Shrubs

Evergreen and deciduous shrubs make effective bordering and specimen plants. Pruning allows these plants to showcase their own unique natural shapes and free them of unhealthy branches. Choose a...

Variegated shrubs showcase a variety of colors within their foliage. Valued by gardeners for the interesting textures and colors, their leaves often display more than one color naturally scattered...

The holly, or Ilex genus, of fruiting trees and shrubs can be propagated successfully by seeds collected from their red or white berries. They are, however, most often grown from rooted cuttings,...

American barberry, known botanically as berberis canandensis, is a species of deciduous shrubs with serrated leaves and very sharp, large three-barbed spines along the branches. Very similar to...

Rose of sharon, also known as hardy hibiscus, is a sturdy, drought-tolerant shrub that will bloom in late summer, adorning the landscape with double or single blooms in shades of lavender, red,...

Renewing shrubs can increase blooms, rid the plant of diseased or damaged branches and create an aesthetically pleasing shape. Many types of shrubs will only bloom on old wood, so remember that...

Pruning old evergreen shrubs promotes a healthy plant, free of damaged, diseased and weak branches. Without proper pruning, these shrubs will often expand beyond designated planting areas or take...

Pink Azaleas are beautiful spring-blooming shrubs. Planting one or more in your yard will enhance your garden.

With proper planting, leaning trees and shrubs can be avoided. Some plants lean toward the sun when they are planted in half shade and half sunlight. Make sure that you choose a designated...

Hard freezes can occur just when we think that we've seen the last of winter. Shrubs can incur damage to their blossoms and outer branches. It is important to prune away this damage to encourage...

Pruning old shrubs gives you the chance to breathe life back into plants that may have become misshapen and damaged or have grown out of their designated growing area. Fungal diseases must be...

Purple leaf sand cherry bushes are vibrant shrubs that can grow to be seven to ten feet tall. Their brightly colored leaves make them attractive, and they are hardy plants that can grow in cooler...

Green Giant arborvitae grows so quickly that some people refer to it as a "bionic" tree. The giant evergreen beauties have a symmetrical, pyramidal shape that rarely requires pruning. They can...

The jade plant, which originated in China, is a shrub or tree that ranges from 2 to 5 feet high. The plant features round, fleshy leaves that are dark green in color. The jade plant is a popular...

Azaleas are relatively easy to cultivate and may be transplanted at various times during the season. They are available in a variety of colors ranging from pure white to fiery orange to bright...

For blackberry growth to be controlled, maintenance is required both in the early spring before fruit appears and in the late summer or fall after the bushes have harvested their fruit....

Hibiscus is an old-fashioned favorite, prized by gardeners for its huge, showy blooms that appear in mid-summer and last until the first freeze, sometimes growing to the size of a dinner plate. In...

Hydrangeas are hardy, old-fashioned shrubs that are available in a variety of colors, sizes and shapes. No matter which one you choose, it will add beauty and color to the landscape for many...

Plants that retain their leaves throughout winter are a welcome addition to the garden landscape. There is a tremendous variety of evergreen shrubs encountered outdoors, including needle-leaved...

Girard scarlet azalea is a fairly new evergreen azalea, hardy enough to survive temperatures as low as -15 degrees Farenheit, which makes it a good choice for azalea lovers in northern climates....

The smoke tree (Cotinus coggyria) is a popular large shrub with rounded leaves and gossamer-like tufts of mauve or ivory flowers in late spring or early summer. There are two options when it comes...

Pruning shrubs and small trees is typically done with pruning swears, but you can also prune limbs using a reciprocating saw. This type of saw has a blade that moves back and forth that is much...

Shrubs provide mid-level structure and interest in a garden, and often delight with colorful foliage or flowers. Large-size shrubs with a pleasant form or pretty bark are particularly stunning if...

Tango weigela is a newer, hardy variety of weigela that unlike most weigelas, can grow in sub-zero winter temperatures as far north as Maine, Vermont, Minnesota, and even Alaska. It's a striking...

Euonymus fortunei, or purple wintercreeper, is a versatile evergreen ground cover that will do well in sun or shade, and is often planted in difficult areas such under trees and on slopes. Tiny...

The elderberry is a deciduous fruit-producing shrub found growing in the wild and also cultivated for home berry production. Elderberry shrubs produce clusters of small black-purple berries used...

A common feature of many yards, shrubs are known for their hardiness. Many types of shrubs produce new growth quickly and spread over time, which can make them too large for a certain area or...

Skilled pruning enhances the beauty of ornamental shrubs and small trees. Indiscriminate pruning can destroy or greatly reduce a shrub's landscape value. In many cases, it is better not to prune...

Different species of shrubs grow in the wild in the state of Ohio. In many cases, these plants are wider than they are tall, possessing a spreading crown. One Ohio shrub species, the buttonbush,...

Cherry laurels are shrubs or small trees with evergreen leaves that can grow up to 40 feet high and 25 feet wide, although most of them are smaller than that. They are most often grown in the warm...

California white sage, a shrub-like perennial in the salvia family, grows wild in the Southwest and in a small strip of California. Traditionally, Native Americans burned the leaves in a "smudge...

Scale insects feed off of plant sap with an appetite that can kill off branches and even entire shrubs. They appear as black balls of immobile wax, so they are not immediately identifiable as...

Detecting if your shrubs are still alive can help you determine if they are worth saving or if you must simply start fresh with a different plant. Learning to recognize whether your shrubs are...

Bougainvillea is a woody vine that will happily climb up a trellis or fence, and is sturdy enough to create a hedge. The plant is hard to miss, because it produces miniature white blooms...

The northeastern region of the United States is famous for its spring blossoms and vibrant fall foliage. Enjoyment and appreciation of their beauty can be enhanced by a knowledge of the names,...

Rhododendrons are blooming shrubs that are most common in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8. If you are redesigning your garden or yard, you may need to dig out your rhododendrons. Fortunately, if...

American barberry can quickly become an invasive plant because birds eat the berries and disperse the seeds they contain across a wide area. New barberry plants can be easily identified. They are...

Euonymus plants are available in many varieties, and each variety has its own needs and requirements for growing. Dwarf varieties do not need as much space to grow as regular-sized varieties; and...

Evergreen trees are wonderful for their year-long lush green appearance as well as the minimal care required to own one. They are most common in Northern states, where the weather is usually...

The Sago Palm is one of Florida's favorite ornamental landscape plantings. Unfortunately, Sago Palm plants are under attack from an imported pest known as Snow Scale, Asian Cycad Scale, or Cycad...

Dwarf Buford holly (Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii nana) is a glossy, dark green evergreen shrub, perfect for adding dramatic interest to the home landscape. Extremely adaptable to many soil and climate...

Mountain laurel is an evergreen shrub that grows in the eastern United States from Maine to Florida. It produces clusters of cup-shaped flowers May through June that range in color from white to...

Viburnum is a popular landscape shrub, and it's easy to understand why. Its graceful, rounded shape and dark evergreen leaves are lovely year-round, and clusters of flowers decorate the shrub in...

Sometimes the need to move a shrub may arise. You may decide the shrub looks better in another section of the yard or you may need to move the shrub to improve the health of the shrub....

Pruning or cutting shrubs is necessary to maintain the health of the plants. Not all shrubs, however, need cutting. Dead, damaged or diseases twigs can be removed with pruning to encourage new...

Adding a new shrub to your yard can be a rewarding experience. Shrubs may be short, but with their width they certainly add a lot of green to your yard. Shrubs are perennial plants, usually with...

Perhaps you've just moved into a new place and want to learn how to care for the shrubs in your yard. Or you might wish to identify shrubs around your home or office to add new garden plants...

The Eugenia shrub is an evergreen that has dense foliage with red-white autumn coloring. Some species bear fruit and flowers. They are native to the United States and tend to grow in more...

An old, neglected shrub can present an eyesore in the landscape. It may be awkwardly overgrown, or filled with dense, woody growth. If it's a flowering shrub, it may produce few, if any, blooms....

Pruning shrubs in the spring is a common task for many homeowners. Pruning in spring allows ample time for cuts to heal quickly and hide themselves with new foliage. It also provides a good...