Low-Maintenance Shrubs and Bushes

Shrubs add beauty and interest to any landscape plan.  They also help attract birds, as they provide a safe, covered place to perch.  But who wants to spend all their free time pruning shrubs and bushes? 

Here are some hearty, low-maintenance shrubs and bushes: 

• American beauty berry:  This native shrub thrives in the southern area of the U.S.  It sports broad, heart-shaped leaves.  The “blooms” are fuschia-colored berries that grow in circular clumps all along the stems. 

• Butterfly bush:  Few shrubs offer as much high-quality appeal with low-maintenance care than butterfly bushes.  Butterfly bushes feature conical-shaped blooms, which are composed of tiny florets.  The blooms are deeply fragrant, and they attract butterflies--hence the name.  You can purchase butterfly bushes with white, yellow, pink or purple blooms.  There’s no need to prune branches that look “dead” in spring; it takes butterfly bushes a little while to awaken from their winter slumber, and those branches will become green later.  But if a branch looks dead smack in the middle of summer when all the other branches have blooms, it’s OK to cut it off near the base.   

• Elaeagnus:  This shrub can grow to be 10 to 15 feet tall.  Its leaves are colorful, streaked with yellow.  It does well in part-sun, part-shade or in full sun. 

• Flowering quince:  This is a low-growing shrub whose blossoms are fire-red!  The bright, saturated color is welcome to the eyes in spring.  The small blossoms somewhat resemble tiny roses, which blossom along the length of the stems.  Flowering quince can grow to be about four feet wide and about three feet tall. 

• Forsythia:  Forsythia is one of the first bushes to flower in spring.  Its long stems are adorned with bright yellow petals along their length.  The petals fall off later in spring as they are replaced by green foliage.  Some people trim them into awkward square shapes, but you don’t have to worry about touching them at all if they’re in a space where they have ample room to grow, such as at the ends of your driveway.  Their natural shape works just fine if they’re not too close to the house or other structures.   

• Holly:  You know, holly!  Yes, the stuff Christmas wreaths are made of.  There are more than 40 types of holly, but perhaps the most common and traditional is American holly.  Holly bushes sport shiny dark green leaves and bright red berries, which birds love.  Blooms are white or green.  Holly thrives in anything from full shade to full sun, but it does prefer moist soil.  Holly can grow to be the size of a small tree. 

• Oleander:  There are different varieties of oleander, such as bitter oleander or petite pink oleander.  Generally speaking, oleander withers not in the face of poor soil or drought.  It also tolerates heat very well.  Oleander can grow to be four to six feet wide and tall.  It sports profuse pink blooms all throughout the summer.  It’s also an evergreen. 

• Spirea:  Spirea creates sort of a mound.  Its tiny white flowers range from white to pink, with fuzzy pistules emanating from their centers.  It grows to be approximately three feet wide and three feet tall.  Spirea’s bloom time is relatively long, being most of the summer.  The bloom petals eventually fall off to be replaced by green foliage. 

• Vitex:  Vitex may also be called vervain.  This shrub can grow to be 10 to 15 feet tall.  Its medium-sized tapered leaves are intermittently streaked with white.  This shrub prefers full sun and moist soil.  Blooms are purple, blue or lavender. 

• Wax myrtle:  Wax myrtle may also be called wax flower.  This shrubs sports ample, adorable tiny pinkish-white flowers. 

• Yaupon holly:  This shrub is reminiscent of topiary, or miniature sculpted trees.  The primary branches don’t have any foliage; rather, all the foliage is displayed as a crown.  Think of a stalk of broccoli.  This variety of holly can grow to be 15 to 18 feet tall; some may technically classify it as a tree.  It grows in full shade or full sun, and it prefers moist soil.   

Be sure not to plant bushy shrubs right next to your house.  They can scrape and damage your siding.  Besides, it’s no fun trying to squeeze into such a small space if the shrub ever needs pruning.

With shrubs like these, the only workout your pruning shears will get is rusting and gathering cobwebs!