Fall and winter are usually periods on the calendar during which gardens lay dormant. It doesn’t have to be. There are shrubs that bloom during the fall and winter months. So your property can continue to show color during those cloudier, gloomy days.
What follows are lists of shrubs to consider that can generate interest when most gardens in the neighborhood may not.
Once again, the zones in the listing refer to the United States Department of Agricultural Research Services USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The map identifies zones throughout the United States where plants grow best.
Disanthus
(Courtesy: Safia Girl at flickr.com)
· Chokeberry. This bush has proven to be a reliable source of bright colored flowers during the fall months. This thrives in
Beautyberry
(Courtesy: Susan Ford Collins at flickr.com)
areas in zones 4-9.
· Beautyberry. This shrub features amazing berries and various purple and violet colors in the fall and early winter. This shrub does best in zones 6-11.
· Camellia. This shrub exhibits white, pink or red flowers in the fall and early to late winter depending on the type. It blooms in winter in warmer zones and in the fall or spring in colder areas. It flourishes in zones 6-11.
· Fragrant Wintersweet. Its yellow/purple flowers bloom during the winter depending on weather conditions. It does best in areas of the country that are in zones 6-10.
· Japanese Ciethra. Exfoliated in winter, the bark is what attracts interest. It is ideal for zones 5-8.
· Comelian Cherry Dogwood. This shrub features a dull yellow flower in late winter and early spring. It also shows some color in the fall. Fits best in zones 4-8.
· Dogwood. Red or yellow stems appear during the winter on several species and varieties and berries are present on some types. It does well in zones 3-8.
· Corkscrew Hazel. This shrub features curious twisted stems during the winter and catkins in late winter. It thrives in zones 4-9.
· Disanthus. The leaves appear bight red during the fall. It is ideal in zones 6-10.
· Enkianthus. Very good autumn color plants in some varieties. This succeeds in zones 6-10.
· Heath. This shrub features white, pink, or red flowers during the winter months. This bush does best in areas of the country in zones 4-9.
· Burning Bush. It has brilliant red vegetation in the fall, but it can be aggressive in some areas. This grows well in zones 4-9.
· Dwarf Fothergilla. It has an assortment of colors from orange to purple during the fall. However, it is changeable so select a good plant to start with. This has proven ideal for zones 5-10.
· Silk Tassel. It features long flowers in mid-winter. It blooms best in zones 8-10.
· Witch Hazel. This displays red or yellow flowers in winter and includes brilliant vegetation in the fall on some varieties. This excels in zones 5-9.
· Red Edge Hebe. It exhibits evergreen blue-green vegetation with maroon edges and tips in winter. It flourishes in zones 8-10.
· Oakleaf Hydrangea. This exhibits good color into late fall as well as attractive peeling bark with colored stems. It performs best in zones 5-9.
· English Holly. This shrub has tenacious red berries and evergreen and some types include multicolored foliage. It does best in zones 7-9.
· Inkberry. This exhibits small black or white berries as well as evergreen foliage. It succeeds in zones 5-9.
· Winterberry. It includes persistent red berries and thrives in areas of the country in zones 3-8.
· Blue Holly. This features spiny bluish evergreen foliage as well as a lot of red berries. It grows well in zones 5-9.
· Virginia Sweetspire. Blooms from yellow to crimson during the fall. It succeeds in zones 6-10.
· Winter Jasmine. It hosts yellow flowers on bare green stems during the months of November through March. It prospers in zones 6-10.
Heavenly Bamboo
(Courtesy: Odeleapple at flickr.com)
· Heavenly Bamboo. This displays brilliant red foliage throughout the winter and may include red berries or berries that are
Blueberry
(Courtesy: Terje Haheim at flickr.com)
yellow or white on some varieties. It does best in zones 6-9.
· Japanese Pieris. This features shaped evergreen foliage with colored flowers all winter. It will grow well in zones 5-10.
· Firethorn. This semi-evergreen plant exhibits yellow, orange or red berries through the fall until the spring. This thrives in zones 5-9
· Snowberry. It displays white berries in the fall. It does best in zones 2-8.
· Blueberry. It has red foliage in fall, red stems in winter and berries in the summer. It grows well in zones 2-9.
· Fragrant Virburnum. It features scented white flowers in early and late winter. The best area for growing is in zones 5-9.
· Laurestinus Viburnum. This features white flowers and colored berries all winter. It does best in zones 8-11.
