North Carolina Cooperative Extension
NC STATE UNIVERSITY
MEDIUM SHRUBS – 4’ to 8’ Tall
Recommended for Pender County Landscapes
Pender County Cooperative Extension
Urban Horticulture Leaflet 6
Underlined plants are extremely drought-tolerant once established
*Indicates a plant native to SE USA
EVERGREEN SHRUBS
Common Name Botanical Name
Abelia
Water
Height x
Use Recommended Spread
Zone
Varieties
(ft.)
Abelia x grandiflora 1,2,3
Japanese Aucuba Aucuba japonica
1,2
Wintergreen
Barberry
Berberis julianae
1,2,3
Bottlebrush
Callistemon rigidus
1,2,3
Japanese
Camellia
Camellia japonica
Sasanqua
Camellia
Dwarf Hinoki
Cypress
Mediterranean
Fan Palm
King Sago
Emporer Sago
Fatsia
Ornamental
Characteristics
Soil Exposure
Small white flowers in
Sun to
Well
4-8 x 4-6 summer and fall, attracts
Part
Drained
butterflies
Shade
Part to
Large, thick leaves. Some Well
5-8 x 4-6
Full
varieties spotted in gold Drained
Shade
Yellow flowers in spring,
Well
6-8 x 6-8 leaves turn bronze to burSun
Drained
gundy in winter
‘Woodlander’s
5-6 x 5-6
Hardy’
Unusual red flowers in
spring
Well
Drained
Sun
Red, Pink, White or Rose
Light to
6-12 x 4Well
flowers in winter and early
Part
8
Drained
spring
Shade
Light to
6-10 x 4- Red, White, Pink or Rose Well
1,2 Many Available
Part
Camellia sasanqua
8
flowers in fall and winter Drained
Shade
Unusual foliage texture,
Sun to
Well
Chamaecyparis ob1,2
4-6 x 3-4 often seen in Japanese
Part
tusa ‘Nana Gracilis’
Drained
Gardens
Shade
Sun to
Beautiful texture, very
Well
5-6 x 5-6
Light
Chamaerops humilis 1,2,3
slow growing
Drained
Shade
Unique textural effect,
Sun to
4-8 x 6
Well
Cycas revoluta
1,2
both are slow growing
Part
4-6 x 10
Drained
Cycas taitungensis
palm like plants
Shade
Part to
Large, glossy lobed leaves Well
1,2
6-8 x 6-8
Full
Fatsia japonica
give a tropical effect
Drained
Shade
Pineapple Guava Feijoa sellowiana
1,2
1,2,3
Many Available
6-10 x 5- Pink and crimson flowers Well
8
in spring, gray foliage Drained
Sun
Evergreen Shrubs— continued
Common Name Botanical Name
Water
Height x
Use Recommended Spread
Zone
Varieties
(ft.)
Ornamental
Characteristics
Soil Exposure
Extremely fragrant white
Sun to
Several
Well
1,2
4-8 x 4-8 flowers in summer, glossy
Light
Available
Drained
green leaves
Shade
Sun to
‘Dwarf
Glossy green leaves, red
Well
1,2,3
5-7 x 6-8
Light
Burford’
berries in fall and winter Drained
Shade
Moist
Sun to
Small, dark green leaves,
1,2,3
‘Shamrock’ 5-8 x 5-8
to Well Light
similar to boxwood
Drained Shade
Fountain like, arching
Well
2,3
‘Sea Green’ 4-6 x 6-8 branches, mint green foli- Drained
Sun
age
to Xeric
‘Recurvifolium’
Sun to
Tough evergreen shrub,
Well
1,2,3
‘East Bay’ 5-6 x 4-6
Light
dark green glossy foliage Drained
‘Lake Tresca’
Shade
Hot pink fringy flowers in
Sun to
‘Ruby’
4-6 x 4-6
Well
1,2
spring, burgundy foliage
Light
‘Burgundy’ 6-8 x 6-8
Drained
throughout the season
Shade
Upright shrub with coarse
Part to
Well
1,2,3
6-8 x 3-4 spiny leaves. Very shade
Full
Drained
tolerant
Shade
Glossy dark green leaves.
Sun to
Small cream colored, ba- Well
1,2,3
6-8 x 6-8
Part
nana scented flowers in Drained
Shade
spring
Graceful foliage, large
Sun to
Well
1,2,3
5-8 x 3-4 clusters of red berries in
Part
Drained
fall
Shade
Red, white, pink or salmon
Well
Several
6-10 x 4- flowers in summer. All
1,2,3
Drained
Sun
Available
8
parts of this plant are poito Xeric
sonous
‘Louisiana
Well
Sun to
Small white fragrant flow1,2,3
Compact’
6-8 x 6-8
Drained
Part
ers in spring
‘Variegata’
to Xeric Shade
Gardenia
Gardenia
jasminoides
Chinese Holly
Ilex cornuta
Inkerry Holly*
Ilex glabra
Chinese Juniper
Juniperus chinensis
Japanese Privet
Ligustrum
japonicum
Loropetalum
Loropetalum
chinense
Leatherleaf
Mahonia
Mahonia bealei
Banana Shrub
Michelia figo
Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo
Nandina domestica
Oleander
Nerium oleander
Pittosporum
Pittosporum tobira
Firethorn,
Pyracantha
Pyracantha
coccinea
Pyracantha
koidzumii
1,2,3 Many Available
Needle Palm
Rhapidophyllum
hystrix
1,2,3
Azaleas Southern Indica
Varieties
Rhododendron
1,2
Rosemary
Rosmarinus
officinalis
2,3
6-10 x 4- Clusters of red or orange Well
8
berries in fall and winter Drained
Sun to
Light
Shade
Sun to
Part
Shade
‘Formosa’
Large growing, tough azalLight to
Well
‘G.G.Gerbing’ 6-8 x 6-8 eas with white, magenta or
Part
Drained
‘George Tabor’
pink flowers
Shade
Well
Blue flowers in spring,
3-6 x 3-6
Drained
Sun
culinary herb
to Xeric
5-10 x 5Well
Slow growing, hardy palm
10
Drained
Evergreen Shrubs— continued
Common Name Botanical Name
Water
Height x
Use Recommended Spread
Zone
Varieties
(ft.)
Dwarf Palmetto* Sabal minor
1,2,3
Sandwanka
Viburnum
1,2,3
Viburnum
suspensum
Tinus Viburnum,
Viburnum tinus
Laurustinus
1,2
Ornamental
Characteristics
Soil Exposure
Moist
Sun to
4-6 x 4-6 Hardy, shrub like palm to Well
Part
Drained Shade
Leathery, dark green foli- Well
4-8 x 4-8
age. White flowers in Drained
Sun
spring
to Xeric
‘Eve Price’
Dark green foliage, pink
‘Compactum’
Well
5-7 x 5-7 flower buds open to white
‘Spring
Drained
in spring
Bouquet’
Sun to
Part
Shade
DECIDUOUS SHRUBS
Common Name Botanical Name
Water
Height x
Use Recommended Spread
Zone
Varieties
(ft.)
Ornamental
Characteristics
White flowers in early
spring, red berries persist
1,2,3
6-8 x 6-8
all winter, excellent fall
color
White, Purple, Lavender,
Rose, or yellow flowers in
1,2,3 Many Available 4-8 x 4-6 summer. Extremely fragrant, attracts lots of butterflies
‘Brilliant’
Chokeberry*
Aronia arbutifolia
‘Brilliantissima’
Butterfly Bush
Buddleia davidii
American
Beautyberry*
Callicarpa
americana
1,2,3
Sweetshrub,
Carolina
Allspice*
Calycanthus
floridus
1,2,3
Clethra, Sweet
Pepperbush*
Clethra alnifolia
1,2,3
‘Ruby Spice’
4-8 x 3-6
‘Chattanooga’
Dwarf Burning
Bush
Euonymous alatus
‘Compactus’
1,2,3
6-8 x 6-8
Bigleaf
Hydrangea
Hydrangea
macrophylla
1,2
Oakleaf
Hydrangea*
Hydrangea
quercifolia
1,2
Virginia
Itea virginiana
Sweetspire, Itea*
4-6 x 4-6
‘Michael
Lindsey’
6-8 x 6-8
Many Varieties
4-6 x 4-8
Avaliable
‘Alice’
6-8 x 6-8
1,2,3 ‘Henry’s Garnet’ 4-6 x 4-8
Soil
Exposure
Moist
to Well
Drained
Sun to
Light
Shade
Well
Drained
Sun to
Light
Shade
Moist
Sun to
Vibrant purple berries in
to Well
Part
fall, attracts songbirds
Drained Shade
Moist
Sun to
Very fragrant maroon
to Well
Part
flowers in late spring
Drained Shade
Extremely fragrant white Moist
Sun to
or pink in summer. Yellow to Well
Part
fall color
Drained Shade
Well
Excellent red fall color
Sun
Drained
Large clusters of pink or
Light to
blue flowers in summer.
Well
Part
Flower color will vary de- Drained
Shade
pending on soil pH
Large panicles of white
Moist
Sun to
flowers in summer, excel- to Well
Part
lent fall color
Drained Shade
Moist
Sun to
White flower s in spring.
to Well
Part
Excellent fall color
Drained Shade
Deciduous Shrubs—continued
Common Name Botanical Name
Water
Height x
Use Recommended Spread
Zone
Varieties
(ft.)
Japanese Kerria
Kerria japonica
1,2
Double Reeves
Spirea
Spirea cantoniensis
‘Lanceata’
1,2,3
Vanhoutte Spirea Spirea x vanhouttei
1,2,3
Possumhaw
Viburnum*
Viburnum nudum
1,2
‘Mohawk’
Viburnum
Viburnum x burkwoodii ‘Mohawk’
1,2
Weigela
Weigela florida
1,2
‘Winterthur’
Ornamental
Characteristics
Bright yellow flowers in
4-6 x 4-6 springs, green stems in
winter
Abundant white flowers in
4-6 x 4-6
early spring
6-8 x Abundant white flowers in
8-10
early spring
White flowers in spring
followed by pink and blue
6-8 x 6-8
berries in fall. Good fall
color
6-8 x 6-8
‘Wine and
Roses’
Red buds open to pink
blossoms, very fragrant
Soil
Exposure
Light to
Well
Full
Drained
Shade
Well
Sun
Drained
Well
Sun
Drained
Moist
to Well
Drained
Well
Drained
Cherry pink flowers in
Well
4-6 x 4-6 spring, purple foliage all
Drained
season
Sun to
Part
Shade
Sun to
Part
Shade
Sun to
Light
Shade
Exposure
Exposure refers to the amount of sunlight a site receives as follows:
Full sun indicates a site that receives at least 8hrs of direct sun each day.
Light Shade indicates a site that is shaded less than half of the day by a light high shade such as that
cast by pine trees.
Part Shade indicates a site that is shaded for half the day by a dense shade such as that cast by
buildings or shade trees.
Full Shade indicates a site that is in shade all day.
Soil
Soil refers to soil condition at the site as follows:
Wet indicates a site that stays moist most of the time and receives periodic flooding.
Moist indicates a site that is moist most of the time with brief (less than 12hrs) periods of standing
water.
Well Drained indicates a site where water drains from the surface and rarely stands.
Xeric indicates a site that is extremely dry and sandy with very little ability to hold water.
Water Use Zones
Water Use Zones indicate the water needs of various plants and correspond to the following NCCE publications:
Water Wise Use in Landscaping
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/bae/programs/extension/publicat/wqwm/ag508_1.html
How to Plan and Design a Water Wise Use Landscape
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/bae/programs/extension/publicat/wqwm/ag508_2.html
Native Plants*
A plant native to SE USA implies a plant endemic to the Southeastern portion of the United States, from Virginia to Eastern Texas.
Drought Tolerant Plants
Extremely drought tolerant plants are marked with an underline. When planted in their preferred soil type,
these plants are able to withstand extended periods of drought, 4-6 weeks, without supplemental irrigation
once established. Most trees and shrubs take two to three seasons to become fully established. Perennials,
grasses and groundcovers usually require one to two seasons to become established.
Recommended Varieties
For many plants, recommended varieties are given. These are selections of that plant that either perform better
in our area or are more suitable to landscape use than the plain species. Plant varieties, also known as cultivars,
are listed enclosed in single quotes.
Mature Size
Mature sizes of all plants are given as height x width, though many may take several years to reach these dimensions. Mature size can vary depending on growing conditions.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Website
For more detailed information about each plant and to see images, visit the Plant Fact Sheets on the
NC Cooperative Extension Urban Horticulture website: http://www.ncstate-plants.net
Contact Cooperative Extension
If you have questions about plant selection and maintenance, lawn care, vegetable gardening or plant pest
problems, call or visit your local North Carolina Cooperative Extension office. The Pender County Cooperative Extension Center is open 8am to 5pm, Monday – Friday and is located at 801 South Walker Street, Burgaw. Our phone number is (910) 259-1235 and our website is http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu.
For residents of other counties in North Carolina, find out how to contact your local Cooperative Extension
office at http://ces.ncsu.edu.
Prepared by:
Charlotte Glen, Extension Agent
Agriculture—Horticulture
North Carolina Cooperative Extension—Pender County Center
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