red and pinkish white, deepening to rose and bronze. Taller than 'Crimson Pygmy'. Cold hardy, requires regular to moderate water. Bears yellow spring flowers.

	Barberry Berberis thumbergii 'Crimsom Pygmy' (8 ft.)   Evergreen to semi-evergreen generally less than 1 1/2 ft to 2 1/2 ft wide. Mature leaves bronzy blood red, new leaves bright red. Must have sun to develop color.

Bridal Wreath Spirea Spiraea cantoniensis (1 - 2 ft.)   Deciduous Shrub with arching branches. White flower wreaths leafy branches in late spring - early summer. Small dark leaves may turn red in fall. Tough and easy to grow, tolerates all soil types. Prune after flowering, cut to the ground the wood that has bloomed. If you remove spent flower clusters, plants will produce a second (but less lavish) bloom. S. x vanhouttei is widely planted hybird with arching branches 6 to 8 ft. or wider. Blooms mid. to late spring. Dark green foliage may turn yellow in fall. In our area prefers light shade. Require regular to moderate water.

	Chaste Tree Vitex agnus-castus (8 - 10 ft.)   Deciduous shrub. In upper South, growth is slower. Prized for their showy, blue summer blossoms. Tolerate drought and most soil types. Prefers well drained soil. Thrives in heat. Good in shrub border.

Chinese Fringe Loropetalum chinense  (10 - 15 ft.)   Evergreen shrub. Neat, compact habit, with arching or drooping tiered branches. 'Razzleberri' (4-6ft. tall) has cooper-burgundy foliage, maturing to olive-green, and bears red-violet spider like flowers intermittently throughout the year. Needs well-drained, nonalkaline soil. Chlorosis is a problem in high-pH soil. Beautiful plant, good in corner and understory plantings, screens, mixed shrub borders, as single specimen or espalier. Tolerates partial shade, requires regular water.

	Dwarf Burford Holly Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii Nana' (8 ft.)   Evergreen shrub with nearly spineless, glossy, leaves. Dense compact habit and produces dark red berries.

	Elaegnus Elaeagnus x ebbingei (10 - 12 ft.)   Evergreen shrub. Fast growing and tough. Tolerates heat and wind. Established plants will take considerable drought. 'Ebbingei' is more upright with thornless branches. Leaves are long, silvery on both sides when young, are later dark green above and silvery beneath. Tiny, fragrant, silvery flowers. Can be sheared into a nice hedge.

	Forsythia Forsythia intermedia 'Spectabilis' (7 - 10 ft.)   Deciduous shrub. From late winter to early spring, bare branches are covered with yellow flowers. Tolerates most soils, responds to fertilizer. Prune established plants after bloom. Use as screen, espalier, bank cover, or plant in shrub border. Prefers full sun and regular to moderate water.

	Glossy Abelia Abelia x gradiflora (2 - 8 ft.)   Evergreen to semi-evergreen with bronze foliage. Flowers white or faintly tinged pink. Stems freeze at about 0 degree F., but the plant will usually recover and bloom the same year. Best in sun, tolerates some shade, requires regular water.

Indian Hawthorn Raphiolepis indica (4 - 5 ft.)   Evergreen shrub with spring flowers white or pink. Produces blue berries in fall. Blooms profusely from late fall or midwinter to late spring. Plants are compact with glossy leathery leaves. New leaves in tones of bronze and red. Full sun or part shade. Plants in part shade are less compact and produce fewer flowers. Requires regular to moderate water.

	Japanese Boxwood Buxus japonica (6 ft.)   Evergreen shrub, tolerates heat, humidity and nematodes better than most boxwoods. Foliage may bronze in cold winters. Often used as a clipped hedge. Sun or shade, needs regular water. Tolerates alkaline soil.

Japanese Cleyera Cleyera ternstroemia gymnanthera (7 - 10 ft.)   Evergreen shrub. Large, carefree, slow growing , but is easy to keep smaller through yearly pruning. Glossy, leathery foliage that is bronzy red when new. When mature, they turn deep green to bronzy green to purplish red, depending on season, exposure, and plant itself. Red tints are deeper in cold weather. Summer flowers are creamy yellow, fragrant, but not showy. Grows in moist, well-drained acid soil. Tip pinch to encourage compact growth. Prefers partial shade, requires regular water. Good substitute for Fraser photinia.

Japanese Quince Chaenomeles japonica (2 - 3 ft.)   Deciduous shrub that is practically indestructible with shiny green leaves (red tinged when young). Most are thorny, some bear small 2-4 in. fruits. Useful as hedges and barriers. Tolerant of extremes in cold and heat, light and heavy soil. Bloom time as early as January in mild climates, color range from red, pink, white or orange. The plant is bland looking when not in bloom, judicious pruning improves its looks. Requires full sun and regular to moderate water.

	Nandina Nandina 'Harbor Dwarf' (1 - 2 ft.)   Evergreen, free spreading, low growing shrub. Underground rhizomes send up stems several inches from parent plant. Winter color ranges from orange red to bronzy red. Good ground cover.

Oleander Nerium oleander (10 - 15 ft.)   Evergreen shrub, moderate to fast growing shrub. Excellent screen, windbreak, border for road or driveway. Plants are surprisingly hardy and survive brief periods of 0 - 5 degree F. Summer blooming; many colors available. Need little water once established but can take more. Tolerate most soil types. Prune in early spring to control size and form. Dwarf forms are available. All parts of plant are poisonous if ingested. Requires full sun.

	Pearl Bush Exochorda giraldii wilsonii (15 ft.)   Deciduous shrub. Showy flowers in spring. Loose, spike-like clusters resembling pearls. Prefers well-drained, acid soil but will grow in neutral or alkaline soil. Flowers are formed on previous year’s growth, so prune after bloom to control size and form.

Privet Ligustrum sp. (2 - 5 ft.)   Deciduous, semi-evergreen, or evergreen. Mostly used as hedge. All have abundant, showy clusters of white to creamy white flowers in late spring or early summer. Grows in full sun to partial shade, requires regular water. Leaves, fruits can cause gastric distress if ingested. L. sinense 'Varigata' is popular for its handsome matte green leaves with creamy white margins.

	Rose of Sharon Hibiscus syriacus (10 - 12 ft.)   Deciduous, upright, shrub or small tree. Summer blooming in many colors. Easy to grow. Prefers heat, tolerates some drought. Prune to shape. For bigger flowers, cut back previous season’s growth in winter, cutting down to two buds.

Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis (2 - 5 ft.)   Evergreen shrub or herb. Basic species is rounded and a bit spreading, but generally upward sweeping branches. Narrow, almost needlelike, inch-long leaves usually glossy green above, grayish white beneath, aromatic when brushed or bruised. Flowers in spring with small clusters of lavender blue flowers. Plants must have well-drained soil. Requires moderate to little water.