Evergreen shrubs and hedges are important, cold-hardy landscape specimen plants
Alongside the landscape importance of trees is that of the shrubs that grow in our gardens, parks, landscaped foundations, roadsides, and commercial landscapes. Thousands of different varieties of shrubs are grown to grace lawns, gardens, and borders, but only a few varieties are available to purchase at your local nursery for planting and growing. Many shrubs are selected and grown on the basis of smart shopping for flowering hedges, evergreen cold hardiness, non-flowering hedges, berry bushes and deciduous shrubs. Many shrubs shine with brilliantly colored leaves in fall and winter.
Although it is common for some shrub stems to die from the shade, they will be renewed by new shoots; And just like trees, shrubs live for years and are considered fine property, a long-term investment, and a permanent fixture in the landscape.
Planting shrubs as privacy hedges will typically mature to a point in four to five years where the privacy screen will be vigorously solid and dense enough to hide whatever is behind it.
Some shrubs thrive in dry soil; others on moist soil, but most shrubs and hedges fall in between and require well-drained growing areas. All other possible growing extremes are important for planting shrubs and hedges, such as altitude, shade, wind exposure, and relative soil fertility levels. Azaleas, for example, do well in the shade of most trees, including pines, and will quickly deteriorate and soon die if planted to grow in full sun. Azaleas must have organic matter incorporated into the soil to thrive, and the proper acidity (pH) of the soil is necessary for azalea plants to thrive. Pine straw is often effective in keeping azaleas free of weeds. The long rows of flowering azalea plants are often dramatic when planted under pine trees, when the azalea blossoms display their sprawling blossoms. The shallow root system of azaleas requires considerable watering during dry spells to ensure an abundance of azalea blooms, the spring season following summer droughts.
small evergreen shrubs
Evergreen shrubs are an important planting option to consider to ensure the presence of green color during the gloomy days of winter. Many gardeners want an evergreen shrub as a hedge to maintain privacy when cold weather arrives. Aniseed, Illicium florianum grows in small hedges in resorts like Sea Island, Georgia, and exotic red flowers and liquorous scents rise from the leaves in the summer. Acuba japonica variegata ‘Gold Dust’ is also called the Gold Dust plant. Acuba is an interesting low-growing shrub to plant and grow next to brick buildings. Cleyera, Ternstroemia gymanthera, is an interesting shrub for coastal areas, because Cleyera shrubs are highly tolerant of saltwater spray, and the waxy green leaves have a unique tropical appearance in the landscape. Boxwood, Buxus microphylla asiaticum, is also saltwater tolerant with dense coloration in zones 5 through 9. Boxwood is one of the most important and popular shrubs to buy in the US, requiring many years to reach 3 feet tall. Boxwood plants are commonly planted in rows along walkways. Larger boxwood plants do well in group plantings in front of buildings.
Eleagnus, Eleagnus pungens, is one of the fastest growing shrubs and grows as an excellent barrier hedge or privacy fence that can grow up to 10 feet tall. Eleagnus is saltwater tolerant and can be grown in containers in commercial locations. The landscaping of the interstate is filled with large clumps and Eleagnus plants, Eleagnus pungens, shrubs to minimize car fumes and road noise from trucks.
Holly shrubs are distinctively variegated, highly adaptable, and versatile in the landscape. The most popular hollies are: Burford Holly, Ilex cornuta; Carissa Holly, Ilex cornuta ‘Carissa’; Dwarf Chinese holly, Ilex cornuta; Dwarf Japanese Holly, Ilex crenata; Helleri Holly, Ilex crenata; Needle Holly, Ilex cornuta ‘Embroidery’; Sky Pencil Holly, Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’; Savannah Holly, Ilex x attenuata; Stokes Dwarf Holly, Ilex vomitoria ‘Stokes Dwarf’; Dwarf Yaupon Holly, Ilex vomitoria; Yaupon weeper, Ilex vomitoria pendula.
Japanese aralia, Fatsia japonica, is more commonly called Fatsia. In landscapes, Fatsia is often planted and grown in large groups near shady driveways or under shade trees for that bold tropical look. Fatsia can be planted as a large specimen plant, or Fatsia in containers will grow bushy as a houseplant. Philodendron selloum is often used as a Fatsia, and can grow into a large, attractive specimen plant on slender, woody-looking trunks (stems). The Philodendron hybrid, Xanadu, is also used as Japanese aralia, Fatsia, and Philodendron selloum, but is primarily used as a houseplant or outdoor plant in containers. The deep-lobed, waxy green leaves are very cold hardy, and even if Philodendron is growing outside in Zone 5 – 10, it will spring back to life from vigorous roots in the spring after freezing to the ground.
Pittosporum tobira can be grown as an outside plant or as a shrub in containers. Pittosporum plants display bright green leaves year round and grow best in shady, low light areas. The flowers are small, white and very fragrant, like the aromatic crushed leaves. Florists use stems and leaves as fillers in flower arrangements. Pittosporum shrubs don’t grow quickly, but they can eventually form an excellent privacy hedge to block out car noise and smoke emissions. Because Pittosporum tobira shrubs are saltwater tolerant, these shrubs are popularly used in landscaping on Sea Island, Georgia. Large specimens of Pittosporum tobira are used as small evergreen trees, subtly presenting an exotic and tropical appearance. Pittosporium tobira “Variegata” has variegated white and light green leaves with fragrant white flowers, which bloom in the summer. The variegated leaf form of Pittosporum tobira does not burn in strong sunlight, like most variegated shrubs.
large evergreen shrubs
Large evergreen shrubs sometimes become eclectic little trees after many years. These large evergreen shrubs provide the garden with specimen appeal, privacy, and cold-hardy, evergreen color. Arizona Cypress is also called the Carolina Sapphire, Cupressus glabra ‘Carolina Sapphire’, and is a fast-growing evergreen, which can grow 20 to 30 feet with fine-textured, silvery-blue leaves. The leaves grow threadlike in very hot areas and will survive well in drought or under stress.
The tree of life, Thuja occidentalis, is an evergreen shrub native to the United States that can grow almost anywhere in the US. The dark green leaves of the tree of life, Thuja occidentalis, can turn yellow, orange or maroon during winter, but green color is restored in cold zones Strong tolerance, 2 – 8, in spring. Other species of Tree of Life are: Emerald, Thuja occidentalis ‘Emerald’; Little Giant, Thuja occidentalis ‘Little Giant’; Little Golden Giant, Thuja occidentalis ‘Little Golden Giant’; Aurea Nana, Thuja occidentalis ‘Aurea Nana’;
The blue Italian cypress, Cupressus sempervirens ‘Glauca’, will qualify as one of the most important specimens, evergreen trees used in landscapes. The trees are not fast growing, but are cold hardy in zones 7 through 11. The dense leaves are branched and grow in a large column, 3 to 4 feet wide. Italian cypress can grow up to 40 feet outdoors, and large container-grown Italian cypress trees can be shipped quickly by truck or UPS. The Italian cypress, Cupressus sempervirens ‘Glauca’ can draw architectural attention to large buildings. Italian cypresses are often planted on commercial banks, edging large sidewalks, or memorial gardens.
The Leyland cypress, Cupressocyparis leylandii, is a fast-growing shrub, most often planted as a privacy hedge, but in many cases it can grow into a large Leyland cypress tree that can reach 130 feet. The Leyland cypress shrub (tree) is a fast-growing intergenetic hybrid. Erosion control can be quickly obtained by planting these vigorous Leyland cypress shrubs to quickly embed their roots into the soil and cool the soil.
Podocarpus macrophylla and Podocarpus nagi are the most commonly cultivated Podocarpus shrubs. Cutting Podocarpus is a common plant practice to create a sculpted appearance. Podocarpus can be grown as an edging plant for walkways, but after many years, it grows to a small 10-foot evergreen tree. Saltwater and cold hardy tolerance of Zone 7 – 10 make Podocarpus a top choice for any landscape garden.
Wax Myrtle or Bayberry, Myrica cerifera, normally grows as a Native American plant in woodlands, but nursery-grown plants will provide a fast-growing screen that spreads by underground shoots. Birds and wildlife love this plant to nest and seek protection. The waxy gray berries are fragrant and are commonly used to scent candles with a woody scent. All parts of wax myrtle shrubs are fragrant and grow to block out noxious automobile noise and fumes. Very old wax myrtle plants grow into exotic-looking small trees, which are aromatic specimens in the landscape. Wax myrtle shrubs, Myrica cerifera, are a commonly cultivated naturalized plant that is enthusiastically used as a saltwater and cold tolerant hedge or landscape tree at the famous resort hotel on Sea Island, Georgia.
Copyright (c) 2006 Patrick Malcolm