Low = under 3 feet, Medium = 3 feet to 6 feet, Tall = over 6 feet
Low Spring Shrubs
Scientific name USDA Zone Height X Width Description
Common name Water Exposure
Andromeda polifolia 2 1' X 2' Evergreen. Pink flowers in spring.
Bog Rosemary High Sun Likes wet soil.
Azalea 'Gumpo' 2 1' X 4' Evergreen. Large pink or white
Gumpo Azalea Med. A.M. Sun flowers in May and June.
Berberis thunb. 'Crimson Pygmy' 4 18" X 2' Deciduous. Purplish leaves. Yellow
Crimson Pygmy Barberry Med. Sun-Part flowers and red berries. Thorns.
Daphne cneorum 'Ruby Glow' 4 1' X 3' Evergreen. Pink flowers in April.
Ruby Glow Rock Daphne Low Sun Needs good drainage.
Genista lydia 6 2' X 3' Semi-evergreen. Yellow flowers in
Lydia Broom Low Sun May. Drought tolerant.
Genista pilosa 6 3" X 3' Semi-evergreen. Yellow flowers in
Creeping Broom Low Sun late spring. Drought tolerant.
Mahonia repens 6 1' X 3' Native evergreen. Yellow flowers in
Creeping Mahonia Low Sun-Shade March. Black, edible berries.
Pittosporum t. 'Wheeler's Dwarf 8 2' X 3' Evergreen. Fragrant white flowers
Wheeler's Dwf. Mockorange Low Sun-Part in May.
Raphiolepis umbellata 'Minor' 8 2' X 2' Evergreen. Dark green round leaves.
Dwarf Yedda Hawthorn Low Sun White flowers in spring & summer.
Rhododendron dwarf 4 1-3' X 3' Evergreen. Many sizes and colors.
Dwarf Rhododendron Med. A.M. Sun Some bloom March, some in May.
Vaccinium vitis-idaea minus 3 6" X 1' Evergreen. Small white flowers
Lingonberry Med. Part Shade in May. Edible red berries.
Medium Spring Shrubs
Scientific name USDA Zone Height X Width Description
Common name Water Exposure
Azalea 6 3' X 4' Evergreen. Red, pink, white, blue
Evergreen Azalea Med. A.M. Sun or purple flowers in spring.
Azalea exbury 5 5' X 5' Deciduous. Large pink, red, orange,
Exbury Azalea Med. Sun yellow or white flowers in May.
Azalea occidentale 4 5' X 5' Deciduous native. Fragrant pink
Western Azalea Med. Sun flowers in May.
Berberis gladwy. 'William Penn' 6 5' X 4' Evergreen. Bright yellow flowers in
William Penn Barberry Med. Sun-Part spring. Thorns.
Berberis thunbergii 4 4' X 4' Deciduous. Yellow flowers and red
Japanese Barberry Med. Sun-Part berries. Thorns.
Chaenomeles japonica 5 5' X 5' Deciduous. Large pink, red or white
Japanese Flowering Quince Med. Sun flowers in March and April.
Choisya ternata 7 6' X 6' Evergreen. Very fragrant white
Mexican Orange Med. Sun-Part flowers in spring.
Cytisus species 6 4' X 4' Semi-evergreen. Red or yellow flo-
Broom Low Sun wers in April. Drought tolerant.
Deutzia gracillis 5 4' X 5' Deciduous. Arching stems with white
Slender Deutzia Med. Sun-Part flowers in May.
Forsythia suspensa 5 5' X 8' Deciduous. Arching branches with
Weeping Forsythia Med. Sun yellow flowers in March.
Kalmia latifolia 5 5' X 5' Evergreen. Clusters of pink, red or
Mountain Laurel Med. A.M. Sun white flowers in May and June.
Kerria japonica 'Picta' 5 6' X 5' Deciduous. White edged leaves.
Varieg. Japanese Kerria Low Sun-Part Large yellow flowers March-May.
Leucothoe fontanesiana 5 3' X 6' Evergreen. Arching branches. Clus-
Drooping Leucothoe Med. Part Shade ters of white flowers in spring.
Loropetalum chinensis 7 5' X 5' Purple round leaves all year. Pink
Purple Fringe Flower Med. Sun flowers in spring and summer.
Mahonia aquifolium 5 5' X 3' Evergreen. Yellow flowers in March.
Oregon Grape Low Sun-Shade Black, edible berries. Native.
Mahonia aquifolium 'Compacta' 5 3' X 3' Evergreen. Yellow flowers in March.
Compact Oregon Grape Low Sun-Shade Black, edible berries.
Osmanthus delavayi 6 4' X 4' Evergreen. Fragrant white flowers
Delavay Osmanthus Low Sun-Part in April.
Physocarpus opulifolius interm. 2 4' X 3' Deciduous. White and pink flowers.
Dwarf Ninebark Med. Sun-Shade Reddish brown fall leaves.
Pieris japonica 6 5' X 5' Evergreen. White or pink flowers in
Andromeda Med. Sun-Shade March and April. Red new leaves.
Pittosporum tobira 8 6' X 6' Evergreen. Fragrant white flowers
Mock Orange Low Sun-Part in May and June.
Prunus glandulosa 5 5' X 4' Deciduous. White or pink flowers in
Flowering Almond Med. Sun-Part March. Good for arrangements.
Prunus laurocera. 'Otto Luyken' 6 4' x 5' Evergreen. Fragrant white flowers
Otto Luyken Laurel Med. Sun-Shade in late spring. Easy to shape.
Raphiolepis indica 7 3' X 4' Evergreen. White or pink flowers
Indian Hawthorn Low Sun in spring and summer.
Rhododendron 5 4-8' X 8' Evergreen. Many sizes and colors.
Rhododendron Med. A.M. Sun Some bloom in March, some in May.
Ribes sanguineum 5 6' X 4' Native deciduous. Red flowers in
Red Flowering Currant Low Sun-Part March and April.
Rubus parviflorus 3 4' X 4' Deciduous. White flowers in May to
White Flwrg. Thimbleberry Low Sun-Part June. Edible berry.
Skimmia japonica - female 7 3' X 3' Evergreen. White flowers. Red
Female Skimmia Med. Shade berries if male is nearby.
Skimmia japonica - male 7 3' X 3' Evergreen. White flowers in April.
Male Skimmia Med. Shade Pollinates female skimmia.
Skimmia japonica reevesiana 7 3' X 3' Evergreen. White flowers in March.
Reeves Skimmia Med. Shade Red berries in fall and winter.
Spiraea prunifolia 5 3' X 4' Deciduous. Arching branches with
Bridal Wreath Spirea Med. Sun-Part white flowers in April and May.
Spiraea vanhouttei 5 3' X 4' Deciduous. Long wands of white
Bridal Wreath Med. Sun-Part flowers in April and May.
Symphoricarpos alba 4 4' X 4' Native deciduous. White flowers in
Common Snowberry Low Sun-Shade May. White berries in summer.
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus 2 4' X 4' Native deciduous. White flowers in
Coralberry, Indian Curant Low Sun-Shade May. Coral berries in summer.
Syringa patula 3 5' X 4' Deciduous. Dense, twiggy, rounded
Korean Lilac Med. Sun shrub. Lavender flowers in May.
Vaccinium ovatum 4 4' X 3' Native evergreen. Pink flowers in
Evergreen Huckleberry Med. Sun-Shade spring. Edible black berries.
Vaccinium parvifolium 6' X 6' Native deciduous. White flowers in
Red Huckleberry Med. Part shade April-May. Edible red berries.
Viburnum carlesii 5 5' X 4' Deciduous. Sweetly fragrant pink to
Korean Spice Viburnum Med. Sun-Part white flowers in March to May.
Viburnum davidii 7 3' X 4' Evergreen. Leathery leaves.
David Viburnum Med. Part Sun Clusters of small pink flowers.
Viburnum tinus 'Compactum' 7 5' X 4' Evergreen. Clusters of pink flowers
Spring Bouquet Viburnum Med. Sun-Part in spring & summer. Black berries
Yucca filamentosa 3 3' X 3' Evergreen. Narrow, stiff leaves.
Adams Needle Yucca Low Sun Tall spike of white flowers May.
Tall Spring Shrubs
Scientific name USDA Zone Height X Width Description
Common name Water Exposure
Feijoa sellowianna 8 10' X 10' Evergreen. Leaves silvery white un-
Pineapple Guava Low Sun derneath. Edible flowers & fruit.
Forsythia intermedia 5 8' X 8' Deciduous. Yellow flowers in
Forsythia Med. Sun March.
Holodiscus discolor 8' X 8' Native deciduous. White flowers
Ocean Spray Low Sun-Part in spring.
Osmanthus fragrans 8 10' X 8' Evergreen. Fragrant white flowers
Sweet Olive Low Sun-Part in April.
Prunus lusitanica 7 12' X 8' Evergreen. Good tall hedge.
Portuguese Laurel Med. Sun-Part Fragrant white flowers in May.
Sambucus mexicana 8' X 5' Deciduous. White flowers in spring.
Blue Elderberry Med. Sun-Part Edible dark blue berries.
Syringa reticulata 2 15' X 10' Deciduous. Large leaves. Large
Japanese Tree Lilac Med. Sun white flower clusters in May-June
Syringa vulgaris 3 8' X 5' Deciduous. Very fragrant flowers
Common Lilac Med. Sun-Part in mid-spring.
Tamarix species 5 12' X 10' Deciduous. Long, wispy wands of
Tamarisk Low Sun pink flowers in May.
Viburnum carlcephalum 6 8' X 4' Deciduous. Fragrant balls of waxy
Fragrant Snowball Med. Sun-Part white flowers in April to June.
Viburnum lentago 3 15' X 10' Deciduous. Creamy white flowers in
Nannyberry Med. Sun-Shade spring. Edible red/black berries.
Viburnum opulus 4 8' X 6' Deciduous. White flowers and red
European Cranberry Bush Med. Sun-Part berries. Red fall leaves.
Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' 4 8' X 6' Deciduous. White flowers in April
Common Snowball Bush Med. Sun-Part and May. Red fall leaves.
Viburnum plicatum 'Mariesii' 6 8' X 6' Deciduous. Clusters of white
Maries Doublefile Viburn. Med. Sun-Part flowers. Red fall leaves.
Viburnum tinus 'Robustum' 7 10' X 6' Evergreen. Clusters of pink flowers
Roundleaf Laurustinus Med. Sun-Part in spring & summer. Black berries
Viburnum trilobum 2 8' X 8' Deciduous. White lace cap flowers
American Cranberry Bush Med. Sun-Part in spring. Edible red berries.
