Low = under 3 feet, Medium = 3 feet to 6 feet, Tall = over 6 feet
Low Summer Shrubs
Scientific name USDA Zone Height X Width Description
Common name Water Exposure
Calluna vulgaris 5 2' X 3' Evergreen. Red, pink or white flo-
Scotch Heather Med. Sun wers in summer. Needs drainage.
Daboecia cantabrica 2 18" X 3' Evergreen. Fine texture. Pink
Irish Bell Heath Med. Sun flowers June to October.
Escallonia x 'Newport Dwarf' 8 2' X 3' Evergreen. Clusters of red flowers
Newport Dwarf Escallonia Low Sun-Part May to August. Attracts bees.
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Pink Elf 6 2' X 3' Deciduous. Pink flowers in June to
Pink Elf Hydrangea Med. Shade September. Good cut flower.
Philadelp. 'Miniature Snowflake 4 2' X 2' Deciduous. Fragrant white flowers
Min. Snowflake Mockorange Med. Sun-Part in summer.
Spiraea buma. 'Anthony Waterer' 4 2' X 3' Deciduous. Red flowers in June and
Anthony Waterer Spiraea Med. Sun again after a light shearing.
Spiraea japonica 'Shirobana' 6 2' X 3' Deciduous. Pink and white flowers
Shirobana Spirea Med. Sun-Part on same bush in summer.
Medium Summer Shrubs
Scientific name USDA Zone Height X Width Description
Common name Water Exposure
Abelia grandiflora 6 5' X 5' Evergreen. Pink or white flowers.
Glossy Abelia Med. Sun-Part Arching branches can be sheared.
Blueberry 7 5' X 5' Deciduous. Edible blueberries in
Blueberry High Sun-Part summer. Red fall leaves.
Buddleia davidii 5 6' X 6' Deciduous. Purple to pink flowers in
Butterfly Bush Low Sun-Part summer. Attracts butterflies.
Buddleia davidii'Nanohensis' 5 3' X 3' Deciduous. Blue-green leaves. Sum-
Dwarf Butterfly Bush Low Sun mer flowers attrack butterflies.
Caryopteris x clandonensis 5 2' X 2' Deciduous. Some have silvery
Bluebeard Low Sun leaves. Blue flowers in summer.
Ceanothus impressus 9 5' X 5' Evergreen. Small leaves. Blue
Santa Barbara Ceanothus Low Sun-Part flowers in June.
Cistus species 8 3-5' X 5' White to purple two-tone flowers
Rockrose Low Sun May-July. Tolerates salt & wind.
Escallonia exoniensis 7 5' X 5' Evergreen. Clusters of pink or red
Escallonia Low Sun-Part flowers May-August. Attracts bees
Hibiscus mutabilis 'Rubrus' 7 4' X 3' Deciduous. Dies down to the ground.
Confederate Rose Med. Sun Red flowers in summer.
Hydrangea macrophylla 7 6' X 4' Deciduous. Large flowers in June to
Big Leafed Hydrangea Med. Shade September. Good cut flowers.
Hydrangea quercifolia 5 5' X 5' Deciduous. Creamy white flower
Oakleaf Hydrangea Med. Sun-Part clusters in June. Red fall leaves
Philadelphus virginalis 4 6' X 2' Deciduous. Fragrant whte flowers in
Virginal Mockorange Med. Sun June to August.
Potentilla fruticosa 5 3' X 3' Deciduous. Yellow flowers all
Potentilla Med. Sun summer.
Rosa 5 4' X 3' Deciduous. Many sizes and styles of
Rose Med. Sun flowers in many colors all summer
Sambucus canadensis 'Variegata' 4 6' X 5' Deciduous. Yellow edged leaves.
Variegated Elberberry Med. Sun-Part Creamy white flowers in summer.
Sorbaria sorbifolia 2 5' X 5' Deciduous. Large clusters of tiny
Ash Leaf Spirea Med. Sun-Part white flowers. Trim hard.
Spiraea cantonensis 4 3' X 3' Deciduous. Pink, double flowers in
Reeves Spiraea Med. Sun summer.
Weigela florida 5 6' X 6' Deciduous. Fragrant white, pink or
Weigela Med. Sun-Shade red flowers all summer.
Yucca recurvifolia 7 6' X 3' Evergreen. Single trunk. Blue green
Yucca Low Sun leaves. White flowers in June.
Tall Summer Shrubs
Scientific name USDA Zone Height X Width Description
Common name Water Exposure
Bamboo, Fargesia nitida q 12' X 5' Evergreen. Hardy clumping bamboo
Fountain Bamboo Med. Shade-Part with black stems.
Bamboo, Phyllostachys aurea 7 10' X 10' Evergreen. Running. Golden stems.
Golden Bamboo Med. Sun-Part Plant in big pot to form a clump.
Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple 4 10' X 12' Deciduous. Unusual flowers stalks
Royal Purple Smoke Tree Low Sun-Part cover plant like smoke in July.
Hibiscus syriacus 5 8' X 6' Deciduous. Large red, pink, blue or
Rose Of Sharon Med. Sun-Part white flowers June to August.
Hydrangea panicu. 'Grandiflora' 4 12' X 8' Deciduous. Flowers are long cones
Peegee Hydrangea Med. Sun-Part of white in summer.
Kolkwitzia amabilis 6 10' X 8' Deciduous. Upright to arching. Pink
Beauty Bush Med. Sun-Part and yellow flowers in June.
Lagerstroemia indica 7 10' X 6' Deciduous. Spikes of white, pink or
Crape Myrtle Low Sun red flowers in August. Needs heat
Leucophyllum frutescens 8 6' X 4' Evergreen. Silvery leaves with pur-
Texas Ranger Low Sun ple flowers in summer.
Ligustrum japonicum 'Texanum' 7 7' X 6' Evergreen. Dark green leaves.
Texas Waxleaf Privet Med. Sun Fragrant white flowers in June.
