Here are 12 popular choices for evergreen landscape shrubs. Rhododendrons are versatile plants, often used singly as specimens, in groups for woodland gardens and shrub islands, or as foundation plants. However, they have a loose, airy growth habit that doesn’t work well in hedges.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–9 (depends on variety)Color Varieties: Lavender, pink, rose, red, white, coral, yellowSun Exposure: Part shadeSoil Needs: Rich, well-drained, acidic
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–8Color Varieties: Flowers are insignificant; foliage is green with golden marginsSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained
Canadian hemlocks perform best in cooler climates, and south of USDA hardiness zone 6 they might struggle a bit. Before planting this species, check on the presence in your region of the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), a very small sap-sucking insect that threatens the tree in many areas. Other hemlock species might be a better choice if HWA is a severe problem in your region.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–7Color Varieties: Medium-green needlesSun Exposure: Part shade to full shadeSoil Needs: Moist, well-drained
‘Golden Mop’ is a slow-growing, mounded shrub form of the C. pisifera species that will take ten years to reach its maximum size of five feet. It has stringy, arching, whip-like branches and is most often used in foundation plantings, in rock gardens, or as a specimen shrub in small areas.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8Color Varieties: Golden-yellow needlesSun Exposure: Full sun to partial shadeSoil Needs: Moist, well-drained
These are slow-growing shrubs that rarely grow more than five feet tall, usually kept trimmed even shorter. Although generally evergreen, these shrubs do not like harsh winter winds, which can burn the foliage. In addition to being a very common low hedge plant, boxwoods can make good shrubs for foundation plantings.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9 (depends on variety)Color Varieties: Most have light- to medium-green foliage; yellow and deep-green varieties are also available.Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Evenly moist, well-drained, loamy
Blue holly is a versatile shrub used in borders, screens, hedges, and for foundation plantings.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-7Color Varieties: Foliage is dark green with a bluish cast; insignificant white flowers in spring produce red berries if the female holly was pollinated by the appropriate male hollySun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Prefers moist, well-drained, slightly acidic; good tolerance for nearly any soil
T. occidentalis is a smallish to medium-sized tree, growing to a maximum of about 60 feet, though some cultivars are much shorter. ‘Emerald Green’, for example, achieves a height of only about 12 to 15 feet. ‘Golden Globe’ is a dwarf cultivar, topping out at only three feet. ‘Pendula’ is a 10-foot shrub with a weeping habit. ‘Danica’ is a globe-shaped arborvitae that grows only up to one foot tall. Depending on the size and shape of the cultivar, arborvitaes can be used for a variety of landscape purposes, from foundation plantings to hedges, privacy screens to shade trees.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2–7; varies according to varietyColor Varieties: Yellow-green to dark greenSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained; good tolerance for poor soils
Mountain laurel is usually planted in masses around foundations, for screens, or in shrub islands.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–9Color Varieties: Blooms are pink to white with dark purple markingsSun Exposure: Partial shadeSoil Needs: Rich, moist, well-drained, slightly acidic
The tolerance the yew has for shade and the ease with which it can be shaped into a hedge makes it a versatile plant. It is commonly used for foundation plantings.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8, depending on the varietyColor Varieties: Dark green needles; some have red berriesSun Exposure: Full sun to partial shadeSoil Needs: Moist, well-draining, loamy
This shrub can be finicky, sometimes dying for no apparent cause. It is a beautiful choice for shrub borders, screens, or as a foundation plant. The flowers are especially fragrant, so many people like to plant it close to walkways, entrances, and outdoor living spaces such as patios.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–8Color Varieties: Medium-green foliage with creamy marginsSun Exposure: Partial shadeSoil Needs: Moist, well-drained
Creeping juniper is generally used as a sprawling ground cover, often in foundation plantings, in rock gardens, or on hillsides. The plants are usually trouble-free, but are sometimes subject to fungal problems or root rot in very wet conditions.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–9Color Varieties: Bluish-green foliageSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained; does not like wet soil
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–8Color Varieties: Silvery blue-green foliage; cones are blackish berriesSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained; does not tolerate wet, dense soils
