Any front or backyard landscape can benefit from evergreen shrubs that need little maintenance. Privacy screens, foundation plantings, security barriers, and specimen plants may all be made from low-maintenance ornamental shrubs with evergreen foliage. Decorative bushes offer a splash of color whatever the weather, as they keep their leaves all year.
Low Maintenance Landscaping Evergreen Shrubs
Evergreen shrubs that require little care, such as cypress, yew, arborvitae, spruce, and junipers, are commonly considered bushy conifers. Cherry laurel, Texas ranger, azaleas, and Indian hawthorn are just a few of the stunning flowers found on ornamental evergreen shrubs.
Moreover, many hardy evergreen bushes have multi-colored leaves, which may be yellow, red, or variegated. Wintercreeper, for example, has yellow and green leaves, whereas Japanese barberry and photinia ‘Red Robin’ are red-leafed shrubs. This article provides information on gorgeous low-maintenance evergreen shrubs that can add texture, color, and beauty to your garden landscape.
What Are Low Maintenance Evergreen Shrubs?
Multi-stemmed bushy plants that need little care are known as low-maintenance evergreen shrubs. The foliage of these easy-care bushes lasts all winter, rather than falling in the autumn. Additionally, low-maintenance landscaping plants thrive in a variety of soils and require minimal watering and pruning. Evergreen shrubs are becoming more popular in garden landscapes as a result of these factors.
How to Choose Low Maintenance Evergreen Shrubs for a Landscape
It’s important to take into account sun exposure requirements when picking evergreen plants that need little care. Full sun to partial shade is ideal for many no-fuss evergreen shrubs. They need at least six hours of sunlight per day. Several decorative bushes, on the other hand, are ideal for partial to deep shade.
The mature size of the other factor to consider when purchasing low-maintenance shrubs with evergreen leaves is. Foundation planting or low informal hedges are ideal for dwarf, evergreen shrubs. Yet, as a living fence, you may want to grow taller evergreen bushes. Lastly, so that the shrub has space to grow and enhance your yard’s aesthetics, take into account its width.
Low Maintenance Evergreen Shrubs (With Pictures) – Identification Guide
Evergreen shrubs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, making them low maintenance. Others, on the other hand, are more difficult to keep in good condition. To discover the finest shrubs for an all-year-round evergreen landscape, please continue reading.
Texas Ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens)
Texas ranger is a gorgeous flowering evergreen shrub that thrives in drought and heat and has silvery leaves. Dense foliage with tiny oval silvery leaves, purple bell-shaped blooms, and a lovely look characterize the rounded shrub. Evergreen Texas ranger bushes reach a height of 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.4 meters) and a width of up to 6 feet (1.8 meters).
In summer and autumn, when rainfall is scarce, Texas ranger blooms here and there. Perennial borders, foundation plantings, a flowering hedge, and specimen bushes are all good uses for landscaping shrubs. The silvery evergreen shrub may also be grown in containers. The drought and heat-resistant low-maintenance evergreen plant thrive in USDA zones 8 to 10.
Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
Japanese barberry is a prickly red-leafed evergreen shrub that thrives in poor soil and drought. It is tolerant of both. In the autumn, the red evergreen plant produces brilliant crimson clusters of berries with spectacular crimson leaves. This prickly shrub makes it ideal for a security barrier, as well as having red stems.
In a landscape, planting bushes with crimson leaves adds vibrant hues all year long. The 3-foot (1-meter) tall and 8-foot (2.4-meter) broad low-growing barberry bush This versatile evergreen red shrub may be used as a specimen plant, bedding, border, or colorful uncared hedge. Poor soil, drought, and pollution all treat Japanese barberry well. It thrives in full sun or partial shade, and grows best in USDA zones 4 to 8.
Boxwood (Buxus)
Boxwood is a popular evergreen landscaping shrub that thrives in full sun or shade and makes great potted plants. Throughout the year, boxwood bushes retain their deep green color. In a garden landscape, the hardy and easy-to-care-for green shrubs are versatile.
Boxwood can be tiny, compact, or conical bushes of various sizes. Dense evergreen foliage with tiny glossy green oval leaves makes boxwood bushes stand out. In planters, borders, mixed beds, and foundation plantings, hardy low-maintenance boxwood shrubs are ideal for planting as a formal hedge. Boxwood plants prefer full sun to deep shade and thrive in USDA zones 5 to 8.
Indian Hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis indica)
Indian Hawthorn, also known as pink or white blooming shrub, is an attractive low-maintenance privacy barrier in your yard. Rhaphiolepis indica cv. ‘Ballerina’ is depicted in this photograph. The flowering evergreen tree Indian hawthorn requires little care. The masses of pink or white fragrant flowers that cover the shrub in spring identify the long-blooming evergreen bushy plant. Leathery, pointed oval leaves and black blue winter berries characterize the hardy bush.
Drought, heat, and sun are all tolerated by Indian hawthorn. The 4 to 6 foot (1.2 to 1.8 m) tall and broad shrub has attractive pink flowers. Planting along a foundation line, in containers, shrub borders, or as a year-round floral privacy screen makes the evergreen landscaping shrub ideal. In USDA zones 8 to 11, Indian Hawthorn thrives and needs six to eight hours of direct sunlight to perform best.
Yew Shrubs (Taxus) — Low Maintenance Evergreen Shrubs
Yew bushes are a kind of easy-care evergreen coniferous shrub with thick needle foliage that requires little care. Flat, needle-like leaves cover woody stems and make these attractive conifers appealing. Moreover, yew trees produce red berry-like fruits that are quite beautiful.
In USDA zones 4 through 7, yew bushes can be found in full sun or shade. You should choose the cultivar that suits your needs to determine on the greatest kind of yew shrub for a low-maintenance evergreen landscape.
Low-maintenance evergreen yew trees include the following:
Anglo-Japanese yew (Taxus x media ‘Densiformis’) It’s a low-maintenance, miniature shrub that grows 4 feet (1.2 meters) tall and is ideal for use as a low-growing hedge or foundation planting. It’s one of the most shade-tolerant dwarf evergreen bushes.
Taxus x media Densiformis is an easy care evergreen ground cover plant with a spreading low growth habit.
English yew (Taxus baccata) ‘Repandens Aurea’ A dwarf growing habit and yellowish-green leaves distinguish this yellow, evergreen coniferous bushy plant.
The English yew ‘Repandens Aurea’ is ideal for full sun ground cover, foundation plantings, or a specimen landscaping plant, growing 2 to 4 feet (0.6 to 1.2 meters) tall and 15 feet (4.5 meters) wide.
Canada Yew (Taxus canadensis) It is a spreading evergreen plant that grows 3 to 5 feet (1.5 to 1.5 meters) tall and breadth in the shade.
Canada yew is a slow-growing adaptable shrub that needs little care.
False Cypress ‘Golden Charm’ (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Golden Charm’)
False cypress cultivar ‘Golden Charm’ is a little, slow-growing yellow shrub that is ideal for front-of-house landscaping. Bright yellow leaves that do not fade in full sun are the distinguishing feature of the easy-care dwarf shrub. The bushy conifer grows to be 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 meters) tall and broad, with drooping branches and a pyramidal growth shape.
A low-maintenance landscaping shrub, low-growing evergreen hedge, border shrub, or foundation plant for the false cypress ‘Golden Charm’ is a low-maintenance landscaping shrub. The bright yellowish-green colors of the mop-headed dwarf cypress are best achieved in USDA zones 4 to 8, which need complete sun.
Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense ‘Sunshine’)
The Chinese privet cultivar ‘Sunshine’ is a dwarf, evergreen shrub with bright yellow foliage that adds a burst of cheerful color to your garden. In the spring, brilliant yellow leaves, tiny fragrant white flower clusters, and blue-black berries characterize this lovely little tree for low-maintenance gardens.
It grows to be about 3 to 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall and is bright in color. The Chinese privet is an excellent choice for adding color to a garden landscape because of its low maintenance requirements and year-long golden leaves. As a tiny hedge, foundation planting, or specimen plant, you may grow the lovely shrub. This evergreen shrub thrives in full sun and is suited for USDA zones 6 through 10.
Golden Mop Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Golden Mop’)
The Golden Mop cypress is a drought tolerant evergreen low-maintenance shrub with decorative yellow green leaves that is suitable for landscaping. A pyramidal to conical shape, golden yellow needle leaves, and excellent drought tolerance characterize this slow-growing coniferous shrub.
The Golden Mop stands at a height of 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2.1 meters). For the best results, grow cypress trees in USDA zones 4 through 8 and full sun. As a low-growing border plant, hedge, foundation planting, or specimen plant, the small evergreen shrub is ideal.
Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
Cherry laurel is a tiny plant that thrives in limited amounts of space and requires little care. The leathery, glossy green leaves and crimson berries of the bushy hedge plant identify it in the autumn.
There are several cultivars of dwarf cherry laurel to suit smaller spaces, and the attractive, fast-growing leafy shrub grows 15 to 30 ft. (4 – 12 m) tall. For a tiny or compact garden, the dwarf English laurel is an excellent hedge plant. Between 6 and 8 feet (1.8 and 2.4 meters) tall, a dwarf cherry laurel can be found growing between 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 meters) wide.
This lovely shrub, with its lustrous green leaves and white flowers, is commonly used as a hedgerow plant, privacy screen, or natural fence. It’s also known as the English laurel. In USDA zones 6 to 9, you can grow the easy-to-grow shrub in full sun or partial shade.
Mahonia Evergreen Shrubs
Mahonia is a collection of leathery green leaves that turn red or burgundy in the winter. It is an evergreen, low-maintenance collection of shrubs. Mahonia bushes have glossy green leaves with barbed edges, which distinguishes them from other shrubs. The leaves of varied types of these bushes emerge crimson, change green, and finally turn reddish-purple in the autumn.
A cold-hardy evergreen landscaping shrub with jagged leaves and clusters of waxy-blue grape-like fruits, Oregon grape holly (Mahonia aquifolium) is a popular choice. This plant thrives in partial or full sunlight and requires USDA zones 5 to 8 to flourish. The 3 to 6 feet (0.9 to 1.8 metre) tall and 2 to 5 feet (0.6 to 1.5 metre) broad shrub takes a long time to grow.
The Japanese mahonia (Mahonia japonica) is another popular choice for garden landscaping. Its yellow flowers bloom in early spring and are followed by blue berries. Sweetly-scented yellow blooms, spiky green leaves that turn red in the winter, and glossy blue-black berries are all features of this shade-loving bushy plant. In USDA zones 7 or 8, grow Japanese mahonia to a height of 7 feet (2 meters) and a width of 10 feet (3 meters).
Japanese mahonia leaves are evergreen, but they change color throughout the year.
Holly Shrubs (Ilex)— Low-Maintenance Evergreen Plants
Holly shrubs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including tiny dwarf bushes for small gardens, and include many varieties. The little greenish-white blooms of holly are deceptive, despite the fact that it is a flowering shrub. Holly bushes are drought tolerant when they’re founded and typically flourish in most soils.
In growing zones 6 to 10, evergreen holly plants are robust and flourish best in full sun or partial shade. For a variety of holly with variegated leaves and red berries, choose English holly (Ilex aquifolium ‘Ferox Argentea’). Instead, you may pick a yaupon holly with tight, spherical growth known as dwarf variety ‘Nana.
The thick, evergreen shrub is a popular landscape plant that may be employed for topiary and may grow up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall and 6 feet (1.8 meters) broad.
Plant holly shrubs as a background plant or decorative security hedge. Ilex vomitoria ‘Nana’
Inkberry Evergreen Shrubs (Ilex glabra)
Inkberry shrubs range from 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 meters) high and have attractive elliptical green leaves that grow densely on upright stems. In the spring and summer, the star-shaped white flowers contrast dramatically with the year-long green leaves. In the fall, black berries contrast further.
In growing zones 4 through 11, these slow-growing, low-maintenance shrubs thrive in full sun. Despite the fact that some dwarf cultivars, such as Ilex glabra ‘Shamrock,’ grow to be only 5–8 feet (1.5–2.4 meters) tall, inkberry shrubs can be taller. As an evergreen hedgerow, container plant, or mixed border shrub, bushy plants are ideal. They are ideal for full-sun planting and ground that does not drain well because to their tolerance for damp soil.
Photinia ‘Red Robin’ (Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’)
The leaves of Photinia ‘Red Robin’ are glossy and elliptic, and they emerge red as the shrub grows older. As the leaves age in summer through winter, the magnificent crimson-leaved plant becomes greener. Little white flowers in the spring and red berries are other charming characteristics of the red-tipped photinia bush.
8 to 13 feet (2.5 to 4 meters) tall and broad are red photinia bushes. USDA zones 7 through 9 and full sun are ideal for them. Photinia bushes are ideal for low-maintenance hedges and screens due to their large size, colorful evergreen foliage, and dense growth.
False Holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus)
False holly is an attractive evergreen shrub with dark green or variegated leaves (on the right). Leathery, glossy deep green leaves, clusters of fragrant white winter flowers, and blue-black berry-like fruits distinguish this sun-loving shrub. The ornamental bushy plant is up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall and broad, growing to 8 to 10 feet (2.4 meters).
False holly is drought-tolerant, requires minimal or no maintenance, and is pest and disease-free. It may be grown in USDA zones 7 to 9. As an evergreen hedge, screen, foundation planting, or specimen plant, the lovely shrub with its beautiful leaves thrives.
Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei)
Little evergreen Euonymus shrubs with their colorful leaves add a festive touch to any landscape. Wintercreeper is a spreading low-maintenance evergreen shrub that grows in both sun and shade. It has compact cultivars such as Emerald ‘n’ Gold, Emerald Gaiety, and Moonshadow. Wintercreeper leaves are bright green and yellow or green and creamy-white, and they come in a variety of colors. Suitable for growing in USDA zones 5 through 9.
Wintercreeper may be grown as a mounding shrub, climbing evergreen vine, or prostrate to create a mat of green foliage. Among the various cultivars, there is a great deal of variance in color. Low-maintenance evergreen wintercreeper bushes are as follows:
- Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald Gaiety’—In the winter, the leaves change from green to creamy white to pink.
- Euonymus fortunei ‘Goldy’—A bright foliage evergreen plant that thrives in full sun and retains its brilliance all year.
- Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’—The golden-yellow leaves with lime green specks in the center make this a coveted shrubby plant.
Dwarf Spruce Shrubs (Picea)
Bird’s nest spruce (Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’) is a little growing, low-maintenance shrub that only grows to 2 to 4 feet (0.6 to 1.2 meters) tall. Between 1 and 4 feet (0.3 and 1.2 meters) tall, evergreen spruce shrubs grow. They have a rounded or conical growth habit, with a few flat-topped cultivars, and the cultivar determines how they grow.
In colder climates, dwarf white spruce (Picea glauca ‘Echiniformis’) is a low-growing slow-growing tree that will only reach 1.5 feet (0.5 meters) in 10 years. USDA zones 3 to 8 coniferous shrubs are hardy, and they need full sun to perform best.
Low Maintenance Evergreen Flowering Azalea Shrubs
Azalea shrubs of various sizes and flower colors are available at Evergreen Azalea Shrubbers. The spectacular blooms of low-growing flowering azalea bushes range from blue, white, pink, and purple hues. Azaleas can be used to enhance your property’s curb appeal or to create an evergreen hedge, privacy screen, or specimen plant. Beautiful dwarf cultivars of azaleas that thrive in containers may be found. Azaleas are one of the most commonly planted shrubs, according to most gardeners.
Firethorn Shrub – Mohave Pyracantha (Pyracantha x ‘Mohave’) – Evergreen Thorny Shrub
Mohave Pyracantha is a large evergreen flowering low-maintenance landscaping shrub with clusters of white flowers and thick bunches of bright red or orange berry-like pomes. It’s a versatile landscaping plant for both the front and back yards. Firethorn bushes prefer full sun to partial shade and may grow up to 15 feet (4.5 meters) tall. They grow at a rapid pace, averaging about 2 feet (60 cm) each year.
The berries of the Mohave pyracantha do not require much attention, and they grow quickly. The firethorn shrub has glossy evergreen leaves, little white flowers, and orangey-red berries that grow between 6 and 12 feet (1.8 to 3.6 meters) tall.
Mohave pyracantha is a foundation plant, privacy barrier, or evergreen security hedge that is ideal for garden landscapes. This bushy shrub thrives on most soils, requires little trimming, and is available all year. USDA zone 6 – 9 is ideal for growth.