Choosing shrubs shouldn’t be guesswork. Use this interactive chart to compare 50+ shrubs side-by-side—filter by shade, full sun, heat, drought, plus USDA zones, mature size, bloom season, and growth rate. Sort any column or search by name to quickly build a planting list that fits your climate, light, and maintenance goals.
| Group ↕ | Shrub (common • cultivar) ↕ | Zones ↕ | Light ↕ | Size (HxW) ↕ | Evergreen ↕ | Bloom/Season ↕ | Growth ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation shrubs | |||||||
| Foundation | Sprinter boxwood (Buxus) | 5–9 | Sun–shade | 2–4' x 2–4' | Yes | Foliage structure | Slow–mod |
| Foundation | ‘Fire Chief’ arborvitae (Thuja) | 5–9 | Full sun | ~4' x 4' | Yes | Bronze winter color | Slow–mod |
| Foundation | Abelia ‘Mucho Gusto’ | 6–9 | Full sun | ~3' x 3' | Semi | Late-summer white | Mod |
| Foundation | Sunshine ligustrum | 6–10 | 6+ hrs sun | 3–5' x 3–5' | Yes | Chartreuse year-round | Fast |
| Foundation | Gardenia ‘Pillow Talk’ | 7–10 | Sun/AM sun | 3–4' x 3–4' | Yes | Long bloom; fragrant | Slow–mod |
| Foundation | Distylium ‘Swing Low’ | 7–9 | Full sun | 2–3' x 4–6' | Yes | Winter catkins (subtle) | Mod |
| Foundation | ‘Dragon Prince’ cryptomeria | 6–9 | Full sun | 3–4' x 3–4' | Yes | All-season mound | Slow |
| Foundation | Loropetalum ‘Ever Red’ | 7–10 | Sun–pt shade | 5–6' x 5–6' | Yes | Late-winter fringe | Mod |
| Foundation | Loropetalum ‘Purple Daydream’ | 7–10 | Sun–pt shade | ~3' x 3–4' | Yes | Late-winter fringe | Mod |
| Foundation | Loropetalum ‘Jazz Hands Variegated’ | 7–10 | Sun–pt shade | 4–6' x ~4' | Yes | Late-winter fringe | Mod |
| Foundation Shade | Florida Sunshine anise (Illicium) | 7–9 | Shade/AM sun | 6–8' x 4–6' | Yes | Chartreuse foliage | Mod |
| Foundation Shade | ‘Sweet and Low’ Sarcococca | 6–9 | Shade/AM sun | ~2' x 2–3' | Yes | Late-winter fragrance | Slow |
| Expert picks | |||||||
| Expert | Ninebark ‘Lady in Red’ | 3–7 | Sun–pt shade | 5–8' x 5–8' | No | Late spring flowers | Fast |
| Expert | Sambucus ‘Black Lace’ | 4–7 | Sun–pt shade | 6–8' x 6–8' | No | Early summer bloom | Fast |
| Expert | Nandina ‘Obsession’ | 6–9 | Sun–pt shade | 3–4' x 3–4' | Yes | Spring flush; berries | Mod |
| Expert Shade | Nandina ‘Lemon Lime’ | 6–9 | Pt shade–shade | 3–4' x 3–4' | Yes | Lime foliage | Mod |
| Expert | Euonymus alatus ‘Compactus’ (Burning bush) | 4–8 | Full sun | 6–8' x 6–8' | No | Neon fall color | Mod |
| Expert | Mahonia ‘Winter Sun’ | 5–9 | Sun–pt shade | 6–10' x 4–6' | Yes | Winter yellow | Mod |
| Expert | Viburnum plicatum ‘Watanabe’ | 5–8 | Sun–pt shade | 5–6' x 5–6' | No | Spring + sporadic | Mod |
| Expert Drought | Choisya ternata (Mexican orange) | 7–10 | Sun–part sun | 6–8' x 5–6' | Yes | Spring + fall; citrus scent | Mod |
| Expert | Weigela ‘Variegata’ | 5–8 | Full sun | 5–6' x 5–6' | No | Late spring; pink | Mod |
| Expert Shade | Fatsia ‘Spider’s Web’ | 7–10 | Shade–pt shade | 5–8' x 5–8' | Yes | Late autumn umbels | Mod |
| Expert | Cotoneaster (shrub forms) | 5–8 | Sun–pt shade | var. (2–6' x 3–8') | No | Spring bloom; red berries | Mod |
| Expert | Rosa glauca | 4–8 | Full sun | 5–7' x 4–6' | No | Late spring; hips | Mod |
| Shade lovers | |||||||
| Shade | Japanese pieris | 5–8 | Pt–full shade | 8–10' x 6–8' | Yes | Early spring racemes | Slow–mod |
| Shade | Pieris floribunda | 5–7 | Shade/dapple | 4–6' x 4–6' | Yes | Spring, fragrant | Slow |
| Shade | Camellia japonica | 7–9 | Pt shade | 6–12' x 6–10' | Yes | Fall–spring | Slow–mod |
| Shade | Fatsia japonica | 7–10 | Shade–pt shade | 6–10' x 6–8' | Yes | Late autumn | Mod |
| Shade | Hydrangea macrophylla | 5–9 | Pt shade | 4–6' x 4–6' | No | Summer; pH responsive | Mod |
| Shade | Bergenia cordifolia | 3–8 | Shade–pt shade | 1–2' x 2–3' | Semi | Spring; foliage reddens | Slow |
| Shade | Taxus (yew) * | 4–7 | Shade–sun | 4–20' x 4–20' | Yes | Foliage/berries | Slow |
| Shade | Brunnera macrophylla * | 3–8 | Shade–pt shade | 1–1.5' x 1.5–2' | No (herbaceous) | Spring; blue | Slow |
| Shade | Rhododendron hybrids | 4–8 | Dapple shade | 3–10' x 3–10' | Mostly yes | Spring trusses | Mod |
| Shade | Daphne odora | 7–9 | Pt shade | 3–4' x 3–4' | Yes | Late winter; fragrant | Slow |
| Shade | Ilex (holly) | 5–9 | Sun–shade | var. 3–50' x 3–30' | Mostly yes | Winter berries | Mod |
| Shade | Mahonia (x media) | 5–9 | Shade–pt shade | 6–10' x 4–6' | Yes | Winter yellow; berries | Mod |
| Shade | Viburnum (shade species) | 4–8 | Pt shade | 3–12' x 3–12' | Varies | Spring bloom; berries | Mod |
| Shade | Kerria japonica | 4–9 | Shade–pt sun | 5–7' x 3–6' | No | Spring yellow; some rebloom | Fast |
| Shade | Aucuba japonica | 6–10 | Deep shade–shade | 6–10' x 4–6' | Yes | Year-round variegation | Slow |
| Shade | Sarcococca confusa | 6–9 | Deep shade–pt shade | 2–3' x 3–4' | Yes | Late winter fragrance | Slow |
| Shade | Kalmia latifolia | 4–9 | Shade–pt sun | 5–15' x 5–15' | Yes | Late spring clusters | Slow–mod |
| Heat lovers (full sun & hot climates) | |||||||
| Heat Drought | Texas sage / Cenizo (Leucophyllum frutescens) | 8–11 | Full sun | 4–6' x 4–6' | Yes | Summer flushes after humidity/monsoon | Mod |
| Heat | Red Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) | 9–11 (8 dieback) | Full sun | 4–8' x 4–8' | No | Summer–fall; hummingbird magnet | Fast |
| Heat Drought | Autumn sage (Salvia greggii) | 7–10 | Full sun | 2–3' x 2–3' | Semi | Long season blooms | Mod |
| Heat Drought | ‘Little Ollie’ dwarf olive | 8–11 | Full sun | 2–4' x 3–5' | Yes | Evergreen structure | Mod |
| Heat Drought | Rosemary (upright forms) | 8–11 | Full sun | 2–5' x 2–5' | Yes | Spring–summer; fragrant | Mod |
| Heat Drought | Texas mountain laurel | 8–10 | Full sun | 8–15' x 6–10' | Yes | Spring; grape-soda scent | Slow |
| Heat Drought | Hopbush (Dodonaea viscosa) | 8–11 | Full sun | 8–12' x 6–10' | Yes | Year-round foliage color | Fast |
| Heat Drought | Creosote bush | 8–11 | Full sun | 4–6' x 6–8' | Yes | Yellow flush after rains | Slow |
| Heat Drought | Jojoba | 8–11 | Full sun | 6–8' x 6–8' | Yes | Evergreen; edible oil crop | Mod |
| Heat Drought | Fairy duster (Calliandra) | 8–11 | Full sun | 2–4' x 4–6' | No | Spring–fall; hummingbirds | Mod |
| Heat Drought | Desert Ruellia | 9–11 | Full sun | 3–5' x 3–5' | No | Long warm-season bloom | Mod |
| Heat Drought | Yellow bells / Esperanza (Tecoma stans) | 8–11 | Full sun | 3–6' x 3–6' | No | Summer–fall; nonstop color | Fast |
| Heat Drought | Rockrose (Cistus hybrids) | 8–10 | Full sun | 3–5' x 3–5' | Yes | Late spring–early summer | Mod |
| Heat | Bottlebrush (dwarf shrub forms) | 8–11 | Full sun | 3–8' x 3–8' | Yes | Warm-season flushes | Mod |
| Heat Drought | Lantana (woody shrub in warm zones) | 9–11 | Full sun | 2–4' x 3–6' | Semi | Summer–fall; butterflies | Fast |
| Drought-tough (low water once established) | |||||||
| Drought | Lavender (Lavandula spp.) | 5–9 | Full sun | 1–3' x 1–3' | Evergreen (mild) | Summer; fragrant | Mod |
| Drought | Santolina / lavender cotton | 6–9 | Full sun | 1–2' x 2–3' | Evergreen (mild) | Summer buttons | Mod |
| Drought | Russian sage (Salvia yangii) | 4–9 | Full sun | 2–4' x 2–4' | No | Late summer–fall | Fast |
| Drought | Desert willow (multi-stem shrub form) | 7–11 | Full sun | 6–12' x 6–12' | Deciduous | Late spring–fall | Fast |
| Drought | Oleander, dwarf (where permitted) | 8–11 | Full sun | 3–6' x 3–6' | Yes | Warm-season bloom | Fast |
| Drought | Myrtle-of-the-spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites) | 5–9 | Full sun | 6–12" x 12–24" | Semi (mild) | Spring bracts | Mod |
| Drought | Grevillea (hardy hybrids) | 8–10 | Full sun | 2–6' (var.) | Yes | Extended bloom windows | Fast |
| Drought | Pineapple guava / Feijoa | 8–10 | Sun–light shade | 6–12' x 6–12' | Yes | Late spring flowers | Mod |
| Drought | Sea buckthorn | 3–7 | Full sun | 6–10' x 6–10' | Deciduous | Insignificant bloom; orange fruit | Fast |
| Drought | Dwarf pomegranate ‘Nana’ | 7–10 | Full sun | 2–4' x 3–5' | Deciduous | Summer; ornamental fruit | Mod |
| Drought | Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa) | 7–10 | Full sun | 3–4' x 3–5' | Evergreen (mild) | Late spring tiers | Mod |
| Drought | Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha) | 8–11 | Full sun | 3–4' x 3–4' | No | Late summer–fall | Fast |
| Drought | Bluebeard (Caryopteris x clandonensis) | 5–9 | Full sun | 2–3' x 2–3' | Deciduous | Late summer blue | Mod |
Look at the Heat filter. You’ll find shrubs like Texas sage (Leucophyllum), Red Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima), Yellow bells (Tecoma stans), and dwarf olive, all thrive beside south- or west-facing walls.
Try rockrose (Cistus), Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha), bluebeard (Caryopteris), and autumn sage (Salvia greggii). Once established, they need infrequent deep watering and keep color coming through summer.
Use the Shade filter. Reliable choices include Sarcococca (sweet box), Aucuba, Fatsia, and Japanese pieris. Prioritize good soil prep with strong soil amendments and consistent moisture during the first season, then reduce watering.
Check Foundation and sort by Size. Compact options include ‘Purple Daydream’ loropetalum, ‘Dragon Prince’ cryptomeria, abelia ‘Mucho Gusto’, and boxwood ‘Sprinter’. You can read over our entire list of shrubs that are foundation friendly here.
Best windows are fall or late winter/early spring, so roots establish before peak heat. In clay soils, plant slightly high or on a berm for drainage.
Yes! Just sort the Zones column and skim options that match your range. When in doubt, pick shrubs whose zone range fully includes your location for fewer weather surprises. This is a good time to point out that the USDA recently made changes to the plant hardiness map, which you can learn more about here.
General rule: prune spring-flowering shrubs right after they bloom (they flower on last year’s wood), and prune summer/fall bloomers in late winter or early spring (they flower on new wood). Light touch-ups for shape can happen anytime. For more shrub pruning info, see our shrub pruning guide.
