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
Abelia grandiflora 6 5' X 5' Evergreen. Pink or white flowers.
Glossy Abelia Med. Sun-Part Arching branches can be sheared.
Callistemon citri. 'Little John' 8 3' X 5' Evergreen. Red flowers in summer.
Dwarf Bottlebrush Med. Sun
Caryopteris clandonensis 5 3'X 3' Deciduous. Some have silvery
Bluebeard Low Sun leaves. Blue flowers in summer.
Ceanothus impressus 7 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.
Clethra alnifolia 4 6' X 4' Deciduous. Fragrant white or pink
Summersweet Med. Sun-Part flower spikes in late summer.
Daphne transatlan. 'Jim's Pride' 6 3' X 3' Semi-evergreen. Easy to grow Daphne
Jim's Pride Daphne Med. Part Shade Fragrant white flowers May-August
Dichroa febrifuga 8 6' X 6' Evergreen. Large flowers are usual-
Dichroa High Shade ly blue, but vary with soil pH.
Dichroa versico. 'Blue Flowered' 8 6' X 6' Evergreen. Blue flower color may
Blue Flowered Dichroa High Shade vary with soil pH.
Escallonia exoniensis 7 5' X 5' Evergreen. Clusters of pink or red
Escallonia Med. Sun-Part flowers May-August. Attracts bees
Gardenia jasmin. 'Kleim's Hardy' 7 3' X 3' Evergreen. Fragrant creamy yellow
Kleim's Hardy Gardenia Med. Sun-Part flowers in late spring and summer
Hibiscus mutabilis 'Rubrus' 7 4' X 3' Deciduous. Dies down to the ground.
Confederate Rose Med. Sun Large red flowers in summer.
Hydrangea macrophylla 6 5' X 5' Deciduous. Large flowers in June to
Big Leafed Hydrangea Med. Shade September. Good cut flowers.
Lonicera nitida 7 5' X 5' Evergreen. Green, yellow or reddish
Box Honeysuckle Med. Sun-Part leaves. White flowers in June.
Musa basjoo 7 8' X 5' Large bluish leaves. Large yellow
Hardy Japanese Banana Med. Sun-Part flowers in summer.
Philadelphus virginalis 4 6' X 2' Deciduous. Fragrant white flowers
Virginal Mockorange Med. Sun in June to August.
Physocarpus capitatus 2 6' X 6' Native. White flowers in spring.
Native Ninebark Med. Sun-Shade Tolerates wet to medium soil.
Pittosporum tenuifo. 'Golf Ball' 8 3' X 3' Evergreen. Dense and compact with
Golf Ball Kohuhu Med. Sun-Part mint green leaves. Purple flowers
Potentilla fruticosa 3 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 colors all summer.
Rosa nutkana 5 4' X 4' Native deciduous. Pink roses in
Nootka Rose Low Sun-Part June. Orange rose hips in fall.
Rosa rugosa 3 5' X 5' Deciduous. White to red flowers.
Japanese Rose Med. Sun-Part Red fruit. Disease resistant.
Salix purpurea nana 4 3' X 3' Deciduous. Small bluish leaves on
Dwf. Alaskan Blue Willow High Sun purplish branches.
Sambucus canadensis 'Variegata' 4 6' X 5' Deciduous. Yellow edged leaves.
Variegated Elberberry Med. Sun-Part Creamy white flowers in summer.
Senecio greyi 8 4' X 4' Silvery gray leaves. Yellow daisies
Daisy Bush Low Sun in Summer. Good cut foilage.
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.
Spiraea douglasi 4 6' X 5' Native. Clusters of pink flowers in
Hardhack Spirea Med. Sun-Part summer. White leaf underside.
Vaccinium corymbosum 4 5' X 5' Deciduous. Delicious fruit in Sum-
Blueberry High Sun-Part mer. Red fall leaves.
Weigela florida 4 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.
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
Calycanthus floridus 5 10' X 6' Deciduous. Fragrant maroon flowers
Carolina Allspice Med. Sun-Shade in Summer.
Cotinus coggygria 5 15' X 12' Deciduous. Flower stalks like smoke
Smoke Tree Low Sun-Part in July. Green to purple leaves.
Hibiscus syriacus 5 8' X 6' Deciduous. Large red, pink, blue or
Rose Of Sharon Med. Sun-Part white flowers June to August.
Hydrangea panicul. 'Grandiflora' 4 12' X 8' Deciduous. Flowers are long cones
Peegee Hydrangea Med. Sun-Part of white in summer. T
Hydrangea quercifolia 6 8' X 8' Deciduous. Creamy white flower
Oakleaf Hydrangea Med. Sun-Part clusters in June. Red fall leaves
Kolkwitzia amabilis 5 10' X 8' Deciduous. Upright t 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
Leycesteria form. "Golden Lanter 6 3' X 3' Deciduous. Purple flowers in summer
Golden Lanterns Leyceste Med. Sun-Part produce purple berries.
Ligustrum japonicum 'Texanum' 7 7' X 6' Evergreen. Dark green leaves.
Waxleaf Privet Med. Sun Fragrant white flowers in June.
Philadelphus lewisii 4 8' X 5' Native deciduous. Fragrant white
Native Mockorange Low Sun-Part flowers in summer. Yellow in fall
