Gardeners often grow shrubs as it is easy to take care and offers variety of colorful flowers with its sweet aroma. A shrub in your garden looks beautiful and keeps the surrounding atmosphere pleasant by spreading fragrances. Shrub plants also attracts bees and butterflies for pollination. You can easily grown shrubs in containers or through landscape method.
Types of Shrubs
Shrubs are mainly classified based on flower blooming time and other growing factors. These shrubs are available for landscaping into 2 types namely…
- Deciduous bushes
- Broadleaf evergreens
Deciduous bushes refers to tending to fall off or lose their leaves seasonally (i.e. during autumn season) and ripe fruits & flowers. They must re grow new foliage in the next upcoming season. Broadleaf evergreen shrubs are those that have leaves throughout the year. Evergreen shrubs also lose leaves gradually but not all at once. Both of these shrub varieties are unique and have wide range of applications.
Here are 10 best shrubs that you can grow in containers…
Contents
Lilacs
Syringe vulgaris is a flowering plant in the family of oleaceae. It is native to peninsular regions and cultivated as ornamental plants in the moderate temperate regions of Italy, Germany, France & North America. Leaves arranged in whorls with heart-shaped pinnate flowers. Flowers bloom in early summer or spring producing a strong fragrance.
Lilac essential oil in medicine to treat rashes, skin burns, minor cuts and skin alignments. In addition to these it has commercial applications in beauty products like soaps, shampoos, powders, lotions and conditioners for its strong aromatic properties and calming effect.
| Growing Conditions | |
| Soil | Well drain fertile soil with pH 7.0 |
| Location | Full sun |
| Temperature | 40 F |
| Plant Height | 15-20 feet (Dwarf variety 5-8 feet) |
| Colors | Pink, yellow, white, purple |
| Fertilizers | Bone meal |
| Companion plants | Daffodils, tulips, peonies, grape hyacinth |
Magnolia
Magnolia is an evergreen shrub in the family of magnoliaceae. It is named after the French botanist Pierre Magnol for his contribution towards plant growth. Magnolia plants attracts bees and beetles for pollination. Flower contains several layers of sepals and petals available in white, cream colors.
People use the bark and flower buds of magnolia as medicine for weight loss, inflammation, digestive problems, fever, headache and depressions. The extracts of magnolia flower buds in lip balm, skin whitener and other essential oils to treat minor issues.
| Growing Conditions | |
| Soil | Slightly acidic |
| Location | Full sun to partial shade |
| Temperature | 70 F |
| Plant Height | 12-15 feet tall |
| Colors | White, cream, purple, yellow |
| Fertilizers | Slow-release fertilizers |
| Companion plants | Dick Wilden, Salome plant, Replete plant |
Peony
Peonies are flowering shrubs in the family of Paeoniaceae. These are native to Asia, Europe and North American countries. There are more than 40 peony species cultivated by farmers worldwide for its beautiful fragrant flowers. Most of these species are grown as herbaceous perennial plants and some as woody shrubs depending on the temperate regions. Flowers bloom in early summer and late spring seasons.
Peony flowers are used as traditional medicine in China, Korea and Japan to treat menstrual cramps in women and convulsions. It is also available in lipsticks, face creams, lotions, powder and soaps that produce sweet aroma.
| Growing Conditions | |
| Soil | Well- drain soil with neutral pH |
| Location | Full sunlight |
| Temperature | 65-70 F |
| Plant Height | 3-7 feet |
| Colors | White, pink, red, yellow, purple |
| Fertilizers | Low nitrogen fertilizers (5-10-10) |
| Companion plants | Shrubby clematis, day lilies, buglossoides |
Lavender
Lavenders are flowering purple shrubs in the family of lamiaceae. These plants are native to Mediterranean regions of Europe, Africa and Asia and grown as ornamental plants in moderate regions of garden and landscape.
Leaves are pinnately toothed with fine hairs and flowers in whorls, spike above foliage. Lavenders are commercially used in the extraction of essential oils, powders, lotions and face creams.
| Growing Conditions | |
| Soil | Moderate loamy soil |
| Location | Full sun |
| Temperature | 40-50 F |
| Plant Height | 2-4 feet |
| Colors | Red-purple, bright pink |
| Fertilizers | Organic mulches |
| Companion plants | Tomatoes, cauliflower, rosemary, chamomile |
Potentilla
Potentilla is an annual flowering shrub that is native to England and spread worldwide. The plant usually grows to a height of 1 feet tall. Flowers bloom from mid summer season to late fall. Some of these plant species in herbal remedy to treat inflammations, diabetes and gastrointestinal disorders.
| Growing Conditions | |
| Soil | Well-drain soil |
| Location | Full sunlight |
| Temperature | 65-70 F |
| Plant Height | 1-3 feet |
| Colors | Blue, green, purple, white, yellow |
| Fertilizers | N-P-K (10-10-10) fertilizers |
| Companion plants | Ornamental grass, spirea |
Rose
Rose is a woody flowering shrub that has more than 100 species cultivated worldwide. Most of these species are native to Asia, Europe, North America and Africa. Rose flowers may vary in size, shape, color and fragrance. It is one of the popular plants that can be grown in your home or garden with proper care and maintenance.
Hybrid roses are grown for their commercial applications in beauty, cooking and health. It is also used as landscaping plants for hedging and slope stabilization.
| Growing Conditions | |
| Soil | Moist well-drain soil |
| Location | Full sun |
| Temperature | 60-75F |
| Plant Height | 5-6 feet |
| Colors | Red, pink, white, yellow |
| Fertilizers | Organic fertilizers such as compost, manure |
| Companion plants | Marigolds, thyme, feverfew plant |
Spirea
Spirea is a flowering shrub in the family of rosaceae. There are more than 100 shrub varieties cultivated worldwide. Spireas are native to northern hemisphere regions. Plants are hardy with simple leaf stalks arrange in spiral shape. Flowers bloom in spring season and are clusters in inflorescences with 5 white, pink or red color petals. Dwarf varieties like spirea japonica are ideal for growing in a container.
Spireas are food plants for larvae and other insects. It contains salicylic acid that helps to cure abdominal pain and other health problems.
| Growing Conditions | |
| Soil | Well-drain soil |
| Location | Full shade |
| Temperature | 65-70 F |
| Plant Height | 2-6 feet tall |
| Colors | Pink, red, yellow, white |
| Fertilizers | All purpose granular fertilizers |
| Companion plants | Loropetalum, creeping juniper, aster lateriflorus |
Gardenia
Gardenia is a flowering shrub in the family of Rubiaceae that is native to tropical and sub-tropical regions of Asia, Africa, Madagascar and America. These are evergreen fragrant shrubs that grow to a height of 2-12 feet tall. Flowers are available in white or yellow color with tubular corolla and bloom in mid-spring to mid-summer season.
| Growing Conditions | |
| Soil | Well- drain acidic soil |
| Location | Full sun |
| Temperature | 68-75 F |
| Plant Height | 2-12 feet |
| Colors | White, cream, yellow, dark green |
| Fertilizers | N-P-K fertilizers |
| Companion plants | Hosta, ferns, strawberry, rhodendrons |
Clematis
Clematis are the most popular garden plants that are cultivate for its beautiful flowers. These plants are mainly originate from China and Japan. Clematis leaves are divide into leaflets and leafstalks that twist and curl around for support. To grow clematis cool, moist, well-drain soil is require. You can also prune a pair of buds to establish new growth. It helps to cure headache, joint pains and skin irritations.
| Growing Conditions | |
| Soil | Moist well-drain soil |
| Location | Full sunlight |
| Temperature | 80 F |
| Plant Height | 10 feet tall |
| Colors | Red, white, pink, blue |
| Fertilizers | Compost or granular fertilizers, N-P-K (10-10-10) |
| Companion plants | Morning glory, Baptisia |
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is an evergreen woody shrub in the family of ericaceae. This is the National flower of Nepal and mostly found in Asian countries. Most of these species have bright colored flowers that thrive in later winter or early summer season. These are commercially grow for its fragrant flowers and in traditional medicine to reduce the effect of inflammation and allergies. Flower is edible, enjoyable in soups for its sour taste worldwide.
| Growing Conditions | |
| Soil | Well-drain soil |
| Location | Full sun |
| Temperature | 60-70 F |
| Plant Height | 1-2 feet |
| Colors | Yellow, pink, purple, red |
| Fertilizers | N-P-K fertilizers |
| Companion plants | Viburnum, astilbe, mahonia |
Growing Tips
- Remove the weeds near shrubs to establish fast and new growth.
- Proper care must be take while pruning as it can spoil the plant growth.
- Do not overwater the shrubs as it leads to root rot and other viral infections.
- Do not add fertilizers at the time of planting use them to improve the soil fertility.
- Add mulch or organic matter to the soil layer around the woody stems to prevent the risk of rotting.
- Protect shrubs from rabbits and deer damage by using tree spirals, wire guards and other repelling methods.
What is a shrub?
Shrub is an evergreen flowering plant with small to medium sized woody stems above the ground. Shrubs usually grow to a height of 6 meters when grown through landscape method and dwarf varieties up to 2 meters. Many plant species may grow into a shrub or a tree depending on the growing conditions.
When to plant shrubs?
Usually container growing plants can be plant throughout the year. But shrubs are easy to take care if planted in autumn or summer season as they require less water to propagate. They enjoy the regions with full sun to partial shade. Best time to plant shrubs is early spring or fall.
When to prune shrubs?
Pruning is done to remove dead, disease stems, roots that damages the plant growth. The dead stem attracts insects and is the cause for viral-diseases. Knowing when to prune shrubs is the key to keep plants healthy and hygiene.
How to prune shrubs?
Pruning do in many ways like crown pruning, branch pruning and pruning hedges. Use garden tools like saw, shears or clippers to cut shrubs before and after the growing season. Remove dead flowers regularly from annual flowering shrubs to encourage continuous growth.
Start growing these 10 beautiful shrubs in containers that adds beauty to your garden and improves your health. If you have amazing ideas about growing shrubs in home, please share your experience with us.
Recommended Readings:
- Growing and Caring of Onions – How to Harvest Onions
- How to Plant, Grow, Harvest and Benefits of the Cabbage
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