9 Beautiful Winter Shrubs You Can Get for Your Backyard

Nov 11, 2019

Do you get the winter blues? For many, the dreariness of winter can really take its toll.

One of the ways of battling against the winter blues is getting outside for some fresh air. As does making your environment brighter.

Adding winter shrubs to your backyard landscape can give you beauty to look at while you're outside getting some air and the colors will brighten up your environment. Win-win!

Below are 9 shrubs to consider adding to your yard.

Winter Blooming and Late/Early Blooming Shrubs

There are not many winter bushes that produce blooms all through winter. But there are many shrubs that bloom late into winter or get an early jump on blooming in the spring.

By choosing some shrubs that bloom late and some that bloom early, you will be sure to have some winter flowering shrubs to enjoy throughout the season.

1. Sweet Box aka Christmas box (Sacrococca confusa)

Sweet Box bloom from December through March. It is an evergreen shrub that produces tiny clusters of fragrant white flowers. Once done flowering, the plant will produce black fruit.

You can plant Sweet Box in the shade or in full sun, which makes this plant a versatile option for any garden. It grows to a height of 3 to 5 feet and can spread up to the same distance.

Once established, it is very hardy, and deer do not fancy it.

2. Marginata Winter Daphne (Daphne odora 'Marginata')

Winter Daphne can begin flowering as early as February. Their leaves are variegated and outlined in yellow. They produce lovely light pink flowers and you'll be able to smell its sweet fragrance at a distance.

Winter Daphne is best planted in well-draining, slightly-elevated soil where it will get sun only in the morning. These shrubs grow up to 3-4 feet high and 4-5 feet wide.

3. Camellia (Camellia japonica)

Camellia is a favorite grown in many areas but it can be found growing in gardens all over the south. It's not hard to see why once you see their showy and fluffy blooms. You can get them in white, pink and red.

Camellias are evergreen winter blooming shrubs that thrive in partial shade. Depending on the type, they can grow from 2' to 20' tall.

Evergreen Shrubs

Evergreen shrubs are shrubs that stay green even in winter. By incorporating some of these shrubs into your landscape, you will ensure that parts of your garden stay green and beautiful all year round.

4. Coontie (Zamia pumila)

Coontie is a hardy shrub that has a very palm-like/fern-like appearance. It grows well just about anywhere and its long frond-like leaves add an exotic look to any backyard landscape. The leaves are shiny and dark green.

Coontie grows up to 4 feet tall by 5 feet wide. They attract Atala butterflies as they are the only plant that produces what their larvae need to survive.

5. Necklace Pod aka Yellow Sophora (Sophora tomentosa)

Necklace Pod is an evergreen shrub that is a showstopper for humans, butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and warblers. This shrub grows up to 10 feet tall and it has many branches that sprout out in all directions forming an irregular crown.

Necklace Pod sports long spikes of showy yellow flowers and blooms all year round. It produces fruit that forms in up to 6 inch long beaded pods. It prefers moist but well-drained soil and full sun.

6. Sundance (Mexican Orange Blossom - Choisya ternata)

Sundance's glossy foliage can vary from yellow to chartreuse. Although they do not bloom in winter, you will get to enjoy their fragrant white flowers when they bloom in parts of spring, summer, and fall.

Sundance shrubs are excellent choices for planting behind flowering borders as their evergreen leaves will contrast nicely. These shrubs can grow up to 6 feet tall and wide.

Shrubs with Colorful Berries

Shrubs that produce berries in the winter add clusters of color to your landscape. You'll also provide much-needed sustenance for birds and other wildlife who enjoy these wonderful berries.

7. Blue Princess and Blue Prince Hollies

These are the male and female cultivars of blue hollies. In order for the Blue Princess to produce their signature bright red berries, you'll need to plant the Blue Prince nearby to ensure pollination.

These shrubs have glossy dark green spiky leaves which contrasts beautifully with the red berries in winter. They can grow up to 15 feet tall by 10 feet wide, so they would work well as a hedge or foundation shrub in your landscape.

8. Beautyberry (Callicarpa bodinieri Profusion)

Beautyberry is a deciduous shrub that produces in winter. Its striking clusters of violet-purple fruits are glossy and showy. During most of the year, beautyberry's leaves are dark green, but in the fall they turn red.

Beautyberry loves full sun and well-draining soil. Like the hollies above, this shrub is quite large as well, growing to 10 feet tall by 8 feet wide.

9. Firethorn (Pyracantha)

Firethorn is another evergreen shrub that produces heaps of small, red berries that light up against its dark green foliage. In the spring, Firethorn will be covered in white flowers.

This shrub is also large, growing up to 12 feet high and 10 feet wide. This makes it a great choice for many spots in your landscape, but especially useful as a barrier hedges since it has thorns.

Plant Winter Shrubs Now for Color in Winter

Ensure your garden stays colorful all year round by including some winter shrubs in your landscape. You'll be able to enjoy their luscious green all year and look forward to them showing off their color when other plants are hibernating for the season.

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