List of Stunning Flowering Shrubs

If you’re looking for ways to improve your landscaping, why not add flowering shrubs to your yard? There are many varieties of perennial shrubs that also bloom with beautiful flowers throughout part of the year. Check out this list for ideas!

There are many types of flowering shrubs suitable for each planting zone. You can find them in a variety of sizes, colors, and varying types of blooms. Some of the favorites include azaleas, loropetalum, gardenia, lilac, hydrangea, butterfly bush, and forsythia.

Find your plant hardiness zone here!

List of Flowering Shrubs

Azalea

There are over 10,000 varieties of Azalea plants. Sometimes they are grouped as one with Rhododendrons, but that isn’t exactly correct. All azaleas are Rhododendrons, but not all Rhododendrons are Azaleas if that makes sense.

• Zones 4-8
• Some are evergreen, some are deciduous
• Most bloom from early spring to early fall
• Prefer partial shade
• Come in a wide variety of sizes from 2-8 feet wide and 4-16 feet tall
• Perfect for walkways, under trees, or in shaded borders

Loropetalum

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Loropetalum is a popular choice, particularly for southern landscapers due to the fact that they are fast-growing, hearty shrubs that are widely available.

• Zones 7-10
• Fast-growing to mature heights of 5-15 feet tall
• Can be grown close to structures like houses and driveways due to non-invasive root systems
• Several varieties with purple foliage and magenta flowers
• Evergreen
• Drought and deer resistant

Gardenia

If you’ve ever smelled the delicious aroma from a blooming Gardenia shrub, you’ll know why I had to include it in this list of flowering shrubs. It’s amazing and has the most beautiful glossy green foliage.

• Zones 8-11 for most varieties although you can find some suitable for Zones 6 and 7
• Beautiful white blooms with heavy fragrance
• Prefers morning sun and afternoon shade particularly in very warm climates
• Evergreen
• Slow growing
• Mature heights of 4-6 feet tall (unless it is the dwarf variety)

Lilac

Another heavily scented shrub that may take a while to produce flowers, but is worth the wait.

• Zones 3-8
• Prefers full sun
• Needs well-drained soil
• May not flower the first few years, but once established, it can live for decades
• Can grow 6-12 feet wide and 5-18 feet tall depending on the variety
• Deciduous
• Fragrant blooms that are good for cut flowers

Hydrangea

There are many varieties of hydrangeas including the most popular, mophead which is a bigleaf hydrangea.

• Zones 4-9
• Prefer morning sun and afternoon shade (partial shade)
• Color of the blooms can be determined and influenced by the acidity of the soil
• Prolific bloomers that make excellent cut flowers
• Deciduous
• Generally can’t tolerate full afternoon sun particularly in hot climates

Butterfly Bush

Make sure you give a butterfly bush ample room because it can grow large and quickly! And get ready to attract all kinds of pollinators like hummingbirds, bees, and of course butterflies.

• Zones 5-9
• Evergreen unless in areas with very low temperatures
• Super fast-growing
• Showy purple flowers
• Full sun
• Can grow between 8-12 feet tall and 6-15 feet wide depending on the variety
• Low maintenance once established

Forsythia

Forsythia plants are known in the South where I live as the indicator that Spring is officially coming and it’s time to get the pre-emergent on the yard to prevent weeds. When you see the gorgeous yellow blooms in early spring, it’s always a welcome sight after winter.

For more info – check out this article on How to Grow Forsythia

• Zones 5-9
• Prefers full sun
• Deciduous
• Blooms with bright gold flowers in early spring followed by dark green foliage when flowers fade
• Can grow between 5 and 8 feet wide by 4 to 8 feet tall

Rhododendron

As mentioned above, these are often confused with Azalea, but they are not one in the same. The flowers are similar and just as gorgeous though. Rhododendrons tend to also have larger leaves than Azaleas.

• Zones 4-10
• Needs partial sun
• Wide variety of sizes from 2-8 feet wide and 2-13 feet tall
• Available with blooms in shades of red, pink, yellow, purple, white, and even coral
• Evergreen
• Blooms in spring into early summer

Spirea

This interesting flowering shrub has a dramatic number of showy small blooms and is perfect for a border or hedge.

• Zones 3-8
• Fast-growing
• Prefers full sun
• Can grow up to 8 feet high and 10 feet wide depending on the variety
• Most are deciduous
• Deer resistant and also attracts butterflies

Snowball Bush (Viburnum)

You’ve likely encountered a Snowball bush – they are a dramatic sight to see with the huge amount of gorgeous blooms they produce. Sometimes confused with Hydrangea, they are a different species.

• Zones 3-8
• Easy to grow and fast-growing
• Blooms start out as lime green and turn snowball white
• Prefers full sun
• Deciduous
• Can grow 12 feet wide and up to 15 feet wide

There are so many beautiful flowering shrubs to choose from – hopefully you’ve found one that will work for your landscape!

If you’re looking to add trees and you need fast-growing privacy trees, be sure to check out this post – Fast Growing Privacy Trees, for some great choices including River Birch and Red Maples!

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