Shrubs

Shrubs

A shrub is a woody perennial plant differing from a tree by its lower stature (usually less than 15' tall) and generally producing several basal stems instead of a single trunk. A large number of plants can be either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience.

Common Name: Spotted Laurel

Aucuba is a genus of three to ten species of flowering plants, now placed in the family Garryaceae, although formerly classed in the Aucubaceae or Cornaceae.

Aucuba species are native to eastern Asia, from the Eastern Himalaya east to Japan. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees 2-13 m tall, similar in appearance to the laurels of the genus Laurus, having glossy, leathery leaves, and are sometimes mistakenly called laurels. Aucubas are dioecious, having separate male and female plants. The flowers are small, 4-8 mm diameter, with four purplish-brown petals; they are produced in clusters of 10-30 in a loose cyme. The fruit is a red berry 1 cm diameter.

Common Name: Japanese Barberry

Zone: 4 to 8
Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Berberidaceae
Native Range: None
Height: 3 to 6 feet
Spread: 4 to 7 feet
Bloom Time: April - May
Bloom Color: Yellow
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low

Common Name: Butterfly Bush

Zone: 5 to 9
Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Loganiaceae
Native Range: None
Height: 4 to 5 feet
Spread: 4 to 5 feet
Bloom Time: June - September
Bloom Color: Magenta purple
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low

Common Name: Korean Boxwood

Zone: 4 to 9
Plant Type: Broadleaf evergreen
Family: Buxaceae
Native Range: None
Height: 2 to 4 feet
Spread: 3 to 5 feet
Bloom Time: April
Bloom Color: Greenish yellow
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low

Common Name: Heavenly Bamboo

Zone: 6 to 9
Plant Type:
Deciduous shrub
Family:
Berberidaceae
Native Range:
India to Japan
Height:
3 to 8 feet
Spread:
2 to 4 feet
Bloom Time:
June
Bloom Color:
White with yellow anthers
Sun:
Full sun to part shade
Water:
Medium
Maintenance:
Medium

Common Name: Cherry Laurel

Zone: 6 to 8
Plant Type:
Broadleaf evergreen
Family:
Rosaceae
Native Range:
None
Height:
4 to 10 feet
Spread:
12 to 20 feet
Bloom Time:
April - May
Bloom Color:
Creamy white
Sun:
Full sun to part shade
Water:
Medium
Maintenance:
Low

Common Name: Rhododendron

Zone:7 to 10
Plant Type:
Herbaceous perennial
Family:
Lamiaceae
Native Range:
Mediterranean
Height:
2 to 6 feet
Spread:
2 to 4 feet
Bloom Time:
June - July
Bloom Color:
Pale blue to white
Sun:
Full sun
Water:
Dry to medium
Maintenance:
Medium

Common Name: Shrub Rose

Zone: 4 to 9
Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Rosaceae
Native Range: None
Height: 1 to 2 feet
Spread: 4 to 6 feet
Bloom Time: May - To frost
Bloom Color: White (double)
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium

Common Name: Japanese Spirea

Zone: 4 to 8
Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Rosaceae
Missouri Native: No
Native Range: None
Height: 1.5 to 2.5 feet
Spread: 2 to 3 feet
Bloom Time: May - July
Bloom Color: Pink
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low

Common Name: Yew

Zone: 6 to 7
Plant Type:
Needled evergreen
Family:
Taxaceae
Native Range:
None
Height:
10 to 12 feet
Spread:
4 to 6 feet
Bloom Time:
Non-flowering
Bloom Color:
Non-flowering
Sun:
Full sun to part shade
Water:
Medium
Maintenance:
Low

Common Name: American Arborvitae

Zone: 2 to 7
Plant Type:
Needled evergreen
Family:
Cupressaceae
Native Range:
None
Height:
3 to 5 feet
Spread:
3 to 5 feet
Bloom Time:
Non-flowering
Bloom Color:
Non-flowering
Sun:
Full sun to part shade
Water:
Medium
Maintenance:
Low

Common Name: Burkwood Viburnum

Zone: 5 to 8
Plant Type:
Deciduous shrub
Family:
Caprifoliaceae
Native Range:
None
Height:
4 to 5 feet
Spread:
7 to 8 feet
Bloom Time:
April
Bloom Color:
Creamy white
Sun:
Full sun to part shade
Water:
Medium
Maintenance:
Low

Common Name: Arrowwood Viburnum

Zone: 3 to 8
Plant Type:
Deciduous shrub
Family:
Caprifoliaceae
Native Range:
None
Height:
3 to 5 feet
Spread:
3 to 4 feet
Bloom Time:
May - June
Bloom Color:
White
Sun:
Full sun to part shade
Water:
Medium
Maintenance:
Low

Common Name: Japanese Snowball

Zone: 5 to 8
Plant Type:
Deciduous shrub
Family:
Caprifoliaceae
Native Range:
None
Height:
4 to 6 feet
Spread:
9 to 12 feet
Bloom Time:
May - July
Bloom Color:
White
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water:
Medium
Maintenance:
Low

Common Name: Adam's Needle

Zone: 5 to 10
Plant Type: Broadleaf evergreen
Family: Agavaceae
Native Range: United States
Height: 4 to 8 feet
Spread: 2 to 3 feet
Bloom Time: June - July  
Bloom Color: Creamy white
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium

For this information and more, check out Missouri Botanical Garden Kemper Center For Home Garening.