Shrubs for Winter Interest

When the growing season is over, the winter landscape can often look desolate. Shrubs are the answer to any gardener's winter interest wishes. By mixing different shrubs, your winter landscape can look almost as pretty as your summer landscape. This article focuses on attributes of each shrub that make it great for the winter garden, but be assured that every one of them are beautiful in spring and summer as well. The selections in the table below had to meet three criteria:

  1. They had to offer something to the winter landscape.
  2. They had to be easily found in home centers or catalogs.
  3. They had to offer something besides winter interest as well, such as spring blooms, fall color, or unique shapes.

There are six ways to get winter interest from your shrubbery: color, texture/shape, fruit/berries, evergreen foliage, and wildlife attraction. Many plants in the table fit more than one of these categories. Focus on what will make you happy. If you long to see a riot of color, focus on those plants in the "Color" and "Evergreen" categories. If you love the subtle beauty of varying textures in the garden, take a look at the "Texture and Shape" list. But for the most interesting winter views, try to select shrubs from at least three of these categories. By the time winter rolls around, you will appreciate having something other than gray bleakness to look at! ITGO

Color
Cardinal Dogwood Cornus stolonifera Bright red stems
Arctic Sun Dogwood Cornus sanguinea 'Cato' Stems range from bright yellow at base to red at tips
Blondy Euonymus Euonymus fortunei 'Interbolwi' Yellow stems
Picta Kerria Kerria japonica 'Picta' Green stems
Dwarf Arctic Blue Leaf Willow Salix purpurea 'Nana' Purplish-blue stems

Texture and Shape
Diablo Ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius 'Monlo' Beautiful exfoliating bark
Oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia Exfoliating bark reveals cinnamon undertones
Harry Lauder's Walking Stick Corylus avellana 'Contorta' Twisted, oddly shaped branches
Japanese Spiraea Shibori Spiraea japonica Shibori Graceful weeping habit

Fruit/Berries
Cardinal Candy Viburnum Viburnum dilatatum 'Henneke' Bright red, persistent fruit
Redwing Viburnum Viburnum trilobum 'Redwing' Bright red fruit
Wentworth Viburnum Viburnum trilobum 'Wentworth' Large, glossy bright red fruit lasts throughout the winter
Berry Heavy Winterberry Ilex verticillata 'Spravy' Large, bright red berries
Berry Nice Winterberry Ilex verticillata 'Spriber' Dark red berries
Blue Prince/Blue Princess Holly Ilex x meserveae Plentiful dark red berries

Flowers
Pink Diamond Hydrangea Hydrangea paniculata 'Pink Diamond' Dark pink blooms dry on the shrub to a pleasant brownish-pink and last all winter
White Dome Hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens 'Dardom' Large white blooms are held upright on strong stems
Vernal Witch Hazel Hamamelis vernalis Yellow flowers with reddish calyxes, blooms in February or March
Snowflake Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snowflake' Very large doubled flowers turn purplish-pink and last through winter

Evergreen
Mint Julep Juniper Juniperus chinensis `Monlep` Vibrant, mint green foliage; fountain-shaped plant
Green Mountain Boxwood Buxus 'Green Mountain' Medium green foliage, upright plant
Blue Prince/Blue Princess Holly Ilex x meserveae Dark, blue-green leaves on irregular, rounded shrubs
Emerald Green Arborvitae Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd' Dense, pyramidal shape; bright emerald green foliage
Blondy Euonymous Euonymus fortunei 'Interbolwi' Yellow foliage with dark green edges
Bearberry Cotoneaster Cotoneaster dammeri Glossy, dark green foliage

Attractive to Wildlife
The following plants provide food for birds:
Viburnums Privets Hollies Japanese Barberries
The following plants provide wind protection and cover for birds:
Junipers Arborvitaes Yews Boxwoods