Different types of shrubs vary about 99 varieties that belong to some groups. These cultivars are neither trees nor herbs, although they closely look alike.
However, all of them can reach the same height. Therefore, trubs exist since the species might become both tall woody plants and bushes.
Generally, shrubs are divided into two groups that depend on how they hold or lose the leaves. Each type of shrubs may bring a distinct purpose to consider before growing these bushy plants. Also, it will determine how many varieties can be cultivated in the landscape.
Furthermore, have a look at the following information about different types of shrubs and their characteristics.
You will learn how to cultivate them for distinct purposes as well as understand their growing seasons from this article.
Characteristics of Shrubs
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Even though there are numerous different types of shrubs, all varieties have small up to medium sizes. They come with many leafy branches that develop above the soil surface. These characteristics distinguish them from herbs.
Indeed, bushes are another name of shrubs that have many similarities with trees. However, the difference is the short height of the bushy plants and their blooming seasons in a year.
These hardy species are mostly green and perennials, although some fast-growing cultivars become annuals.
Treat the shrubs by pruning or cutting the branches to enhance the bushes and create ornamental designs.
But some varieties allow you to keep their natural shapes without any trimming. In addition, this treatment is necessary to develop more flowers in the next season.
Interestingly, the shrubs that almost die can grow a new bush again with proper care and pruning.
Besides, providing sufficient nutrition and water will help them thrive well. Moreover, cutting and training can make different types of shrubs develop into trees with fewer stems.
Essential Groups of Shrubs
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The classification of bushes is divided into two groups. They are evergreen Shrubs and deciduous varieties. Furthermore, both have different stages of foliage development in their life cycles.
Many types of evergreen shrubs have foliage that will stay fresh, green, and functional through more than one growing season.
The perennials also give universally interest all year. Some varieties that belong to this group are Boxwood, Bay Laurel, Emerald Gaiety Wintercreeper, and so on.
Meanwhile, deciduous shrubs might drop off their leaves and shed seasonally in their life cycle. These bushy plants lose foliage in the winter or fall season.
They include smooth Hydrangea, Bush Honeysuckle, Japanese Barberry, Red Twig Dogwood, and Virginia Witch Hazel.
How to Plant Different Types of Shrubs
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Different types of shrubs can grow both indoors and outdoors. If you want to cultivate these bushes in the garden, consider the size of your planting area. These bushy plants require lots of space and absorb many nutrients in the ground.
Growing various types of bushes for the front of the house is a great way. The bushes provide an attractive appearance as well as preventing the soil from erosion. Then, they may function as landscaping borders sidewalk lines.
Thus, cultivating them should be well-planned to achieve an excellent look. You can plan for a fully-shrub garden or combine with other companions plants and flowers.
However, if the garden’s size is too small, it is better to plant some indoor varieties inside the house.
Additionally, windowsill containers and hanging pots are perfect media to grow different types of shrubs indoors.
Their blossoms and leaves will increase the air quality in the room. Also, they become gorgeous decorative pieces that need easy care.
The indoor shrubs can last for many years, so you have to know the proper care of these plants.
But you better prepare more large pots as a place to transplant the next growth. Besides, try to grow ficus and aloe vera for a great addition inside the house.
Shrub Planting Seasons
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One of the factors that may affect the successful growth of different types of shrubs is the planting seasons.
Furthermore, some specific conditions are great for cultivating these perennials. But if you grow the plants at the wrong time, they will not survive for developing roots.
One of the best times for growing shrubs is in cooler weather. The plants successfully develop new roots in the early fall season and start blooming in spring. So, if you start planting from seeds, ensure that they resist cold temperatures.
Although winter becomes the worst time for gardening, growing different types of shrubs indoors are possible.
Start planting from cuttings anytime you want since the temperature inside the house will always be suitable for the varieties.
Furthermore, real gardening starts in spring. In this early season, try to cultivate dormant bushes so that they will not sprout leaves and branches during the freeze date in the springtime growing.
Importantly, wait until the soil becomes workable to plant non-dormant shrubs.
Then, growing shrubs in summer work well as long as you provide enough water during the hot days.
Do intensive maintenance until the plants develop new roots and sprout new shoots. Furthermore, keep controlling the soil humidity all the time.
Shrubs for Purposes
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You can grow different types of shrubs that offer many beneficial uses, such as a source of food, wildlife value, and decorative plants.
Edible bushes are groups of shrubberies that you can eat the crops. Some of them are Blueberry, Elderberry, American Hazelnut, Pasture Rose, as well as wild raisin.
Another purpose is decorative elements. Besides, many types of bushes can be used as a fence and backdrop of a flower garden.
Furthermore, treat and shape the foliage to create some artful designs on the lawn. For example, there’s a few attractive bushy plants such as Lingonberry, Japanese Maple, Mountain Laurel, and common Ivy.
Additionally, the other benefits of these perennials are for health treatments and medicines. All parts like stems, leaves, and even flowers are useful.
For instance, some popular healing shrubs include Spurge, Aloe Vera, Lavender, and flowering Oregano.
Various Names of Shrubs
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All different types of shrubs have both popular and botanical names to identify each variety.
The shapes of foliage, flower or leaf colors and soil requirement may vary from one cultivar to another, so several groups can be planted together to create a fascinating enjoyment in the garden.
Angel’s Trumpet (Brugmansia)
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Brugmansia is the scientific name of Angel’s Trumpet. This evergreen plant can be poisonous but having a pleasant fragrance.
Therefore, grow the shrub in gardening containers instead of directly on the planting area. Moreover, you must remember that the pink flowering bush needs full sunlight or partial shading spots.
Bluebeard Longwood Blue (Caryopteris x clandonensis)
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The Longwood Blue cultivars are resistant to the drought that requires neutral to alkaline soil pH.
These deciduous plants have pale green thin stems coupled with violet blossoms. The pleasant scent might attract butterflies as well as birds. Fortunately, they are deer-resistant bushes.
Bay Laurel (Laurus Nobilis)
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Bay Laurel features green leathery foliage with oval and fragrant leaves. Due to the strong pleasant aroma, they function as seasonings for cooking.
Besides, its small yellow blossoms develop in the spring season, whereas the female plants set lots of glossy black-purple berries.
Japanese Skimmias (Skimmia Japonica)
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Japanese skimmias cultivars are different types of shrubs that belong to evergreens. Their compact growth of green leathery foliage becomes the best backdrop for pink and white scented blooms.
The male plants produce many showy blossoms, whereas the females bear sleek red berries.
Emerald Gaiety Wintercreeper (Euonymus Fortunei)
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Some different types of shrubs like the wintercreeper bushes come with beautiful blossoms. Their flowers will transform the coloration in every season.
For example, enjoy the pretty blooms with pink shades in winter. Then, they turn into white in summer.
However, gardeners grow these shrubs as a hedge instead of their blossoms. They invasively develop in any soil type and well-draining condition.
Interestingly, if you add support, the bushes will climb up the vertical surface. In addition, the wall can be covered with dark green foliage with cream edges.
Japanese Laurel (Aucuba Japonica)
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Different types of shrubs are mostly low-growing plants that including the Japanese Laurel varieties. Furthermore, these plants have green leaves that are marked with golden splashes. Likewise, keep them grow naturally or treat by trimming into a fence or topiary art.
Boxwood (Buxus Sempervirens)
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Buxus sempervirens, as known as the common box plant, has shiny dark green foliage in oval shapes. It is famous for hedging and topiary due to its compact growth.
Therefore, you can train or prune the leaves to form any attractive models. So, keep the soil well-drained and humid to help the bushes thrive well.
Flaky Juniper Blue Star (Juniperus Squamata)
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Flaky or Himalayan juniper cultivars are different types of shrubs that feature needle-like leaves with bluish-gray color.
They have a dense growth habit and also an aromatic scent. Thus, these varieties are perfect for groundcovers. Moreover, their mound-shaped foliage can grow in any soil conditions like rock yards.
Virginia Witch Hazel (Hamamelis Virginiana)
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A fascinating color change of Virginia Witch Hazel starts from soft green leaves to a deep tone of the developed foliage.
Then, they turn again into a gold hue every fall season. In addition, the yellow flowers have unique twisted petals that grow along the branches.
Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus Sericea)
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Unlike other different types of shrubs, these deciduous bushes keep shining with fragrant blossoms, showy leaves that only fall in winter, and appealing berries.
On the other hand, the stems are in a bright red color that gives a contrast look to foliage. Thus, they are famous for the charming upright twigs.
Japanese Barberry (Berberies Thunbergii)
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Japanese Barbery cultivars are different types of shrubs that are native to Japan. These compact-formed bushes have a spiny appearance with green foliage.
Then, the fall leaves transform into a red or orange hue. Besides, the slow-growing plants develop yellow blossoms and shiny red fruits.
Chokeberry (Aronia Arbutifolia Brilliantissima)
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The Brilliantissima shrub is famous for its large clusters of shiny red berries that ripen in the late summer season, whereas the rest fruits along the shoots will be harvested in winter. They come with a delightful look, but unpleasant flavor.
Furthermore, the bitter flavor of these edible fruits makes someone choke, so this cultivar has the popular name of Chokeberry. Additionally, the bushes offer attractive vibrant red foliage in fall.
Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla Lonicera)
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As Diervilla Lonicera varieties get the common name, these different types of shrubs resemble honeysuckle.
It is because the bushes come with glossy green foliage and yellow blossoms that can turn into a red hue in the fall season.
Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea Arborescens)
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Smooth Hydrangea cultivars are different types of shrubs that resist extreme cold weather.
Their show-stopping blossoms are spectacular since they produce round-shaped clusters of large cream flowers during early summer.
Before changing into this lustrous coloration, the initial shade is a lime-green hue. Also, the dark green foliage will turn into a yellow color in the fall season.
Japanese Spirea (Spiraea Japonica)
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These different types of shrubs have a unique color change all round year. The foliage starts developing orange leaves.
Then, when summer comes, they turn the hue into green or yellow. The coloration still transforms into a red shade in the fall season.
Moreover, the Japanese Spirea flowering shrubs produce beautiful clusters of small pink blossoms in the summer and spring season.
These dense-formed bushes love being exposed to direct sunlight. They can directly grow on the ground as low borders or transplant in the containers.
English Holly (Ilex Aquifolium)
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Some different types of shrubs that function as hedging include the English Holly cultivars. Furthermore, they provide superior privacy borders since these tall bushes have a compact growth habit.
The varieties also offer shiny green leaves, glossy red fruits, and small white spring blossoms.
Yew Bushes (Taxus)
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Yew bushes are other different types of shrubs with needle-like leaves. They come with green foliage and red berries.
These slow-growing plants are not suitable for hedging, although the tall and compact form can be a great privacy screen.
Arborvitae (Thuja)
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Arborvitae bushes are different types of shrubs that function as a great privacy screen since they have a compact form.
However, you have to carefully choose the right variety for your landscape because some cultivars can reach a height of 18 meters.
Laurel (Prunus Laurocerasus)
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Prunus Laurocerasus bushes, as known as English or Cherry Laurel, are different types of shrubs that belong to an evergreen group. They create large fences in the landscape.
Therefore, these white flowering plants can withstand harsh winds and any lighting conditions.
Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis)
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Different types of shrubs for hedging are Canadian Hemlock bushes. These varieties bear needle-like leaves that create a thick and compact form of foliage.
Thus, they will be great for privacy fences. However, be aware of the drought and high-level of heat that causes browning of plant tissues.
Andromeda (Pieris Japonica)
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Andromeda cultivars are different types of shrubs that belong to flowering evergreen plants. The white blossoms have deep and pleasant aromas, although some people might be reluctant to smell the scent.
Thus, you should be familiar with the fragrance before planting them in the garden.
California Sweetshrub (Calycanthus Occidentalis)
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California Sweetshrub varieties become different types of shrubs that feature unique flowers. The spindly blossoms come in a dark burgundy hue.
Also, the fragrance is like red wine. Additionally, these versatile plants can prevent erosion along the riverbanks.
Coast Leuchotoe (Leucothoe Axillaris)
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The Coast Leuchotoe shrubs are native to the US. They mostly function as topiary and screens. Moreover, their white flowers resemble a bell and develop along the branches.
In addition, you may cultivate these evergreen bushes in full direct sunlight or partial shade.
Hydrangea (Hydrangea Paniculata)
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Different types of shrubs with the best flowering bushes are The Hydrangea cultivars. These low-maintenance plants bear a large number of blooming blossoms during spring and winter.
Meanwhile, the cluster shades will turn from a cream color into soft pink if the temperature is cooler.
Cinquefoil (Potentilla Fruticosa)
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Cinquefoil is a deciduous bush that has vibrant white flowers with a yellow hue in the middle. The abundant blossoms almost cover the entire foliage.
Therefore, it serves the best colorful hedge in the garden. Besides, this shrub is sturdy enough that resist drought and cold weather.
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia Davidii)
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Butterfly bush has long spikes of tiny purple blossoms. The beautiful clusters bloom in mid-summer.
Also, this deciduous shrub has green leaves with lance shapes along the curving branches. Importantly, avoid using soggy soil to cultivate this variety successfully.
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus Syriacus)
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Rose of Sharon has a loose growth habit that is suitable for a backdrop of gardening borders. Furthermore, its exotic blossoms come in white, pink, blue, and red.
Meanwhile, the large petals look like a vase. When summer comes, the flowers start blooming until the fall season.
Camellia (Camellia Japonica)
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The Camelia varieties become different types of shrubs that can grow about 9 meters tall. These evergreen plants have shiny and leathery leaves.
Also, the shade of the oval-shaped foliage is deep green. At the tip of each branch, there are pink or white single flowers.
Koreanspice Viburnum (Viburnum Carlesii)
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Koreanspice Viburnum is a common name of the arrowwood. This bushy plant features groups of tiny flowers.
The blossoms that look like feathery snowballs are in pink and white colors. They develop at the end of the base branch.
Finally, you have already known about numerous different types of shrubs and their characteristics. There are also several categories to help gardeners choosing the right varieties of bushes.