Flowering shrubs are ready for their moment, thanks to the work of plant breeders. See what's new and improved with these recent introductions.
Cool New Shrubs To Grow in Your Yard
What Does It Mean To Be a New Shrub?
No longer relegated to a supporting role in the landscape, today’s shrubs are ready for the spotlight. For this, thank plant breeders. They’ve developed new varieties that offer a distinct improvement over what came before them.
Sometimes the shrubs act better (better disease resistance or drought tolerance). Often times, they look better (bigger blooms or longer season of interest). It’s all about giving home gardeners a reason to plant a shrub in the first place.
At my boyhood home, that reason was practical. Dad planted evergreen yews on the corners of the house, allowing them to grow large so the soft foliage and pliable limbs would cushion a fall if we had to jump from a second-story window during a fire.
It wasn’t until I started studying horticulture and became a master gardener that I came to appreciate shrubs for their beauty as well as utility. That beauty has only gotten better over the years — a direct result of careful plant breeding and selection.
Here are some great examples of newer shrubs worthy of the spotlight, along with insight from people who work with these beauties.
About the Experts
Justin Hancock is director of research and development at Costa Farms, the largest ornamental plant grower in the U.S. A certified professional horticulturist, he’s worked in the horticulture industry for almost 30 years.
Tim Wood is the product development manager for Spring Meadow Nursery, where he finds new and better plants for the Proven Winners brand. He’s credited with discovering or breeding more than 400 plants including Limelight, Little Lime and Incrediball Hydrangeas.
Megan McConnell is the plant information director for Monrovia, a pioneer in the art of growing plants since 1926. She manages the nursery’s vast plant database along with plant information found on the website and plant tags.
Robert “Buddy” Lee is director of plant innovations for PDSI, which manages the Encore Azalea and the Southern Living Plant Collection. A nationally known plant breeder, Lee has more than 30 years of experience in nursery management, breeding, propagation and new plant development.
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HibisQs Tropical Hibiscus
New from Costa Farms, this line features something hibiscus are not known for: long-lasting flowers.
While a typical hibiscus flower lasts a day, those on HibisQs persist for two, three or even four days, depending on the variety and the climate. Plants also have better branching for a fuller, lusher look that offers more flowers over the growing season.
“In frost-free regions, HibisQs varieties are excellent flowering hedges, foundation plants and as evergreen, year-round-flowering shrubs in mixed beds and borders,” says Hancock.
“In colder zones, they stay much smaller since they have just the one growing season, and can be effectively used as annuals in beds and borders, or as container plants to beautify balconies, decks, patios and porches.”
Selections in the series include:
- Adonicus Pink, with five-inch-wide rich-pink flowers;
- Apollo Garden, a stunner with five- to six-inch-wide orange flowers edged in golden yellow;
- Constellation Ursa, producing a bounty of five-inch-wide flowers, up to twice as many as older varieties;
- Grace, which shows off six-inch-wide pink flowers edged in white and bearing rich, reddish-pink centers.
HibisQs Tropical Hibiscus (H. rosa-sinensis) is from the Malvaceae family and grows two to four feet tall and wide, depending on variety. It likes full sun and moist, well-drained soil with slightly acid pH. Plants, which flower all summer if given enough light, come in a range of colors (see above). Hardy in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 10 and 11, they can be grown as an annual or overwintered indoors in cold climates.
“Their tropical nature even makes them suitable as houseplants if you have a high-light spot for them inside,” Hancock says. “High light levels will ensure the plants stay healthy, don’t get too stretched over winter and produce occasional blooms.”
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Fizzy Mizzy Virginia Sweetspire
This new shrub from Spring Meadow Nursery is slightly unconventional because the flower spikes face upward rather than sideways or downward, as is typically seen on Virginia Sweetspire.
The thick, dark-green leaves contrast nicely with the lightly fragrant, pure-white blooms. With its neat, tidy habit and small size, Fizzy Mizzy makes a fine container specimen.
“This compact, native, pollinator-friendly shrub is adaptable to most garden soils so long as it’s not too alkaline,” Wood says. “It is also at home in wet soils, so if you have a wet area in your yard, such as near a downspout or in a ditch, this plant will love it.”
Wood recommends planting it in groups to reduce weeding and mulching. “Match it up with moisture-loving perennials such as cardinal flowers, golden variegated sweet flag or hosta, and the rich, red autumn foliage will make a great contrast,” he says.
Fizzy Mizzy Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica ‘SMNIVMM’) is a member of the Iteaceae family and matures to two to three feet in height and width. It takes full sun to shade and prefers evenly moist soil with acid to neutral pH. The white bottlebrush flowers appear in early summer on this plant, which is hardy in USDA Zones 5 to 9.
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Center Stage Pink Crapemyrtle
Center Stage Pink is part of a series of blooming crapemyrtles that do well in the South and North. It was one of the best performers in University of Florida trials, with vigorous growth, improved branching and better heat tolerance. It also had good mildew resistance.
“The early, dark-leaved crape introductions were a breeding breakthrough,” Wood says. “However, they’re notorious for their course branching, mildew susceptibility and late flowering. This new series addresses all those issues and more.”
In Florida, the plants flowered three times in a season compared to older varieties that bloomed once. In the North, Center Stage Pink can be grown as a root-hardy perennial. It will die back to the ground each winter, then arise and flower the following growing season.
“In Michigan, these crapes behave just like a perennial,” Wood says. “Prune out the dead stems in spring and fresh, new growth will emerge with lots of flowers from mid-to-late summer. Even the hardiest of the National Arboretum varieties don’t flower that far north.”
Center Stage Pink Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica ‘SMNLIG’) belongs to the Lythraceae family and grows six- to 12 feet tall and eight feet wide. This shrub likes full sun and moist, well-drained soil with a slightly acidic pH. The dark purple foliage sets off the intensely pink flowers, which appear in summer. Plants are hardy in Zones 6b to 10.
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El Niño Chitalpa
This new, bushy shrub (or miniature tree) from Spring Meadow Nursery is easy to grow and beautiful to look at. That’s because the heat- and drought-tolerant shrub is a cross between two tough species: desert willow (Chilopsis linearis), known for tolerating the poor soils and dry heat of the Southwest, and Catalpa, which performs in more humid climates like North Carolina, without signs of mildew.
“This unique, hybrid shrub blows people away because it’s nothing they’ve seen before,” says Wood. “The long-blooming, purple flower clusters are big and bold, but the perfumed fragrance will draw you in and make you a true fan.”
Wood sees a lot of potential for El Niño Chitalpa in the home landscape.
“You can limb up this shrub and train it into a small patio tree, or you can cut it back in early spring, like you’d grow a butterfly bush, to force a lot of stems and flowers,” he says. “It will thrive in the full sun and the heat of L.A. or Tucson, but it will also thrive in Boston or New York City. I suspect it will go as far north as Chicago if treated like a perennial.”
El Niño Chitalpa (x Chitalpa tashkentensis ‘NCXC1’) is a member of the Bignoniaceae family. It grows 10 to 15 feet tall and four to six feet wide and will take any well-drained soil in a range of pH levels. The large, fragrant, orchid-like flowers appear in late spring and early summer, then sporadically throughout the summer. It is hardy in Zones 6 to 9.
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Paraplu Pink Ink Rose of Sharon
With its jumbo, glowing flowers, Paraplu Pink Ink creates a major impact in the garden.
“While most older rose of Sharon plants have paper-thin flowers with a small, burgundy eye in the center of the bloom, this flower has a big splash of red and pink hues that radiate out like tie-dye, across thick, pure white petals,” says Wood. “The bright flowers pop against the dark foliage.”
This rose of Sharon is narrower, denser and more compact than its brethren. “It fits neatly into residential gardens,” Wood says. “Use it as an accent plant, a low hedge, or as a foundation plant. In milder climates, put it into a decorative container on the patio to create Independence Day flowering fireworks.”
Paraplu Pink Ink Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus ‘Minsywhi07’) is a member of Malvaceae family. It grows five to eight feet tall and four feet wide and needs no pruning. Give it full sun and fertile, well-drained soil with a slightly acid to neutral pH. The large white flowers with red and pink markings appear in summer. It is hardy in USDA Zones 5 to 8.
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Pearls of Perfume Mock Orange
When in bloom, this deciduous shrub fills the air with an intense citrusy orange blossom scent that appeals to bees and butterflies, as well as people.
Abundant clusters of large, pure white double flowers decorate dense branches on this Jackson & Perkins introduction. The long-lasting, sweet-scented flowers can be added to floral arrangements.
Pearls of Perfume has a compact, upright habit that makes an excellent specimen or “thriller” in a container garden. It also works great when massed in mixed beds, borders or foundation plantings. An easy-care plant, Pearls of Perfume is disease-resistant and does not require pruning.
Pearls of Perfume Mock Orange (Philadelphus hybrid ‘G15097’) is a member of the Philadelphaceae family. It reaches about four feet tall and two feet wide. It does best with full sun and organically rich, moist soil, but adapts to dappled shade and a range of soil types and pH levels as long as they’re well-drained.
Pearls of Perfume offers bright white flowers in early spring, then reblooms through summer. It is hardy in USDA Zones 5 to 9.
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Kilamandjaro Sunrise Viburnum
Another Jackson & Perkins introduction with multiple seasons of interest, this deciduous shrub features an attractive layered appearance with a multi-stemmed habit of tiered, horizontal branches.
Flat-topped white flower clusters are borne all along the branches and appear “doublefile,” with one on each side of a node. In midsummer, large, glossy red fruits follow, providing sustenance for birds.
Another bonus: Foliage turns fiery red in fall. It’s a spectacular specimen but looks equally fine when grouped in beds, borders or foundation plantings. It can even be massed as a hedge or privacy screen.
Kilamandjaro Sunrise Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum ‘JWW 5’) is commonly called snowball bush or doublefile viburnum and belongs to the Adoxaceae family. Maturing at seven feet tall and three feet wide, it has a dense habit that is more upright and conical than the species.
It grows in full sun to part shade and prefers moist, well-drained soil. White flowers appear in late spring and summer on this shrub, which is hardy in USDA Zones 5 to 9.
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Autumn Moonstruck Encore Azalea
This addition to the line of Encore Azaleas is a four-season standout, with a lengthy season of bloom and variegated evergreen foliage all year. The name acknowledges their repeat blooms, which dazzle season after season.
“This variety’s spring bloom is its heaviest bloom, producing a shower of ethereal white semi-double blooms atop stable variegated foliage infused with golden-green hues,” says Lee, inventor of Encore Azaleas and the breeder who developed Autumn Moonstruck.
Flowers reappear in midsummer and continue until first frost in some areas. Lee notes the white flowers “are especially captivating in fall when they pop against autumn colors.”
With its tidy, upright habit, Autumn Moonstruck requires little to no pruning. It’s ideal for hedges and borders or slipping into an existing bed as an accent plant.
“One fun and on-trend way to use Autumn Moonstruck is in a moon garden with other white-blooming plants like camellia and gardenia,” Lee says. “White-blooming plants capture the last beams of light at twilight and stand out to nighttime pollinators, so they’re a fun pick in moon gardens.”
Autumn Moonstruck Encore Azalea (Rhododendron hybrid ‘Roblezf’ ) grows five feet tall by four feet wide and accepts filtered shade and sunlight.
“For optimal blooms, give Autumn Moonstruck four to six hours of direct sunlight,” Lee says. “Morning sunlight is preferable, and we recommend some shade during the afternoon heat.”
This variety does best in evenly moist soil but develops more drought tolerance once established. An acid soil in a pH range of 5.5 to 6.0 is best. Autumn Moonstruck Encore Azalea shows off 2.5-in. single white blooms in spring, summer and fall. It’s hardy in Zones 7a to 10b.
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Butterscotch Baby Spirea
Japanese spireas don’t always inspire a second look, but visitors to Monrovia’s trial gardens seemed to take a liking to this one.
Butterscotch Baby Spirea undergoes intriguing color transformations. New growth emerges a warm, caramel-butterscotch color, then transitions to bright chartreuse green in summer. That serves as a backdrop for the bright pink flowers until the caramel-red color returns in fall.
“This variety is exceptionally compact, and it has such wonderful foliage color,” says McConnell.
With its compact habit, Butterscotch Baby Spirea can fit into a variety of garden situations — from foundations and borders to residing among bedding annuals or rock garden plants. “Spirea is really versatile, and this one even more so because of the size,” McConnell says.
Butterscotch Baby Spirea (Spiraea japonica ‘MINSPIZ02’) is a member of the Rosaceae family, growing 18 inches tall by two feet wide. It does best in full sun in any well-drained soil with acid to neutral to slightly alkaline pH, putting forth bright pink flowers in spring.
“Spirea is so easy to grow, there’s not much to know,” McConnell says. “It’s not fussy about soil and doesn’t need much care. A light trim once the flowers have stopped blooming will tidy it up.” Butterscotch Baby is hardy in Zones 4 to 9.
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Banana Split Daphne
This Monrovia introduction features variegated leaves with wide, creamy yellow edging.
“We love the foliage of this variegated variety,” says McConnell. “It really brightens up shady spots in the garden. And, of course, it has those early blooms with a heavenly scent that daphnes are prized for.”
The foliage makes the perfect foil for the sweetly fragrant blooms, which start out as rosy pink buds and open to beautiful white. Banana Split Daphne can be used wherever its beauty and fragrance can be appreciated — say, near a window or lining a walkway or patio.
“This is a great option under the dappled shade of trees,” McConnell says. “It also makes a good foundation plant on the north or northeast side of a house.”
Banana Split Daphne (Daphne odora ‘Monzulzay’) is a member of the Thymelaeaceae family, maturing at about four feet tall and wide. It accepts full shade, filtered shade, part shade or part sun and likes a fast-draining, sandy loam soil with neutral pH. It blooms in late winter or early spring, depending on region, and is hardy in Zones 7 to 9.
“Daphnes can be a little particular,” McConnell says. “Make sure the soil is moist and rich but very well-drained. Dapple sun or morning sun and afternoon shade are the best options. It does not like hot and dry, and should be protected from desiccating winds.”
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Seaside Serenade Kitty Hawk Hydrangea
The newest member of the Seaside Serenade hydrangea collection from Monrovia is a showy rebloomer featuring mophead clusters of flowers. Flower clusters emerge lime green, then turn a beautiful hue of soft pink in alkaline soils or purple to blue in acidic soils.
“Kitty Hawk has nice, big mophead blooms, and the bracts form a really unique star shape,” says McConnell. “They start a light lime green before blushing pink, so you get a nice two-toned look. It’s really lovely.”
The thick, deep-green foliage doesn’t wilt in the afternoon heat, giving Kitty Hawk true staying power. The blooms are great in cut-flower arrangements, and the compact, bushy habit of this shrub helps it serve a variety of roles.
“This is a must-have in a cottage garden,” McConnell says. “Add it into an eclectic mixed border planting, or plant en masse with a simple palette for an elegant look.”
Seaside Serenade Kitty Hawk Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Hokomapfloy’) belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family, growing three- to four-feet tall and wide. It grows in part sun, filtered sun or part shade and prefers an enriched, evenly moist, well-drained soil but adapts to a range of pH levels. It blooms in summer and is hardy in Zones 5 to 9.
