11 flowering shrubs for garden or pot

Camellia flower, a spectacular shrub

Flowering shrubs are plants with which you can have a very cheerfully decorated garden, patio or terrace. There are many species that produce very cheerful flowers, but if you do not have much experience in the cultivation of plant beings, we are going to recommend the best ones, those that are suitable for beginners.

Getting them to be well cared for is not difficult, so, What are you waiting for to take a look at our selection? : )

What is a bush?

View of the Abelia x grandiflora

Image - Flickr / briweldon

Before going to a nursery to buy a plant, it is highly recommended to know exactly what kind of plant we want. In the case of shrubs, there are usually certain doubts about what they are, since sometimes it is said that a large specimen is a tree, or that a small tree is a shrub ... and that is not entirely true.

The meaning of the word bush is as follows: They are plants that have a stem that branches at a low height (it is said that between 0 and 5 meters), and that these trunks are thin and more or less equal. But beware, not all plants that branch from or near the base are called that. An example of this would be thyme or lavender, which are actually woody bushes or subshrubs.

Unlike the trees, our protagonists only develop secondary tissues in the regions close to the base, keeping the upper part with soft wood that is green the newer it is.

List of 11 flowering shrubs

Now that we know what a bush is and what it is not, we have to see what are those interesting species that we said at the beginning 🙂, those that can be grown both in pots and in the garden soil without problems:

Butterfly bush

Buddleja davidii flower color

The scientific name of this shrub is Buddleja davidii, and it is one of the most appreciated since it is a magnet for butterflies. It is also known as budleja or summer lilo, and it is originally from China. Reaches 5 meters in height, and is deciduous or semi-deciduous depending on the climate. It blooms during the summer, producing lilac inflorescences.

It is a plant that must be in direct sun, receive regular and somewhat frequent waterings in summer, but that it is able to withstand frosts down to -12ºC. In addition, it can be grown near the sea.

Buddleja davidii in the garden
Related article:
Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii)

Bola de nieve

Viburnum opulus, a lovely garden shrub

The bush known as Snowball or mundillo, whose scientific name is Viburnum opulus, It is a deciduous plant that reaches between 4 and 5 meters native to Europe, Northwest Africa, Asia Minor, Caucasus, and Central Asia. Its leaves are opposite, trilobed, 5-10cm long and wide, with serrated margins. The flowers are grouped in corymbs of 4-11cm in diameter and are white. It blooms in spring.

It is an ideal species to have in gardens, but also in pots. Both in full sun and in semi-shade it decorates the place a lot. We will water it three times a week in summer every 5-6 days the rest of the year, and We will protect it if the minimum temperature is below -10ºC.

Viburnum opulus, a lovely garden shrub
Related article:
Snowball (Viburnum opulus)

Camelia

Camellia japonica in bloom

Camellia is an evergreen shrub native to China and Japan that can reach a height of about 5 meters. Its leaves are leathery, glossy dark green, whole, and with entire or slightly serrated edges. Its flowers are large, from white to red through pink and sprout in spring.

To grow well needs the soil and irrigation water to be acidic (pH between 4 and 6), semi-shade, regular waterings or with a mild climate with frosts down to -4ºC.

Camellia japonica
Related article:
Camellia care

celinda

Philadelphus coronarius specimen

In this deciduous shrub that grows 1 to 3 meters whose scientific name is Philadelphus coronarius. Native to the Mediterranean region, it has ovate or elliptical shaped leaves. The flowers are about 3cm in diameter and are grouped in clusters of up to ten. These give off a sweet aroma and sprout in spring.

They like places protected from direct sun, and to be watered two or three times a week. Otherwise, withstands frosts down to -8ºC.

The flowers of the celinda are white or yellow
Related article:
Celinda (Philadelphus coronarius)

durillo

Durillo is a shrub with beautiful flowers

Image - Wikimedia / Daniel Ventura

Known by the scientific name Viburnum tinus, is an evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean region that reaches a height of 2 to 4 meters. The flowers are small, white, and sprout from late winter to spring. The fruits are toxic.

It can be in full sun as well as in semi-shade, but always protected from intense frosts since it "only" resists up to -7ºC.

The Viburnum tinus is a very decorative shrub
Related article:
Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus)

Spirea

Spirea japonica in flower

The Espírea it is a deciduous plant native to the northern hemisphere, primarily eastern Asia. Reaches a height of 2 meters, and is formed by simple leaves, arranged in a spiral. The flowers are small and are grouped in dense panicles, umbrella-shaped corymbs or in clusters. These sprout during the spring.

It can be grown both in full sun and in semi-shade, in an area where the minimum temperature is -8ºC or higher.. It needs frequent waterings during the summer and somewhat spaced the rest of the year.

Hebe

Hebe 'Waireka' specimen

Known as hebe or veronica, this is an evergreen shrub native to New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Rapa Nui, the Falkland Islands, and South America. It can reach a height between 2 and 7 meters depending on the species. Its leaves are lanceolate, leathery, green or variegated. The flowers are grouped in spike-shaped inflorescences and are white, pink or purple in color.

It is ideal for corners with little light and sheltered from the wind and, above all, from frost. It should be watered two to three times a week during the warmer months, and once or twice a week the rest of the year.

hebe 'Waireka'
Related article:
The hebe, an excellent shrub for xerogardens

China Pink Hibiscus

Hibiscus Rosa de China, an ideal shrub to decorate patios and terraces

The pink hibiscus of China, known as cayenne or poppy, it is an evergreen shrub that can reach 5 meters in height originally from East Asia. Its leaves are bright green, petiolate, broad to lanceolate with serrated edges. The flowers are very pretty, with a size of 6 to 12cm long composed of five petals that can be white, yellow, orange, red, or scarlet. It blooms from spring to fall.

It is a plant that can be grown in hot climates, without important frosts (supports up to -2ºC as long as it is for a short period of time), in full sun or in semi-shade. During the summer it may require copious watering, every two days, but the rest of the year you have to water it less (once every 5-6 days).

Hibiscus pink flower
Related article:
The precious flower of the China Pink Hibiscus

Pink hibiscus from Syria or Altea

Hibiscus syriacus flowers

El hibiscus syriacus is a deciduous shrub native to Syria that grows to a height of 2 to 4 meters. The flowers appear from spring to fall, and are simple, pink, lilac, or purple in color.

What care must be given? Basically, sun or semi-shade, and a regular watering every 3 or 4 days. Unlike the China rose (Hibiscus rosa-chinensis), this species it is able to withstand frosts down to -7ºC.

Hibiscus syriacus flower
Related article:
Hibiscus syriacus, a beautiful flowering shrub

Hydrangea

Hydrangea, a magnificent flowering shrub

The hydrangea is a shrub native to southern and eastern Asia and America that can reach a height of 1-2 meters depending on the species. It can be evergreen or deciduous. These are large, up to 7cm in length, simple, with a serrated margin. The wonderful flowers are grouped in terminal inflorescences and can be pink, white or blue depending above all on the pH of the soil: if it is acidic, they will be blue; if it is slightly alkaline they will be pink, and if they are very alkaline they will be white.

It is a much loved plant that must be placed in semi-shade and planted in substrate or slightly acidic soils (with a pH lower than 7) to avoid iron chlorosis. Likewise, it must be watered with acidic water 3-4 times a week in summer and somewhat less often the rest of the year. In the event that we cannot get it, we can dilute the liquid of half a lemon in a liter of water. Resists frosts down to -4ºC.

Hydrangeas bloom for much of the year
Related article:
Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

Taray or tare

The flowers of the African Tamarix can be pink or white

Image - Flickr / jacilluch

His scientific name is African tamarix, and it is an evergreen shrub that can be shaped like a seedling native to the western Mediterranean. It grows up to 4-5 meters in height. During spring and summer it is filled with beautiful flowers triangular pink ones that attract a lot of attention.

Of all those on this list, it is one of the ones that best resists drought, salinity, and high temperatures. But it likes dry and warm climates, with occasional frosts of up to -12ºC.

View of the African Tamarix
Related article:
African tamarix

Which of these flowering shrubs did you like the most? Do you have any?


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  1.   Juan said

    some are trees

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi John.

      It depends 🙂. According to experts, a tree is a plant that measures 5 meters or more, and that branches at a certain height from the ground.

      Many of those that we say in this article are shaped like a tree, and a few others can be shaped like a tree. But if we take that theory as valid, they are not trees, but large bushes.

      Regards!