20 Popular Flowering Shrubs for Every Kind of Garden
These blooming bushes will add lasting beauty to every landscape.
Flowering shrubs are the backbone of any well rounded-garden, offering privacy along your yard borders, attracting pollinators (like birds, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, wasps, and most importantly, bees), and providing vibrant color and interest without needing an annual replanting. With hundreds of attractive varieties, there’s a beautiful blooming bush for every taste!
To ensure your new shrub gets a good start, choose the right plant for the right place. First, make sure it’s suited for your USDA Hardiness Zone. Observe the part of your garden where you plan to plant it: Does it get full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun) or is it more like part shade (about 3 to 4 hours per day)? Here’s the most important thing to remember: Some flowering plants bloom on branches that grew the year before (called “old wood”), others bloom on this year’s growth (new wood), and still others bloom on both old and new wood! If you’re not sure what you have in your space, wait until the plant blooms, then prune to shape. If you prune beforehand, you risk cutting off those beautiful flower buds by accident. It works in your favor to let nature take its course, letting your shrubs innate process play out before your eyes. A bit of patience goes a long way and helps to maximize the growth of your flowering beauties.
Here are some of the most popular flowering shrubs to add to your garden this year.
Hydrangea
Not only are hydrangea bushes stunning, but they’re also one of the few plants that can be grown from coast to coast in most climates. Some tolerate part sun conditions, but many prefer a few hours of sun for best blooms. In the hottest parts of the country, give them some morning sun and afternoon shade so they don’t fry.
Why We Love It: This flowering shrub comes in oodles of varieties, colors, and sizes.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 10
Varieties to Try: Panicle (Little Lime, Fire and Ice), Smooth (Annabelle, Incrediball), Oakleaf (Ruby Slippers, Gatsby Star), Bigleaf (Wedding Gown, Cherry Explosion), Mountain (Tuff Stuff, Tiny Tuff Stuff)
Learn more: How to Care for Hydrangea.
Rhododendron
The rhododendron family of plants included showy flowers in yellows, purples, pale pinks, and snowy whites pop against deep green shiny leaves. Some new varieties are cold-tolerant. Plant in dappled shade as a hedge.
Why We Love It: This evergreen flowering shrub is great for shade.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Varieties to try: Amy Cotta, Raise the Roof Huskymania
Learn more: Deadheading Rhododendrons.
Azalea
A variety of rhododendron, azalea shrubs have glossy green leaves and spring flowers in shades of pinks, peach, coral, purple, or white. Some types re-bloom. You’ll find both evergreen or deciduous (which drop their leaves in winter) varieties, so pay attention to the plant label. They’re spectacular planted en masse or as a low hedge.
Why We Love It: This beautiful flowering shrub tolerates shade well.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Varieties to Try: Red Ruffles, Golden Flare
Read more: More Pink Flowers for the Most Enchanting Garden.
Camellia
These gorgeous flowering shrubs have glossy foliage and brilliant blooms in jewel tones. They generally bloom around the holidays or early spring. Plant where you can enjoy their scent.
Why We Love It: The beautiful, fragrant flowers resemble roses.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 9
Varieties to Try: April Blush, April Dawn
Learn more: Captivating Camellia Varieties.
Lilac
Lilac bushes like plenty of sun, but give them a little space between plants (and not right up against the house) to let air circulate and reduce the risk of powdery mildew developing. Some types are extremely cold-hardy. They make a fragrant hedge or accent plant.
Why We Love It: The scent says “spring is here!”
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 8
Varieties to Try: Angel White, Scentara Double Blue
Learn more: How to Grow a Lilac Bush.
Summer Lilac
Also called butterfly bush, this sturdy flowering shrub withstands drought, blooms all season long and attracts pollinators. Look for dwarf varieties that are non-invasive and won’t overtake your garden. Use them in borders or mass plantings.
Why We Love It: These pink or purple blooms draw pollinators and are easy to grow.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Varieties to Try: Pugster Pink, Monum
Read more: Perennials That Will Bloom Multiple Times This Summer.
Forsythia
You know spring is here when the bright yellow forsythia starts blooming! Newer varieties have improved flower power with tons of tiny blossoms on a more compact hedge form. Dwarf flowering shrub types fit in any size garden. Use as a hedge or accent.
Why We Love It: It's one of the earliest-to-bloom flowering shrubs for full sun.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
Varieties to Try: Kolgold, Show Off Sugar Baby
Read more: How to Decorate with Forsythia.
Buttonbush
This plant loves moisture, so situate it in wet areas such as near a downspout. The native variety can grow up to 20 feet tall, so be careful with placement. A new variety is a dwarf flowering shrub with white flowers and red fruit in the fall.
Why We Love It: These too-cute ball-shaped flowers are adored by pollinators.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 10
Varieties to Try: Native Buttonbush, Sugar Shack
Sweetshrub
This native shrub has glossy, almost tropical-looking leaves and unique flowers and seed capsules to give the plant multi-season interest. It also goes by other names such as Carolina allspice, strawberry bush, or sweet bubby. Use in borders.
Why We Love It: These curious-looking flowers have a sweet, strong fragrance.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Varieties to Try: Native Carolina Allspice, Aphrodite
Read more: Fragrant Plants That Will Make Your Garden Smell Amazing.
Abelia
This shrub has it all: Beautiful pink, purple or peachy-colored flowers in late spring, spicy-sweet fragrance, and colorful fall foliage and cool seed pods. New types are more cold-hardy. Plant it in a border or where you can enjoy its scented flowers.
Why We Love It: The gorgeous bell-shaped blooms do well in part shade.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Varieties to Try: Sweet Emotion, Pinky Bells
Caryopteris
This sun-lover has brilliant blue blooms in late summer to fall when many other flowering shrubs are done with their annual show. Bees and butterflies love it! It’s most striking planted in a mass as a border.
Why We Love It: The bright blue-flowering shrub does very well in full sun.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Varieties to Try: Blue Balloon, Beyond Midnight
Keep reading: More Heat-Tolerant Plants That Will Survive Even a Brutal Summer.
Koreanspice Viburnum
Viburnums are some of the toughest shrubs out there, and these spring-bloomers have pretty white to pinkish-white blooms with a distinctively spicy scent and attractive reddish fall foliage. They’ll tolerate some shade. Plant where you can enjoy the fragrance or as part of a shrub border.
Why We Love It: It's a beautiful fragrant white-flowering shrub.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Varieties to Try: Spice Girl, Spice Baby
Quince
This easy-going plant boasts early spring color with large flowers in vibrant shades. It rarely needs pruning, and new varieties are thornless. In warmer areas, afternoon shade helps the flowers last longer. Use as an accent.
Why We Love It: It's an easy to plant flowering shrub with big, bright flowers.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Varieties to Try: Double Take Peach, Double Take Pink Storm
Read more: Easy Plants That Give You More Bang for Your Buck.
Ninebark
This native plant is a standout in the garden with its handsome burgundy foliage that lasts all season, topped with creamy white flowers in early summer. The plant is ultra-cold-hardy and has a graceful arching shape that makes it lovely planted together as a dense border.
Why We Love It: This white-flowering shrub loves full sun.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 7
Varieties to Try: Diabolo, Center Glow
Weigela
Newer varieties burst into bloom in late spring, with some re-blooming until frost. The best flowering occurs in full sun, though it can tolerate part shade in hot climates. They make an attractive privacy screen.
Why We Love It: This low-maintenance white-, pink-, purple-, or red-flowering shrub enjoys both full sun and part shade.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Varieties to Try: Sonic Bloom Pink, Czechmark Sunny Side Up
Read more: Low-Maintenance Bushes and Shrubs to Plant in Your Garden.
Beautyberry
This fast-growing sun lover has masses of white blooms in late summer. But the real show is the purple berries that dot the stems in fall. Some types boast purple-black foliage, too! Use as a stunning accent plant or in fall floral displays.
Why We Love It: With white flowers and those gorgeous berries, it's an easy to grow shrub that enjoys full sun.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
Varieties to Try: Purple Pearls, Pearl Glam
Rose of Sharon
This reliable summer bloomer boasts flowers of purple, white, pink, and every nuance in between. New varieties grow in a pillar (columnar) shape or small rounded dwarf shrub form, so they fit in every garden. They work well as a hedge or accent plant.
Why We Love It: This flowering shrub has exotic-looking flowers and loves full sun.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Varieties to Try: White Pillar, Lil Kim
Deutzia
This mounded shrub with arching branches is loaded with white or blush flowers in spring with foliage that turns burgundy in fall. Some types are low-growing and work as a beautiful ground cover or foundation planting.
Why We Love It: Flowering shrub for part shade
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
Varieties to Try: Yuki Cherry Blossom, Nikko Blush
Read more: Great Ground Cover Plants To Cover Those Backyard Bald Spots.
Pearl Bush
This classic favorite offers a profusion of white flowers in the spring. It works well in borders or as a hedge. Newer varieties are more compact so they fit in smaller gardens.
Why We Love It: This stunning white-flowering shrub has — we have to say — a charming name.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Varieties to Try: Snow Day Surprise, Snow Day Blizzard
Spirea
New varieties of this old low-maintenance standby include re-bloomers that keep up the floral show all season long, starting in late spring. Bright pinks, reds, and pure whites pop against the lime-green, deep green, or golden foliage. It makes a great cold-hardy plant for foundations or to line walkways.
Why We Love It: Hardy and reliable bloomer
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
Varieties to Try: Double Play Doozie, Double Play Candy Corn
Read more: Landscaping Ideas For A Low-Maintenance Yard.
Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more. She’s passionate about gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
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