24 Colorful Shrubs for Year-Round Color

Witch Hazel

Witch hazel is a deer-resistant, early-blooming shrub that may produce the first flowers in your garden. The shrubs are vase-shaped and grow as tall as 12 feet high and wide (though they can easily be pruned back). In fall, expect yellow or orange foliage, which will be brightest if the plant is grown in full sun. Keep plants well-watered during dry periods to avoid leaf scorch.

• Name: Hamamelis x intermedia
• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 8
• Mature Size: 12 feet high, 12 feet wide
• Color Varieties: Yellow
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade 
• Soil Needs: Well-drained, acidic soil amended with compost

Forsythia Bushes

Not only is forsythia a vigorous, beautiful bush, but it is also an early bloomer. In fact, forsythia goes into full bloom even before its leaves appear in spring so that they are easy to see and enjoy. They only bloom once, however, and after that, the bush is not particularly interesting. Deer-resistant forsythia can become unkempt if not trimmed; pruning should be done immediately after spring flowering is complete.

• Name: Forsythia
• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 8
• Mature Size: 8 to 10 feet tall, 10 to 12 feet wide
• Color Varieties: Yellow
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Well-drained

Common Lilacs

This May-flowering bush features beautiful clusters of fragrant flowers. Although various cultivars are now marketed (such as 'Bloomerang' and 'Miss Kim'), many gardeners still prefer the smell of the old-fashioned, common lilacs. Common lilac are deer-resistant and can spread uncontrollably unless suckers are removed at ground level.

• Name: Syringa vulgaris
• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 7
• Mature Size: 12 to 15 feet tall, 10 to 12 feet wide
• Color Varieties: Lavender-blue, white, burgundy, deep purple, lilac
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Needs: Loamy

Rose of Sharon

As a flowering bush of late summer with a long blooming period, rose of Sharon helps bridge the gap in yard color between other plants' spring and fall blooms. In fact, these beautiful flowers will rebloom until the first frost.

Rose of Sharon is also easy to grow and is tolerant of a wide range of soils and growing conditions. Flowers are produced on new wood, so prune to maintain shape in early spring.

• Name: Hibiscus syriacus
• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
• Mature Size: 6 to 16 feet tall, 2 to 10 feet wide
• Color Varieties: White, red, lavender, or light blue
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Needs: Rich and moist

Fothergilla Bushes

A multi-season shrub, fothergilla features white, fragrant "bottlebrush" flowers in spring. Many gardeners, however, choose the 'mount airy' dwarf fothergilla shrubs because of their spectacular autumn foliage. Expect various hues (orange, yellow, green, purplish), sometimes all on one leaf. 

Deer-resistant fothergilla shrubs are often grown near azaleas and rhododendrons since they have similar soil and cultural needs.

• Name: Fothergilla
• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 8
• Mature Size: 6 to 10 feet tall, 6 to 10 feet wide
• Color Varieties: White
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Needs: Moderately moist well-drained acidic soil

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Oakleaf hydrangea is a bush that boasts multi-season interest. But while its flowers bloom in the summer, oakleaf hydrangea really comes into its own in autumn, when its leaves turn beautiful colors. For good measure, its peeling bark adds winter interest to the yard.

Hydrangea shrubs, in general (there are many kinds), come in handy for those trying to bridge color gaps in the late summer landscape. Where soil is not sufficiently acidic, you can amend with peat moss or feed with an acid-enhanced fertilizer.

• Name: Hydrangea quercifolia
• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
• Mature Size: 6 to 8 feet tall, 6 to 8 feet wide
• Color Varieties: White or red
• Sun Exposure: Partial shade
• Soil Needs: Well-drained acidic soil with plenty of compost

Red Twig Dogwood

The 'Elegantissima' cultivar of red twig dogwood outdoes even oakleaf hydrangea. A titan of four-season landscaping, this plant offers year-round visual interest: spring blossoms, two-toned leaves in summer, berries from summer to fall, and bright red twigs, which are brightest in winter. Red twig dogwood looks best when planted in groups or as an informal hedge.

• Name: Cornus alba
• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 8
• Mature Size: 6 to 9 feet tall, 6 to 9 feet wide
• Color Varieties: White
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
• Soil Needs: Rich, fertile, moist soil

Blue Princess Holly

No list of shrubs would be complete without including an evergreen. Hollies are deer-resistant, broadleaf evergreens, famous for the bright red holly berries with which they festoon the winter yard.

The blue princess holly cultivar features glossy bluish-green spiny leaves, small flowers that bloom both in spring and fall, and of course, the holly's classic red berries. Blue Princess holly can be prone to winter burn, which is less likely if you position them in north or east-facing sites.

• Name: Ilex × meserveae
• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 8
• Mature Size: 8 to 10 feet tall, 6 to 8 feet wide
• Color Varieties: White flowers, red berries
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Needs: Sand to heavy clay; tolerates a wide range of soil types

Threadleaf False Cypress

King's Gold and Gold Mops are popular kinds of false cypresses. Bearing golden foliage, these evergreens are especially useful when grown along with plants bearing so-called "black flowers" (really a deep purple, in most cases) or dark leaves to create striking landscaping color schemes.

As evergreens, bushes such as Gold Mops offer year-round color for the yard. Threadleaf false cypress plants like to be kept evenly moist; a thick layer of mulch around the plants can help with this.

• Name: Chamaecyparis
• USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 8
• Mature Size: 3 feet tall, 4 feet wide
• Sun Exposure: Full sun, part shade
• Soil Needs: Clay, silt, loamy

Stewartstonian Azalea

Stewartstonian azalea is a flowering evergreen shrub and type of azalea that offers spring flowers, bright red autumn leaves, and attractive winter foliage. In late November, the foliage drops off, but by December new mahogany-colored leaves appear. These remain through the spring, creating visual interest even in dull March. Azaleas prefer somewhat acidic soil, so feed them with an acid-enhanced fertilizer.

• Name: Rhododendron x Gable 'Stewartstonian'
• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 8
• Mature Size: 4 feet tall, 4 feet wide
• Color Varieties: Red
• Sun Exposure: Partial shade
• Soil Needs: Fertile, well-drained, and evenly moist

Rugosa Rose

No list of the best shrubs to grow would be complete without mentioning roses, one of the best summertime plants that you can grow—especially the famous Rosa rugosa. A hardy, easy-to-grow rose, Rugosa roses bloom in late spring to early summer, and many varieties will repeat bloom. These roses are sprawling, so give them plenty of space and beware of their large, sharp thorns.

• Name: Rosa Rugosa
• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 9
• Mature Size: 4 to 6 feet tall, 4 to 6 feet wide
• Color Varieties: Pink, red, lavender, and white
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining soil

Hardy Hibiscus

Hardy hibiscus not only brings year-long color to the yard but is also unusual in the north. Hardy hibiscus sports one of the largest blossoms you'll find among hardy plants in northern climates, earning it the nickname "dinner-plate hibiscus."

It tends to bloom at about the same time as its relative, rose of Sharon: in mid-summer and then repeatedly through the fall till the first frost. Hardy hibiscus is a full sun shrub that likes relatively moist soil, so keep the ground around the plants well mulched to preserve moisture.

• Name: Hibiscus moscheutos
• USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 9
• Mature Size: 3 to 7 feet tall, 2 to 4 feet wide
• Color Varieties: White, red, pink, blue
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Loamy soil

Red Prince Weigela

The brilliant red flowers of the red prince weigela are known for attracting hummingbirds, which is reason enough to plant them in your yard. But they'll also add color to your garden from late spring through early summer, then again in late summer. These showy blooms last longer than those on other colorful shrubs.

• Name: Weigela florida
• USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 8
• Mature Size: 4 to 6 feet tall, 4 to 6 feet wide
• Color Varieties: Red
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained

Smoke Bush

Smoke bush gets its name from the ethereal, billowy blooms that seem to cover it in a cloud of pink smoke from mid-May through early June. Even once its spring flowers are gone, the leaves still create garden interest with their vibrant color. They are green, purple, and sometimes gold during the summer before putting on a fiery show in the fall.

• Name: Cotinus
• USDA Growing Zone: 4a to 11
• Mature Size: 10 to 15 feet tall, 10 to 15 feet wide
• Color Varieties: White, pink, yellow
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Loamy soil, rocky soil, slightly acidic

Spirea

Tightly clustered flowers and narrow, oval-shaped leaves define the over 80 varieties of spirea that are becoming increasingly popular flowering shrubs. While each variety will have different growing requirements, there are some similarities, including the need for full sun and regular pruning of old wood. These deciduous shrubs are fast-growing, quickly giving you vibrant color in your garden.

• Name: Spiraea spp.
• USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 8
• Mature Size: 1 to 20 feet tall
• Color Varieties: White, pink, red, violet
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Loamy, well-draining, neutral
  

Camellia

Camellias are stunning evergreen shrubs for shade that can grow up to 12 feet tall. They are covered in flowers throughout their bloom season, which can be in the spring, winter, or fall. These stunning flowers are slow-growing but live for over a century, meaning this is a beautiful and colorful lifelong commitment you're taking on when you plant one.

• Name: Camellia spp.
  
• USDA Growing Zone: 7 to 9
• Mature Size: 2 to 12 feet tall, 2 to 10 feet wide
• Color Varieties: White, pink, red, yellow, or lavender
  
• Sun Exposure: Partial
• Soil Needs: Rich, moist but well-drained, acidic
  

Butterfly Bush

In warmer climates, the stunning arches of the butterfly bush are a year-round sight. But you can also grow them in colder regions as a perennial that dies back every winter and remerges in the spring. As its name would imply, butterfly bush attracts butterflies, making it a go-to low-maintenance shrub for gardeners who want to enjoy gorgeous blooms and butterflies flitting about.

• Name: Buddleja davidii 
• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
• Mature Size: 3 to 12 feet tall, 3 to 8 feet wide
• Color Varieties: Purple, pink, blue, white, yellow
  
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained soil, acidic, neutral
  

Viburnum

Viburnum is not a hydrangea, despite closely resembling one. Think of them as a tall version of a hydrangea with similar abundant blooms, but a much taller stature.

These fast-growing shrubs can reach up to 20 feet tall, and their early spring through June flowers are followed by fruit, then fall foliage. You can find them in both deciduous and semi-evergreen varieties.

• Name: Viburnum spp.
• USDA Growing Zone: 2 to 9
• Mature Size: 3 to 20 feet tall, 3 to 12 feet wide
• Color Varieties: White, pink
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained, neutral, acidic

Elderberry

While the elderberry bush has delicate white flowers that add interest but not color to your garden, the rich dark purple of its berries brings an unexpectedly deep hue to your yard in late summer and early fall. These easygoing shrubs are a favorite of pollinators and gardeners alike, and they get along with sun or shade.

• Name: Sambucus canadensis
• USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 8
• Mature Size: 5 to 12 feet tall, 6 to 12 feet wide
• Color Varieties: White
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Needs: Moist but well-drained, acidic, neutral
  

Ninebark

You'll get multi-season color from ninebark, a landscaping shrub which gets its name from its bark that sheds off in layers. In the spring, you get fluffy white and pink blooms that bring in pollinators and, in the fall, the red fruit attracts birds. While you will have to spend time pruning your ninebark, they're deer-resistant, so that's one less thing to worry about.

• Name: Physocarpus opulifolius
• USDA Growing Zone: 2-8
• Mature Size: 3 to 10 feet tall, 3 to 8 feet wide
• Color Varieties: White, pink
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Needs: Clay, loamy, neurtal
  

Variegata Weigela

The vibrant flowers and bold leaves of the variegata weigela are a pollinator's dream. Bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies love the colorful blooms, yet deer will stay away. Their bloom season runs from late spring to early summer, but that short time is full of color and the ushering in of warm weather.

• Name: Weigela 'Nana Variegata' 
• USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 8
• Mature Size: 5 to 6 feet tall, 5 to 6 feet wide
• Color Varieties: White, pink, lavender
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Needs: Well-drained, moist

Limelight Hydrangea

Easy-to-grow limelight hydrangeas are a favorite of gardeners looking for a showy, vibrant summer shrub. The cone-shaped blooms of the limelight hydrangea bring a striking look to your garden for nearly the whole summer. You can count on these big blooms from July to September.

• Name: Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'
• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 9
• Mature Size: 6 to 8 feet tall, 6 to 8 feet wide
  
• Color Varieties: Green, white, pink
  
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Needs: Well-drained, acidic
  

Bigleaf Hydrangea

The big, abundant blooms of the hydrangea are one of those iconic summer sights. In pretty pastels like blue, pink, and purple, these pretty floral shrubs grow quickly, adding two feet or more a year. That means your garden will be covered in color within just a few short seasons. While they grow well in a variety of climates, they do require consistent moisture, just as their name would indicate.

• Name: Hydrangea spp.
• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
• Mature Size: 2 to 20 feet tall, 2 to 6 feet wide
• Color Varieties: White, blue, pink, red, purple, green
  
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained, Acidic, neutral, alkaline
  

Rhododendron

Rhododendron's distinctive tubular-, funnel-, or bell-shaped flowers are a welcome spring sight that appears both in yards as well as in wooded areas where they've found a home. These flowering shrubs can grow tall and wide when given the right room and habitat, and they're shade-loving plants that can thrive in partial or dappled sunlight. While they come in a variety of colors, the vivid violet is one of the most recognizable.

• Name: Rhododendron spp.
• USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 9
• Mature Size: 2 to 20 feet tall, 3 to 15 feet wide
  
• Color Varieties: Red, pink, orange, yellow, purple, white
  
• Sun Exposure: Partial
• Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained, acidic