Top 11 Small And Low Growing Evergreen Shrubs
Small evergreen shrubs are amazing plants that are perfect for smaller spaces.
In this article, we will reveal 10 interesting low-growing shrubs that we saw and grew in our own garden, that you can implement into your garden for lovely gardening over all four seasons.
Expert Tip: If you want to keep bushes low growing and small you need to regularly prune and cut away the overgrown parts.
Pinus Mugo
Similar to Rosemary which is an evergreen herb, Pinus Mugo or Mountain Pine is a conifer that is green all season. It is native to the subalpine and alpine regions of the European mountains. In most of the gardens, this conifer is grown as a small to medium-sized bush with regular pruning. Pinus mugos are also used to make pine syrup.
Myrtle Spurge
Euphorbia Myrsinites is a nice evergreen shade plant for small garden landscaping but mostly grown as a perennial. It has sprawling stems growing to 20–40 cm long. This plant is also known for Myrtle spurge and is great for small spaces because it usually just grows up to 40 cm high.
Aloysia Citrodora
The Aloysia Citrodora, also known as Lemon Beebrush, is evergreen in tropical locations, but is sensitive to cold, losing leaves at temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F). Lemon Beebrush is used as a tea plant to add lemon flavor to teas and other dishes. Because it has a lot of culinary uses, it is also listed as a plant for the herb garden.
Chamaecyparis Pisifera
Chamaecyparis pisifera, also known as Sawara is considered a slow growing cypress shrub that is originally native to Japan. But you can also grow this plant as a small bush (see picture), if you are regularly pruning it. The plant is grown for its wood (timber) in Japan similar to the Chamaecyparis obtusa, where it is used as a material for building palaces, temples, and baths.
Juniperus Horizontalis
This green-grey colored species Juniperus reaches only 10–30 centimeters tall but often spreads several meters wide. It is often used as an ornamental plant in gardens, their strictly prostrate growth habit being valued for ground cover. This evergreen bush can also be grown in a small size in your garden if you are pruning it regulrarly.
Yucca Pallida
Yucca pallida, also known as the Pale Leaf or Pale yucca, is a drought-tolerant, evergreen shrub. This species grows 1–2 m high. Yucca pallidas are also considered being flowering shrubs with up to 100 bell-shaped flowers, each 5–7 cm long, with color ranging from light green to cream. Although it isn't common in horticulture, its color, size, and moderate hardiness (down to −18 °C or 0 °F) make it a good gardening alternative to other species of yuccas.
Carissa Holly
Carissa Holly is an excellent small and low-maintenance shrub growing to a height of 0,9m-1,2m (3ft-4ft) with a comparable spread. This compact evergreen shrub is known for its glossy, deep green leaves. Carissa Holly requires very little pruning to maintain its neat, mounded form and its drought tolerance makes the bush an easy-care choice for creating low hedges or borders in small spaces.
Chamaecyparis Obtusa
Chamaecyparis obtusa (Japanese cypress or hinoki cypress), is a species of dwarf evergreen tree and cypress that is mostly grown as a bush, native to central Japan and widely cultivated in the temperate northern hemisphere for its high-quality timber, like the Chamaecyparis pisifera, and ornamental qualities.
Picea Glauca
Picea glauca, the white spruce, is a species of spruce native to the northern temperate forests (taigas) in the United States of America. Although the white spruce is normally cultivated as a small ornamental bush, grows to 15m to 30m (50 to 100 ft) tall, with a trunk diameter of up to 1 m (3 ft). Unlike the English boxwood, you need to regularly trim the overgrown stems, this is also good when caring for Christmas trees.
English Boxwood
English Boxwoods are a small minimal care shrub known for its slow growth and compact stature. It is an evergreen variety of boxwood, able to craft low and small, well-defined hedges or borders making it a favored choice for minimal-effort landscaping. Moreover, its slower growth demands less frequent pruning, which is a boon for the busy gardener.
Japanese Holly, a tiny evergreen shrub with a compact form, is a versatile choice for borders or hedging. Growing up to 0,9m-3-6 ft, this undemanding care shrub flourishes in various soil types and requires minimal pruning. The inconspicuous flowers and black berries are a subtle, yet delightful feature, offering a year-round interest and a safe haven for birds.
Japanese Holly
Article By:
Calin has been in the garden industry for 5 years and knows a lot about gardening and plants. He owns this website and is responsible for most of the content.
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