By Jocelyn Bonesteel
Spring is finally here! The weather is warmer, the days are a little longer, and the cold winter seems like a thing of the past. As we head into spring, Wasson Nursery starts getting questions about great plant options for our area. In this 4-part series, we will touch on some of our favorite plants for the landscape and how they can be used. This article will cover some of our most popular shrubs. If you learn about something you like, you can pre-order them by visiting Wasson Nursery’s online store, shop.wassonnursery.com.
Shrubs are a familiar option for homeowners, and they offer many benefits. Shrubs are smaller in stature than trees, and often are much fuller at the base. Evergreen and deciduous choices, as well as a variety of shapes and textures, mean shrubs are versatile and bring a uniqueness to any yard.
Fire Chief Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Congabe’)
Size: 4’ x 4’
Sun: Full Sun to Part Shade
Best Feature: Coral/orange tinged chartreuse foliage
Fire Chief Arborvitaes combine the best features of an evergreen shrub with deciduous! Showy all year round without dropping any needles, the Fire Chief features chartreuse foliage that is tipped in a coral-orange in full sun. Come late fall and winter, the shrubs turn a dusky rose and maintains that color until spring. Fire Chief Arborvitaes maintain their rounded shape with no pruning and require very little care. Shop at Wasson Nursery for your Fire Chief Arborvitae.
Gold Mop Falsecypress (Chaemaecyparis pisifera ‘Golden Mop’)
Size: 5’ x 5’
Sun: Full Sun to Part Shade
Best Feature: Golden green foliage all year round
The Gold Mop Falsecypress is another evergreen shrub, but rather than the traditional green, the foliage is a golden yellow. Foliage is soft to the touch and almost fan-like, arching out in sprays from the center of the plant. This texture and color make a big contrasting impact in a landscape. Shop at Wasson Nursery for your Gold Mop Falsecypress.
Fineline Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula ‘Ron Williams’)
Size: 7’ x 3’
Sun: Full Sun to Part Shade
Best Feature: Columnar habit and fine foliage
Fineline Buckthorns grow taller than they do wide and make a great living fence. Their foliage is fine and delicate yet dense enough to hide unsightly equipment or views during the summer. They offer an additional season of interest in fall: leaves turn bright yellow and small, nonviable seeds adorn the branches. Shop at Wasson Nursery for your Fineline Buckthorn.
Panicle Hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata’)
Size: 2’-8’ x 2’-8’
Sun: Full Sun to Part Shade
Best Feature: Large blooms and winter hardiness
Panicle Hydrangeas include a large variety of Hydrangeas, but they all share a few things in common: they are extremely winter hardy; they feature large flowers that bloom later in the summer; their blooms naturally change through multiple color shades near the end of summer and into fall. Some of our favorites include Limelight, blooming chartreuse and then fading into pink before drying to a tan, and Quickfire, with airier blooms emerging white before quickly turning dark pink. Shop at Wasson Nursery for your Panicle Hydrangeas.
Drift Roses (Rosa)
Size: 1.5’ x 2’-2.5’
Sun: Full Sun
Best Feature: Flower coverage and range of colors
Drift Roses are so named because they stay a little shorter and wider than most shrub roses. They become coated in small blooms, ranging in color from shades of pink to red to yellow and white. They are extremely winter hardy, and their small stature makes them fit just about anywhere. Minimal dead-heading keep these roses blooming all season long! Shop at Wasson Nursery for your Drift Roses.
Little Henry Itea
Size: 2’ x 2.5’
Sun: Full Sun to Full Shade
Best Feature: White raceme flowers and fall color
Little Henry Iteas, also called Sweetspires, are an easy shrub to plant. Tolerant of many soil and sun conditions, Little Henry remains smaller in size while still packing a big punch. White flowers emerge in late spring and droop gracefully all over the shrub, while glossy green foliage changes to bright shades of red come fall. Shop at Wasson Nursery for your Little Henry Itea.