Small shrubs that thrive in the sun are essential ornamental plants for most garden landscapes. Small and dwarf sun-loving shrubs and bushy plants add a splash of color, green foliage, and visual appeal to a front or backyard. Small evergreen shrubs for full sun ensure your yard never looks bare in winter. And low-growing flowering bushes fill gardens with colorful blooms from spring until fall.
In a south-facing yard, knowing the finest small shrubs for planting depends on knowing which small shrubs can withstand direct sunlight. Sun-tolerant shrubs are required, even in west or east-facing settings, if the shrubs get more than six hours of sunlight per day.
As a result, sun-tolerant bushes will provide a beautiful garden environment with minimal upkeep. Full-sun small shrubs may grow up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall and may endure up to six hours of direct sunlight. The finest sun-tolerant shrubs for your garden may be identified in this article. Little evergreen bushes, perennial blooming bushes, and colorful bushy plants can be found in the images and descriptions below.
What is Full Sun and Partial Sun?
At least six hours of direct sunlight per day is required for small shrubs in full sun. The little bushes must obtain some shadow for a few hours in the middle of the day, which is known as partial sun or partial shade. Dwarf plants may tolerate dappled shade in certain situations for partial sun.
In the hottest climates, it’s helpful to remember that full sun and partial sun bushes need plenty of watering. Even though they are considered drought-tolerant plants, the most sun-tolerant shrubs need a lot of moisture to survive in the intense heat.
How to Choose Small Shrubs for Full Sun
USDA growing zone, sunlight exposure, moisture levels, and soil type are the four primary elements that influence your selection of small landscaping shrub. Little, sun-hardy shrubs are often easy to care for and don’t need trimming to keep their height. Picking disease- and insect-resistant shrubs is also a good idea.
Types of Small Shrubs for Full Sun (With Pictures) – Identification Guide
In a bright garden, small shrubs may do wonders for the aesthetics. For a bright garden landscape, try out some tiny deciduous shrubs and low-growing evergreen bushy plants.
Small Hydrangea Shrubs for Full Sun
Many sun-tolerant little cultivars with lovely bloom in a wide range of colors may be found among the Hydrangea shrubs, as well as thick leathery leaves and rounded growth. Little blue, pink, creamy-white, purple, or red petals make up the tiny hydrangea shrub flowers.
Large, ball-like blossoms or umbrella-shaped clusters make up the flowerhead. For compact, sunny gardens or containers, small hydrangea shrubs are ideal. The lovely bushes range in height from 2 to 6 feet (0.6 to 1.8 meters). Cold-hardy perennials that endure harsh winters and return in the spring are examples of the many varieties of versatile landscaping shrubs. In hot, humid conditions in the south, mophead hydrangeas flower as evergreen shrubs.
In a Florida landscape or under colder conditions in the north, hydrangeas dwarf shrubs are ideal for planting. In northern climates, hydrangea is a deciduous plant, while in warmer, semi-tropical areas, it is an evergreen plant. To brighten up a patio or decking area, plant sun-loving hydrangeas alongside a foundation line, in mixed shrub borders, or pots.
USDA growing zones: 3 to 9 (check individual cultivars)
Soil: Well-drained soil that is uniformly moist
Sun exposure: Full sun or partial sun
Dwarf Azalea Shrubs for Growing in Full Sun (Rhododendron spp.)
Little azalea shrubs thrive in bright environments, where abundant sunlight encourages dazzling, colorful pink, red, purple and yellow blooms. The funnel-shaped, ruffled flowers, smooth leathery lance-shaped leaves, and sun tolerance of azalea bushes identify them.
Dwarf varieties of azaleas only grow 2 to 6 feet (0.6 to 1.8 meters) tall, despite the fact that they may be huge flowering shrubs. A bright front or backyard needs sun-loving azalea bushes. From early spring to summer, compact deciduous or evergreen bushy plants bloom profusely. In tiny gardens, borders, cottage gardens, and foundation planting, the flowering shrubs are best for full sun.
USDA growing zones: However, zones 8 and 9 are home to certain heat-loving azaleas.
Soil: Well-drained, moist, acidic soil
Sun exposure: Full sun to partial sun
Small Flowering Shrubby Cinquefoil For Full Sun (Potentilla fruticosa)
For full sun or part sun, Potentilla fruticosa is a little shrub with lovely flowers. The five-petaled golden yellow blooms, tiny blue-green leaves, and compact form distinguish the shrubby plant. The long blooming period of shrubby cinquefoil, which begins in late spring and ends in late autumn, is well-known.
If they get enough sunlight, small cinquefoil shrubs can flourish in most gardens. Hot summers and dryness, as well as freezing winter temperatures, are tolerated by the hardy bush. Shrubby cinquefoil grows to be 2–4 feet (0.6–1.2 meters) tall as a sun-lover. As an informal hedge, specimen shrub, or massed in borders and beds, the yellow-flowering shrub thrives.
USDA growing zones: 3 to 7
Soil: The majority of soil types are evenly moist and well-drained.
Sun exposure: Full sun to part sun
Dwarf Arborvitae Shrubs (Thuja Occidentalis)
Miniature globe-shaped arborvitae shrubs are ideal evergreen shrubs for sunny areas. Thuja occidentalis ‘Danica’ is one of them. The thick, compact foliage of arborvitae bushes, which consists of flattened feathery sprays, distinguish them. From golden-green to emerald green and dark green, evergreen arborvitae bushes range in color. Dwarf arborvitae plants, on the other hand, may have a conical or globe-shaped growth habit.
In a sunny landscape, Thuja orientalis ‘Aurea Nana’ dwarf arborvitae shrubs have several uses. They’re perfect privacy screens and security hedges because of their dense evergreen soft scale-like leaves. Lastly, the shrub’s rounded, conical, or columnar growth may enhance any sunny landscape.
Cultivars like ‘Fire Chief’ with its orangey-red winter foliage, ‘Danica’ with soft feathery sprays creating a dark green rounded shape, and ‘Aurea Nana’ with its bright golden-green foliage and globose form are some of the best small arborvitae shrubs available.
USDA growing zones: 2 to 7 depending on the cultivar
Soil: Well-drained, average soils
Sun exposure: In the hottest places, full sun with afternoon shade is common.
Small Juniper Shrubs For Full Sun (Juniperus)
Junipers are tiny evergreen coniferous shrubs that grow best in the brightest environments. Upright columnar, flattened, and spreading juniper shrubs are the most common forms. A round mound is also possible. Emerald-green, blue-green, or silvery-blue needle-like leaves with golden needles develop on the woody leaves in direct sunlight. For sunny garden landscaping, small juniper bushes offer a variety of uses. landscaping techniques for using junipers in the garden are given below:
Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’: A vertical emphasis in the earth or containers may be created using columnar junipers (Juniperus communis). The cultivar Gold Cone grows 3 to 5 feet (1.5 to 1.5 meters) tall and has golden green leaves.
Juniperus horizontalis ‘Blue Chip’: As a full sun evergreen ground cover, creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) grows. The Blue Chip cultivar grows to be 8 feet (2.4 meters) broad but only 1 foot (0.3 meters) high.
Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’: Squat junipers are appropriate for combining with perennials and deciduous shrubs in a mixed planting since they have horizontal branches and densely growing, prickly silvery needles. It grows to be 3 feet (1 meter) tall and is flat-topped.
Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’ is a popular variety of juniper.
Small Flowering Weigela ‘Alexandra’ Shrub (Weigela florida ‘Wine and Roses’)
The purple-leafed weigela ‘Alexandra’ is a gorgeous landscaping shrub noted for its dark purple ovate leaves, crimson funnel flowers, and tiny height of 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters). The bright deciduous shrub is suited to full sun and is simple to maintain.
In reality, the brightest light promotes prolific blooming and dark foliage. In a sunny garden landscape, the blooming weigela adds drama. Growing along borders, adding a burst of color to sunny borders, enhancing the aesthetics of a foundation line, or growing as a specimen plant, the small full sun flowering shrub is ideal.
USDA growing zones: 4 to 8
Soil: Moist, well-drained soils
Sun exposure: Full sun
Wintercreeper Shrubs for Full Sun (Euonymus fortunei)
Little evergreen euonymus bushes with their colorful foliage add a decorative touch to any sunny yard. The variegated leaves of wintercreeper, shown in this photograph, make it a leafy evergreen shrub that thrives in full sun. Low, vigorous growth and a spreading nature characterize the landscaping shrubs.
The yellow and green or creamy-white and green leaves are up to 3″ (7.5 cm) long, with serrated margins. Wintercreeper evergreen shrubs can grow to be up to 4 feet (1.2 meters) tall and wide. The shrubs are ideal for fast-growing ground cover due to their vigorous growth.
Wintercreeper bushes are durable landscaping species that are well-liked. Evergreen ground cover, foundation plants, and edging walkways and driveways benefit from the creeping stems and thickly-branched growth. Climbing stems can also be used to cover walls or pergolas. Some of the best small shrubs for landscaping a sunny garden include descriptions of wintercreeper leaves:
Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’: Leaves with lime-green centers, golden yellow ovate.
Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald Gaiety’: The leaves are glossy and emerald-green, with creamy-white borders.
Euonymus fortunei ‘Goldy’: A bushy mat of brightly-colored foliage with bright, chartreuse-yellow leaves with soft serrated borders.
USDA growing zones: 5 to 8
Soil: Good drainage soil that is average in moisture.
Sun exposure: Full sun, with partial sun in the afternoon.
Dwarf Japanese Spindle Shrub (Euonymus japonicus)
Little evergreen Japanese spindle shrubs have lovely foliage that makes them ideal for full to partial sun as foundation plants. Aureo-Marginatus, Silver King, and Microphyllus are cultivars shown in this photograph. They have brilliantly colored cream white, yellow, or green leaves.
Throughout the year, flowering evergreen decorative shrubs add visual appeal to a garden landscape. Throughout the year, the full-sun shrub retains its foliage and color. Dwarf Japanese spindle plants grow to be 2–3 feet (0.6–1 m) tall and 2 feet (0.6 m) broad.
Variegated foliage makes a variety of Japanese spindle shrubs stand out. Beds and borders, or tall shrubs and perennials, are ideal places for upright, bushy, evergreen plants. You can also use Japanese spindle as a foundation plant, container plant, or to highlight an entranceway.
USDA growing zones: 6 to 9
Soil: Well-drained soils with medium moisture
Sun exposure: Full sun to partial sun
Spiraea Shrubs for Sunny Gardens
Gold Mound Japanese spirea (Spiraea japonica ‘Gold Mound’) reaches 2–3 feet (60–90 cm) in height and width, making it ideal for sunny gardens and tiny gardens. Spiraea bushes are easy to grow in most gardens and have a multi-seasonal appeal. White, pink, or crimson blossoms appear in the shrub during the summer and last until early autumn.
In the fall, the orangey-red to purple leaves of the shrub add to its beauty. 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 1 m) tall and broad small spiraea bushes may be seen. As foundation plantings, low-growing deciduous hedges, or as a sunny border enhancement, you may plant the blooming landscape plants.
USDA growing zones: 5 to 8
Soil: Well-drained, average soils with medium moisture
Sun exposure: Full sun
Dwarf Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii)
Dwarf fothergilla is a lovely white-flowering small landscape shrub with lush green summer foliage and colorful fall colors that may grow in full sun or partial shade. The showy blossom feature wiry stamens rather than petals and have a honey-scented fragrance.
White blooms in the spring, green summer foliage, and brilliant orange autumn foliage give this lovely bushy shrub three-season visual appeal. Small fothergilla plants grow to be 2–3 feet (0.6–1meter) tall. Grow it as a foundation plant, low hedge, or specimen shrub in mixed borders or as a foundation plant.
USDA growing zones: 5 to 8
Soil: Soil that drains well and is rich in organic matter
Sun exposure: Full sun to partial sun
Small Spruce Shrubs (Picea glauca, Picea pungens)
Spruce shrubs are evergreen coniferous bushes that prefer strong sunlight. The stiff, short needle-like leaves, densely growing foliage, and compact, mounding growth of small spruce shrubs are all characteristics that identify them. The full-sun landscaping plants grow to be 1 to 5 feet (0.3 to 1.5 meters) tall and broad, depending on the variety of spruce shrubs. In sunny areas, there are two types of spruce shrubs that prosper:
Picea glauca ‘Alberta Globe’: The deep emerald-green leaves of this little white spruce give it a mounding growth habit. It reaches a height of 1.3 feet (0.4 meters) and a width of 2 feet (0.6 meters).
Picea pungens ‘Globosa’: Silvery-gray leaves and a pyramidal growth habit characterize this small Colorado spruce shrub. Three to five feet (1.5 to 1.8 meters) tall and broad, the compact evergreen shrub develops
USDA growing zones: 2 to 8
Soil: Soil that is well-drained and somewhat acidic.
Sun exposure: Full sun
Dwarf Evergreen Inkberry Shrub ‘Shamrock’ (Ilex glabra ‘Shamrock’)
Little inkberry flowering shrubs have tiny evergreen leaves, an upright growth habit, and tolerate poorly-drained soil. They are ideal for full sun. Little white blooms, slender dark green leaves, and deep blue, almost black berries identify the shrub. The little shrub grows to be 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 meters) tall.
Landscape uses: Evergreen hedges, mixed shrub borders, and bog gardens are all examples of foundation plantings.
USDA growing zones: 4 to 9
Soil: Good drainage and medium acidity are ideal for wet acidic soils.
Sun exposure: Full sun to partial sun
Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense ‘Sunshine’)
To brighten up a sunny garden, the compact Chinese privet shrub adds a burst of golden yellow color. The scent white summer blooms, lustrous blue-black berries, and golden yellow leaves distinguish this small shrub. The cultivar Sunshine grows to be 3–6 feet (1–1.8 meters) tall and 4 feet (1.2 meters) wide.
Landscape uses: A shrub border, tiny hedge, foundation planting, or a container plant can be used.
USDA growing zones: 6 to 10
Soil: The shrub is drought, heat, and salt tolerant; dry to medium average soils that drain well.
Sun exposure: Full sun to partial sun
Dwarf Bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis ‘Little John’)
The bright red bottlebrush flowers of Callistemon viminalis ‘Little John’ stand out against narrow bluish-green leaves in full sun. Bristle-like stamens thrive in the sun and create spectacular red shrub blooms. Small, compact gardens will appreciate the shrub’s dense, rounded habit. It’s 3 feet (1 meter) tall and 5 feet (1.5 meters) broad.
Landscape uses: Container planting, thin evergreen hedge, Foundation planting, and sunny coastal gardens
USDA growing zones: 8 – 12
Soil: Moist, well-drained soils
Sun exposure: Full sun
Small Viburnum Shrubs for Full Sun
In the spring, white flowers appear on dwarf Walter’s viburnum obovatum, and in the summer, small reddish-black berries appear. The rounded clumps of white star-shaped blooms, deep green leaves, and reddish-maroon hues in the autumn distinguish the low-growing bushy shrubs. To grow 3 to 4 feet (1.8 to 1.8 meters) tall and wide, little flowering viburnum shrubs need a lot of sun.
Landscape uses: Summer privacy screens, perennial sunny gardens, and foundation plantings are all examples of shrub borders.
USDA growing zones: 4 to 7
Soil: Soil types that are well-draining and moisture-retentive, and a broad range of them.
Sun exposure: Full sun to partial sun
Dwarf Chenille (Acalypha Reptans)
Dwarf chenille is a gorgeous low-growing sun-tolerant shrub that creates a mat of fuzzy red cylindrical flowers and heart-shaped leaves. It’s a low-growing evergreen flowering ground cover. Only in tropical regions does the ground-hugging, trailing evergreen plant thrive. In full sun, the spreading shrub reaches 1 to 1.5 feet (0.3 to 0.45 meters) in height and width.
Landscape uses: In milder climates, a season annual, ground cover in full sun, hanging baskets, and container plantings.
USDA growing zones: 9 to 11
Soil: rich, damp, well-drained soil with high humus
Sun exposure: Full sun to partial sun