Types of Shrubs: 18 Different Types of Bushes to Grow in The Yard

A garden filled with several shrubs and bushes is something you would want in your backyard to have an amazing start to your day. Garden landscaping is all about planting beautiful flowers, bushes, and shrubs to adore the beauty of nature.

Shrubs and Bushes are generally 2-3 ft. long and can even grow up to 10 ft. long which makes them more unique and attractive to everyone gazing at it. These shrubs and bushes are easy to manage so anyone having a busy work life can easily manage them.

Are you Planning to Grow Bushes in your Yard?

Picking up the bushes for your yard can get tricky at times as there are so many types of bushes that fill color in your yard. While choosing shrubs for your garden, you should always look for a shrub that requires low maintenance and which is easy to take care of. You will have garden transformation with minimal effort if you choose the right shrubs.

In this blog, we will help you figure out all the types of bushes that can be easily grown in your yard and can also be managed with ease.

Let us get started!

1. Photinias

Photinias

A shrub that is taller than other shrubs and can fill your garden with greenery while helping you grow good red leaves in the summers and springs. This is a group of plants that can add a lot of ornamental touch to your yard with its beautiful leaves.

This plant can grow 4-5 ft. long and acts as a fence row in your yard to help your secure privacy. If you are looking to grow a plant taller than others, then this shrub can help your yard by securing it like a fence.

The Hardiness USDA growing zones of the Photinia ranges from 7-11 and can be grown on any soil but soil with rich nutrients can help you grow red leaves. These plants need partial sunlight and may need less frequent water to bloom all year long. Photinia is very easy to grow but it may need.

2. Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas

This shrub is one of those types of bushes that can attract anyone with its beautiful flowers that have colors such as blue, pink, purple, and red colors that you can plant in your yard. The best time to plant this beautiful bush is in the early springs and during the fall season. This will give some time for the shrub to grow and bloom all year long.

These plants are great for low-maintenance landscaping that has huge flowers that covers the ground of your garden while adding gorgeous flowers at the top. This type of bushes blooms during early springs and rainfall.

The Hardiness growing zones of Hydrangeas range from 3-9 degrees while it grows 3-10 ft. long and can grow happily in direct to partial sunlight. It is easy to grow for anyone having a busy schedule and are planning to grow this beautiful plant.

3. Daphne Odori

Daphne Odori

The Daphne is popularly known as the Siren in the world of plants and is a shrub type that has beautiful pink and purple color flowers that blossom during late winters and early springs of the year.

A medium-sized shrub that has wide green flowers and has edges in yellow color that make this shrub colorful among all the types of bushes. However, the leaves of this plant are poisonous to pets and humans, so you need to take care of this factor before you decide to plant this shrub.

This shrub grows 3 to 6 ft. long and the Hardiness zones of Daphne range between 7-9 degrees. This plant needs direct or partial sunlight, and the soil of the plant should be Loamy. The life span of this plant is shorter than other plants as this plant can only live for 10 years.

4. Wintercreeper Vines

Wintercreeper Vines

Who would not want a yard filled with greenery, wintercreeper helps your garden look greener with its beautiful green and white leaves? From all the types of shrubs, this plant is an evergreen plant that offers ground cover in your garden.

It is a type of climbing plant that can help you cover the border and trellises of your garden walls. Wintercreeper can be used in decorating your garden as the growth of this plant is very good and will effectively enhance the beauty of your garden.

The USDA Hardiness growing zones of this plant are 5-9 degrees and this plant can grow in direct sunlight, partial sunlight, and in full shade.

5. Box Plant

Box Plant

What is better than a plant that can be shaped as per your preference and your yard needs? A box plant is an evergreen shrub for the front of your garden. This European box plant is generally a slow-growing plant that has thick greenish-yellow leaves.

The size of this plant can range from 3-30 ft. depending on the region and weather condition of the area your yard is located. You would see these types of bushes in huge public gardens where they decorate these shrubs in a beautiful way which is great to gaze at.

The hardiness growing zone of this plant is 5-8 degrees and the scientific name of this plant is Buxus. Box plants can grow with partial sunlight and in soil that is sandy to heavy clay soil.

6. Camellias

Camellias

The beauty of this flower is truly amazing and a treat to our eyes. If you are planning to plant this beautiful plant, then you would have a colorful yard in the summers filled with beautiful colors.

The camellia is one of those types of bushes that have 3000 different hybrids for you to choose from but this one must be one of our favorites. This shrub blooms red, pink, and white flowers that give a floral touch to your yard. You can also grow this plant against any wall of your garden to make it more decorative.

The hardiness growing zone of this plant ranges from 7-9 degrees and it requires direct or partial sunlight to bloom all year long. These are easy to maintain for anyone having a busy work life.

7. Fatsia Japonica

Fatsia Japonica

If you are someone that loves a plant with large leaves then fatsia japonica is the one for your yard. One of those types of bushes can grow faster than other shrubs while the green shiny leaves can grow up to 45 cm long.

This shrub is known for its hardy, robust type that is evergreen and has low maintenance which can be taken care of by anyone. This shrub blooms tiny white flowers that add more aesthetics to this plant which can act as decorative flowers in your yard.

The hardiness growing zones of this plant range from 7-10 degrees while it grows 5-8 ft. tall. This plant can survive in partial sunlight and can grow in all types of soils.

8. Japanese Laurel

Japanese Laurel

An amazing shrub with evergreen long leaves that can make you fall in love with its beautiful tiny red berries. These berries bloom during the fall so you can have bright red berries to gaze at and eat in the summers.

If you are looking for a tough shrub that can be placed in a shade or a corner of your garden, then the Laurel is the right choice you can make. There are many kinds of Japanese laurel that produce leaves in different colors with red berries that add more color to this shrub.

The scientific name of Japanese Laurel is Aucuba Japonica so you can find it on any online or local store. The hardiness zone of this plant is 6-10 degrees, and it grows 6-10 ft. long. These types of bushes can stay happily in partial sunlight or full shade and are very easy to maintain.

9. Dogwood

Dogwood

Looking for a shrub that has red bark stem and beautiful pink and white leaves? A variety of dogwood bushes will help you decorate your garden as per your choice and preference. Your garden would be blessed with colorful bushes by planting dogwood in your yard.

This is one of the best types of bushes that can turn out very attractive yet easy to manage for your garden. The Dogwood produces several shades such as pink, red, and white that can help you contrast this shrub with other shrubs.

The scientific name of this plant is Cornus alba and its hardiness growing zones are less than 3 degrees. This plant can grow up to 10 ft. long and spreads 6 ft. wide. You can grow this plant in an area where it gets plenty of sunlight to witness its beautiful colors.

10. Azalea

Azalea

A flowering shrub that produces 12 different shades of Azaleas, you can even fill your garden with these types of bushes and still not need another shrub. There are so many colors of Azaleas like Pink, yellow, white, purple, and so on so you can plant a color that is your most favorite.

Azaleas is one of those types of bushes that are loved by everyone around the world and are planted in every other garden. The flowers of this shrub bloom during the late summers and early springs growing in all shapes and sizes. This plant is a very tough type of shrub that can handle harsh winters and extreme sunlight.

The scientific name of azalea is Rhododendron Tsutsusi and the hardiness growing zones of this plant are 3-9 degrees. Azaleas grow 9-8 ft. tall and can be planted in an area with partial sunlight. This plant is very easy to take care of and grows without much attention.

11. Siberian Carpet Cypress

Siberian Carpet Cypress

The name of this shrub totally does justice to its features, a garden spread with green carpet would be great to cover the ground with greenery. This shrub is the low-growing type and is traditionally grown to cover the ground with green grass and is planted in large gardens.

This plant spreads and produces a thick layer of green leaves that can handle extreme weather conditions all year long. A ground cover bush is one of those types of bushes that will help you cover the ground of your garden.

The scientific name of this plant is Microbiota decussata and the growing zones of Siberian carpet are 2-7 degrees. You can easily grow this shrub in full sunlight without giving it too much attention and care.

12. Persian Shield

Persian Shield

The beauty of this shrub is unmatched, with no flowers just beautiful purple and green leaves that can add so much aesthetic to your garden. This plant is great if you are looking to add some darker shades in your garden and have already made the contrast of darker shrubsJunip in your yard.

A perfect plant to cover the ground of your yard and is an evergreen shrub that does not lose its leaves even during harsh weather conditions. Although, it grows happily in an environment with warm climate conditions.

The scientific name of this beautiful shrub is Strobilanthes dyerianus and the hardiness growing zones of Persian shield is 9-10 and can also be grown indoors as a houseplant. These types of shrubs can easily grow in full sunlight and need rich drained soil.

13. Blue Star Juniper

Blue Star Juniper

There are various types of Junipers but the blue one is the one that can be planted and taken care of by anyone. A yard full of colors is something everyone wants. The blue star Juniper will help you decorate your yard by adding blue to it.

As there are a vast variety of these types of bushes, it can also grow easily in tough climate conditions and is a low-growing shrub. The shrub offers ground-level covering to your yard and will give a silvery effect as they grow.

The scientific name of this plant is Juniperus Squamata and the Hardiness growing zone of Juniper is 4-8. The size of this shrub is less as it is a low-growing shrub, but it spreads 3-4 ft. wide and is very easy to be taken care of.

14. Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon

The scientific name of this gorgeous flowering shrub is Hibiscus Syriacus, and it blooms flowers in different colors including red, pink, light blue, and white. You may be confused if it is from the family of Rose flowers because of the name but Rose of Sharon is from the mallow family.

A great way to plant this flower to make your garden look more attractive is by planting these with different colors which will add many colors to your yard. This shrub is known by several other names such as Chinese hibiscus, rose mallow, Althea tree, and Korean rose.

The Hardiness growing zone of this plant ranges from 5 to 8 degrees and it grows 8-12 ft. tall and beautiful. If you are planning to plant this shrub then make sure the soil is well-drained and place it in direct or partial sunlight.

15. Purple Ninebark

Purple Ninebark

Another gorgeous shrub with some white blooming flowers, a perfect color combination your garden would need. Purple ninebark is a deciduous flowering shrub with leaves in purple shades and it belongs to the Rose family.

These types of bushes grow very fast and the flowers of this shrub bloom during early summers and late springs. Purple ninebark is also known by other names such as Diablo ninebark and purple-leaved ninebark.

The scientific name of ninebark is Physocarpus opulifolius Monlo and the hardiness growing zones of this shrub range from 3-7 degrees. As this plant is a fast-growing plant, the size of ninebark is 10 ft. tall and requires direct or partial sunlight to grow healthy.

16. Dwarf Norway Spruce

Dwarf Norway Spruce

This is one of those types of bushes that can be planted indoors and, in the backyard, as they are a type of low-growing shrubs. These shrubs are a great choice for everyone looking to place a cute and tiny plant in the corner of the garden or if you have limited space in your garden.

This shrub while it grows turns into a cushion-shaped shrub with shiny yellowish-green leaves that looks super amazing with colorful plants. This shrub is also known as Little gems.

The hardiness zone of this shrub is 3 to 8 degrees and is scientifically known as Picea abies. As the little gems are low-growing shrubs, it only grows 10-12 inches long and spreads in the same size.

17. Yew Densiformis

Yew Densiformis

An evergreen plant is an excellent choice for a yard owner having limited space to plant a shrub. This plant covers the ground of your garden and can be grown in fewer spaces while providing full ground coverage.

It produces berries like red fruit during the summers and early springs and leaves that look like needles but are very soft when you touch them. If you are looking for a shrub that is higher in size, then Yew has a variety of shrubs that offer shrubs of wider and longer size.

The Yew is scientifically known as Taxus media and the hardiness growing zones of this plant are 4 to 7 degrees. As yew is a low-growing shrub, it grows 3-4 ft long and spreads 4-6 ft. wide. It would be great if you place it full sun or partial sun and can be grown in any type of soil.

18. Mountain Laurel

Mountain Laurel

A shrub that can attract each visitor because of the blooming white flowers that bloom during the late springs and summers. There are several varieties of mountain laurel you can choose from as per your preferences and what type your yard needs.

It is a broadleaf evergreen type of shrub that grows effectively, and the flowers of this plant are the major attraction for this plant. The scientific name of this plant is quite popular, it is known as Kalmia latifolia.

The USDA zone of mountain laurel is 5-9 and it grows 3 ft tall and spreads in the same size. This bush looks more attractive when it gets direct to partial sunlight but avoid placing it in the shades.

Wrapping Up!

Make sure you choose the right types of bushes for your yard and give the required attention to them once planted. A yard filled with colorful flowers and fruits is great to gaze at every morning while having your cup of tea.

Planting and growing beautiful shrubs or bushes are the dreams of every yard owner and they wish to fill their garden with lots of evergreen bushes that enhance the beauty of their garden. All the shrubs mentioned in this blog will surely help you select your favorite shrubs as we have offered you so many options to choose from.

1 thought on “Types of Shrubs: 18 Different Types of Bushes to Grow in The Yard”

  1. Thanks for the great info. I have a huge yard with too much grass. Trying to eventually eliminate the grass & plant various small shrubs, trees, perennials, etc.
    Also want to make a frog pond and paths about the yard where one can relax and the butterfly’s, bees and birdies can call home. Just don’t know where to start. I did purchase 22 small 5 qt. Yew bushes, l would like to make 2 separate hedges with 10 along the short wood fence line and 12 along the front entrance sidewalk.
    Dealing with blocking of new train tracks being installed across the street.

    Reply

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