Plants and Trees - Flowering Shrubs
About Flowering Shrubs
What are Flowering Shrubs?
Flowering shrubs are a group of flowering plants that have woody stems and naturally have multiple branches from the base of the plant, as opposed to trees which have only one main trunk from the base. Flowering shrubs offer an eye-catching, low maintenance and long-lasting feature in any landscape design. With their varied form, flowers, fruit, foliage and scents, they can embellish a landscape all year round.
Used in landscapes, such as that in your home garden, flowering shrubs can be pruned into formal hedges or can play the role of a privacy screen. In either case, they can be grown in a mixed border, which means they will be assorted with other different plants like annuals or perennials. Another way to go about flowering shrubs is to use them to stand alone as a landscape’s focal point. Types of Flowering Shrubs
There is a vast array of flowering shrubs, each with differing appearances and uses. Some flowering shrubs are small and neat, and in some cases are classified as dwarfs. Others are tall, tall enough to be mistaken as small trees. Their height can naturally reach up to 10-20 feet. Flowering shrubs also differ when it comes to seasons. There’s the kind that lose their leaves in winter or there’s the type that is evergreen.
Listed below are some of the most popular flowering shrub types:
- Weigela shrubs: A deciduous flowering shrub with flower colors ranging from pure white to ruby red. Leaf colors vary from dark green to purple and yellow, or can be multicolored. Probably the most well-liked shrubs with butterflies.
- Forsythia shrubs: Also a deciduous flowering shrub. It is easy to grow, performing fine in almost any type of soil even though they prefer loose, rich soil. Forsythia shrubs grow to a height of 8-12 feet with bright yellow flowers in early spring.
- Hydrangea shrubs: These shrubs make excellent specimen plantings and can also be incorporated into mixed borders. Depending on the species, Hydrangea shrubs can produce flowers that can change color simply by altering the soil’s pH level. Acidic soil will give blue flowers, while alkaline soil will produce pink flowers. If the flowers are white, they will not be affected by soil’s pH.
- Lilac shrubs: Another admired shrub perfect for growing as a specimen or in a shrub border. The scented flowers are either lilac, blue, red, pink or white. These hardy shrubs favor fertile, well-drained soil with lots of sun. A great attraction for butterflies and bees.
- Viburnum shrubs: Coming from a genus with over 150 species, Viburnum shrubs are the easiest flowering shrubs to be grown. They do not require a lot of care because of their strong resistance to diseases and pests.
Purchasing Flowering Shrubs
Before setting off the purchase blossoming shrubs, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, what function will these shrubs serve? Will the shrubs be used as a privacy hedge, or maybe just to accentuate a pathway. Flowering shrubs can function to direct traffic, filter noise, or even create walls to separate garden areas. Secondly, is fall color or winter interest needed? These are just a few major things to think about. When this sort of planning is completed, then it’s time to choose the appropriately sized shrubs that match the region’s soil type and climate. Planting flowering shrubs
To plant deciduous shrubs, it’s good to do so in spring or fall. As for evergreens, the best time is in spring in order to allow them enough time to settle before it gets cold. Planting flowering shrubs is simple, just by following the steps below:
- Dig a hole a bit bigger than the shrub’s root mass
- Remove the shrub from its pot
- Barely slice through the fine exterior roots and loosen them
- Place the shrub in the hole on top of the firmed, backfilled soil at the same depth as the shrub’s pot
- Backfill and tamp the soil softly
- Mulch, water well and apply a root stimulator.
