Shrubs offer a unique versatility that makes them perfect for any garden or yard. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors and can add gorgeous florals or vibrant greenery. With so many choices, it can be difficult to know what works best in Cincinnati and what works best for you and your maintenance routine. To help you decide, we’ve put together a list of some of our favorite proven shrubs.
Each of these shrubs is considered hardy in Zone 6 (which includes the greater Cincinnati area), meaning all of them thrive in the range of temperatures and weather for our region.
Read on to see our list of proven shrubs perfect for your Cincinnati garden.
Weigela
This fun-to-say shrub (pronounced why-JEE-luh) provides an easy-maintenance but high-impact blooming plant for your yard. The Wine and Roses Weigela features dark purple, almost black leaves and rosy pink blooms to create a dramatic and eye-catching contrast. Not only is it a gorgeous display, but it also attracts hummingbirds and butterflies while remaining deer-resistant.
It’s considered a fast-growing and easy-maintenance shrub. It grows best in full sun for at least six hours a day, and while it prefers well-drained soil, it’s adaptable. Once it’s established and begins to produce new growth, it requires little water and needs just a little bit of pruning. Its pink flowers first bloom in spring then again later in the summer. Even better, its deep purple leaves maintain their color all year for gorgeous shrubs even in winter.
The Wine and Roses Weigela grows 4 to 5 feet tall and wide, but if that’s a bit too big for you, try the Spilled Wine Weigela. It features the same distinctive color palette and blooming schedule, but it tops out at 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide with a beautiful spreading habit. The Spilled Wine Weigela was also voted the 2018 Landscape Plant of the Year according to plant brand Proven Winners.
Choose this shrub for:
-Low maintenance with high payoff
-Daring and high-impact aesthetics all year round
-A spring and summer-bloomer
-Tiny or medium space to fill
-Attracting pollinators
A Spilled Wine Weigela adding a bold pop of color, photo courtesy of Proven Winners®
Vanhoutte Spirea
This gorgeous bush, also called a Bridal Wreath Spirea, provides an elegant charm to any garden. Its branches gracefully arc up and out like a fountain, and in spring, clusters of beautiful white flowers bloom to create a stunning display. Its small leaves have a distinct blue-green color that sometimes appears purple in the fall.
But this beauty isn’t just easy on the eyes - the Vanhoutte Spirea is easy to grow. Once established, it’s tolerant of drought, humidity, heat, cold, poor soil and some pollution. Before this, it does need to be watered regularly, but it is a fast-growing plant. It does best in full sun but can take light shade and prefers well-draining soil. It can grow 5 to 8 feet tall and 7 to 10 feet wide, making it an absolutely breathtaking shrub.
Additionally, the Vanhoutte Spirea is listed as one of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden’s local pollinator-friendly plants, meaning it not only looks good, but it helps the local butterflies and bees while remaining ignored by deer.
Choose this shrub for:
-An elegant, breathtaking look
-Easy care and high payoff
-A stunning spring bloomer
-Lots of yard room to play with
-Attracting Cincinnati pollinators
The Vanhoutte Spirea’s signature arc makes for a classic look
Panicle Hydrangea
If you have the opposite of a “green thumb,” a panicle hydrangea might be just for you. This is considered the easiest and most adaptable hydrangea so even gardening rookies can take it on. “Panicle” refers to the shape, a football-like cone of beautiful white flower clusters that bloom in the summer. But they’re not done there. As the days get shorter and temperatures get cooler, the white blooms turn to shades of red or pink, adding more color to your garden when other blooms are already done for the season. This makes these shrubs not only easy-maintenance but one of the most versatile blooming plants you can have.
Panicle Hydrangeas require at least four hours of bright sun everyday, but prefer six. They can thrive in any soil as long as it’s well-drained, so avoid planting them in a particularly swampy area of your yard. While annual pruning is encouraged, it’s not required. What makes them so easy to grow is that they only bloom on new growth every year. This means buds can’t freeze over in winter because they don’t even form until the spring. Panicle Hydrangeas are also on the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens pollinator-friendly list, attracting friendly butterflies.
Panicle Hydrangeas come in all shapes and sizes to fit your garden needs. The Bobo Panicle Hydrangea only grows up to 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide, adding those finishing details to your lawn. Have a bigger space to fill? You could opt for the Limelight Panicle Hydrangea which can reach 6 to 8 feet tall and wide and features a light green bloom that still ages to a pink, red or even burgundy in the fall. These are just two of many Panicle Hydrangeas that might be the perfect shrub for you.
Choose this shrub for:
-Multiple looks throughout the year
-A summer bloomer with fall color
-Easy maintenance
-Attracting your favorite pollinators
-A range of options to fit your garden
Some Zinfin Doll Panicle Hydrangeas in the middle of the white-to-pink transition, photo courtesy of Proven Winners®
False Indigo
If you’re looking for a pop of color beyond the classic white or pink, False Indigo offers a charming blue bloom. This pea-shaped flower blooms in late spring or early summer and pops against the blue-green leaves. In winter, False Indigo is also known for its unique seed pods which are almost black in color. Many gardeners choose to leave these dark seed pods on display in the winter as a way to add color to the winter scenery.
False Indigo is also known for its durability and easy overall maintenance. While they need to be watered their first year, once they’re established, False Indigo plants can tolerate drought and poor soil. They do best with at least six hours of full sun. This shrub does require some patience, but we promise they are worth the wait. It takes a couple years for False Indigo to flower, but blooms only increase and become more stunning year after year. After that, these perennials live a long time, making them more than worth the first couple years. Pruning is optional, and if you choose not to prune, you get the distinctive black seed pods.
This shrub attracts butterflies, bees and hummingbirds while remaining unbothered by deer and rabbits. Once matured, they reach around 3 to 5 feet tall and wide. We do recommend choosing your spot for False Indigo carefully - they can develop very deep roots and don’t like being moved. But they provide a long-time fixture in your garden.
Choose this shrub for:
-A pop of beautiful indigo blue (plus some additional color in winter)
-A long-term fixture in your garden
-High reward after some patience
-Easy maintenance followed by durability
-Attracting pollinators
The signature blue color of False Indigo makes a pop in any garden
Cutleaf Japanese Maple
Although technically a tree, the Cutleaf Japanese Maple is smaller than some of our other shrubs, and our clients absolutely love them. Their weeping, umbrella shape and signature red-colored leaves make them a stunning addition to any garden. They add color for most of the year, varying between orange, red, burgundy and green between spring and fall, and they keep their color later than most other shrubs. Plus, they’re low-maintenance.
They can survive in full sun or partial shade, but the best leaf color happens when Cutleaf Japanese Maples are placed in partial shade. They grow easily in evenly moist and well-drained soil, but they can survive in many other soil types. They don’t require much pruning, and if any is needed, it should be done in winter.
These trees are slow-growing, but they pick up the pace as they grow, reaching between 4 to 8 feet tall and 3 to 7 feet wide. The stunning colors they add to your outdoor space make them worth the wait, and once established, they’ll live for a long time.
Choose this shrub for:
-Beautiful colors from spring through autumn
-An area with some shade
-A stunning, non-floral piece
-Patience as it reaches its full potential
A Cutleaf Japanese Maple adds rich contrast to mostly green spaces
Brush Up on Your Shrubs
These are just a few of the shrubs that could be perfect for your landscape. If you’re ready to bring new life and color to your landscaping, contact us.