Common
Name
| Scientific
Name
| Size
(height x width)
| Culture
| Features
| Problems
|
| Abelia
| Abelia grandiflora
| 4-5 ft. x 3-4 ft.
| sun or semi-shade
| -fast growing evergreen
-pale pink to white, small tubular blooms May-0ctober
-glossy green foliage
-makes compact shrub when pruned
| -straggly looking if unpruned |
| Althea, Rose of Sharon
| Hibiscus syriacus
| 6-8 ft. x 4-5 ft.
| -sun or semi-shade
-prefers alkaline soil
-some moisture
| -fast growing deciduous shrub
-white, pink, lavender to rose, single or double bloom in late
spring and summer
-well-pruned hedge if maintained at 4-5 ft.
| -gets scale insect |
| Indian Azalea
| Azalea indica
| 4-6 ft. x 4-6 ft.
| -sun or shade
-loose, well-drained acid soil
-mulch to preserve moisture
| -medium-fast growing evergreen
-pink, rosy purple, salmon, white or orange blooms in late Feb.
and March
-"Formosa"-most hardy; "Pride of
Mobile"-more spreading
| -gets flower and leaf blight and scale
-slight freeze damage |
| Bamboo
| Bambusa
| 6-8 ft.
| -sun or shade
-likes moisture
| -fast growing, dense evergreen
| -often killed back by cold to return in spring
-objectionable root system
-must be controlled because of root runners |
| Barberry
| Berberis Thunbergi
| 4-5 ft. x 4-5 ft.
| -sun
-good drainage
| -medium growing semi-evergreen
-fine textured low, compact hedge
-"Atropurpureum"-purple variety
| . |
| Bottle Brush
| Callistemon rigidus
| 4-5 ft. x 4-5 ft.
| -sun
-needs little pruning
| -slow growing evergreen
-spikes or bright orange and red flowers in March and scattered
throughout summer
-"Lancelate"-tall variety
| -damaged by severe cold, but comes back |
| Cherry Laurel
| Prunus caroliniana
| 25-30 ft. x 18-20 ft.
| -easy
| -fast growing evergreen
-long clusters of small white flowers in early spring
-makes excellent tall, narrow hedge
-may be pruned severely
| . |
| Cleyera
| Cleyera Japonica
| 5-7 ft. x 2 ft.
| -sun or shade
| -medium growing evergreen
-small white fragrant blooms in late spring-summer
-waxy, purple-cast foliage
-sparse shrub good for narrow, upright plantings
| . |
| Eleagnus, Russian Olive
| Eleagnus augustifolia
| 8-10 ft. x 8-10 ft.
| -sun or shade
-requires room to grow
-more attractive when well pruned
| -medium-slow growing evergreen
-small, fragrant silver white flowers in axis of leaf in
April-May
-may be used on a bank or incline
-graceful, hanging character
| . |
| Chinese Eleagnus
| Eleagnus Pungens
| 15 ft. x 15 ft.
| -sun or shade
-easy culture
-more attractive when kept well pruned
| -fast growing evergreen
-small, fragrant white flowers in summer
-leaves edged with yellow and white
| . |
| Euonymus
| Euonymus japonicus
| 6-8 ft. x 2 ft.
| -easy culture
| -fast growing evergreen
-variegated varieties with yellow or white markings
-good for tall, upright, narrow planting
| -gets scale insects |
| Flowering Pomegranate
| Punica granatum
| 12-15 ft. x 12-15 ft.
| -prefers sun
-ample growing room
| -medium-slow growing semi-evergreen
-bright orange flowers with fleshy petioles
-very showy in late spring and early summer
-shiny green, rather sparse foliage
-attractive copper new foliage in spring
| . |
| Cape Jasmine Gardenia
| Gardenia jasminoides
| 5-7 ft. x 5-7 ft.
| -sun or shade
-acid soil
-needs mulch
| -medium-fast growing evergreen
-very fragrant, white waxy flowers May-June and scattered
throughout summer
| -gets scale, white fly and sooty mold
-some winter damage during severe cold |
| Burford Holly
| Ilex cornuta "Burfordii"
| 10-15 ft. x 8-10 ft.
| -sun or shade
-acid soil
| -medium growing evergreen
-large red berries fall-winter
-sexes are separate-males have no berries
| . |
| Japanese Quince
| Chaenomeles lagenaria
| 4-6 ft. x 4-6 ft.
| -sun or shade (best in sun)
| -fast growing deciduous shrub
-red, white, pink, orange blooms in early spring (Feb.)
-blooms appear before foliage
-careful and select pruning needed
| . |
| Japanese Yew
| Podocarpus macrophylla maki
| 10-12 ft. x 2-3 ft.
| -sun or shade
-prunes to a neat dense shrub
| -slow growing evergreen
-purple-gray fruit in late summer and fall
-good for narrow upright plantings
-"nagi"-erect and formal; "elongata"-flopping,
weeping foliage and character
| . |
| Pfitzer's Juniper
| Juniperus chinensis pfitzeriana
| 4-5 ft. x 6-8 ft.
| -prefers sun
-good drainage
| -medium-fast growing evergreen
-horizontal growth
| -gets red spider and bagworm insects |
| Common Juniper
| Juniperus communis
| 3 ft. x 6 ft.
| -sun
-good drainage
| -medium-slow growing evergreen
-use for low hedge
| -gets red spider and bagworm |
| Sylvesia Juniper
| Juniperus sylvestris
| 15-20 ft. x 5 ft.
| -needs sun
-good drainage
| -medium-slow growing evergreen
-good for tall dense hedge
| -gets bagworm, red spider and rust disease |
| Blue Vase Juniper
| Juniperus chinensis "Blue Vase
| 12-15 ft. x 8-10 ft.
| -sun
-good drainage
| -fast growing evergeen
-good tall dense hedge
| -gets red spider and bagworms |
| Primrose Jasmine
| Jasminum primulinum
| 6-8 ft. x 6-8 ft.
| -prefers sun
| -fast growing evergreen
-fragrant, yellow flowers in late spring and through summer
-makes a large rounded mound
-good for ditch banks
| . |
| Ligustrum
| Ligustrum japonicum
| 15 ft. x 15 ft.
| -sun or shade
| -fast growing evergreen
-fragrant, creamy white flower clusters in April-May
| -takes severe and continual pruning due to
fast growth
-gets white fly insects and scale |
| Mock Orange
| Philadelphus coronarius
| 8-10 ft. x 6-8 ft.
| -prefers sun
| -medium-fast growing deciduous shrub
-white, 4 petal flowers with yellow center on long stems in
April-May
-prunes readily
| -pruning destroys natural form and causes more
vigorous growth |
| Nandina
| Nandina domestica
| 4-5 ft.
| -sun or shade
-easy culture
| -medium-slow growing evergreen
-white flower clusters in mid-late spring
-red berries in fall and winter
-good plant for a low hedge for a narrow planting space
| . |
| Oleander
| Nerium oleander
| 10-15 ft. x 10-15 ft.
| -sun or shade
-will take salt conditions
| -very fast growing evergreen
-white, lavender, pink, yellow, salmon and red flower clusters
in April-May and scattered in summer and fall
| -poisonous
-severe winter will kill to ground to return in spring |
| Redleaf Photinia
| Photinia glabra
| 12-15 ft. x 9 ft.
| -must have sun
| -medium-fast growing evergreen
-white flower clusters in March-April
-bright red-wine new growth when pruned
| -susceptible to fireblight |
| Photinia
| Photinia serrulata
| 10-12 ft. x 10-12 ft.
| -best in sun
| -medium-slow growing evergreen
-white flower clusters in spring
-red berries in fall-winter
-dense, large leafed hedge
| -susceptible to fireblight |
| Pittosporum
| Pittosporum tobira
| 10-12 ft. x 15-18 ft.
| -easy culture
-readily pruned
| -fast growing evergreen
-fragrant, cream white flowers in late spring
-variegated green/white variety
-may be pruned to form a medium sized shrub
| -must have ample room for growth |
| Pineapple Guava, Feijoa
| Feijoa sellowiana
| 10-12 ft. x 10-12 ft.
| -sun to partial shade
-will grow in dry conditions
-must have good drainage
-easily pruned to form compact planting
| -medium-fast growing evergreen
-white with purple and red flower cluster in summer
-attractive gray-green foliage
| . |
| Pyracantha, Firethorn
| Pyracantha unnamemisis
| 10-12 ft. x 15+ ft.
| -sun or shade
-must have ample growing room
-readily pruned
| -fast growing evergreen
-white flower clusters in April
-red or orange berries in fall and winter
| -thorny branches make pruning difficult
-fleshy root system makes transplanting difficult |
| Sasanqua
| Camellia sasanqua
| 10-15 ft. x 3-5 ft.
| -sun or shade
-readily pruned
-well-drained soil
| -medium-fast growing evergreen
-white, pink, dark rose flowers in Oct., Nov. or Dec. depending
on variety
-very attractive
-good dense, tall upright hedge
| -gets various scale and white fly insects and
die-back disease |
| Popcorn, Bridal Wreath Spirea
| Spirea prunifolia plena
| 3-5 ft. x 3-5 ft.
| -sun or shade
-does not like severe pruning
| -medium-fast growing deciduous shrub
-many white rose-like flowers in late spring
| -needs cold weather to bloom well |
| Reeve's Spirea
| Spirea Reevesiana
| 5-7 ft. x 3-5 ft.
| -best in sun
-must have select pruning, not severe
| -fast growing deciduous shrub
-showy, white flower clusters in March
-rounded weeping character often called Bridal Wreath
| . |
| Baby's Breath
| Spirea thunbergi
| 3-5 ft. x 3-5 ft.
| -likes sun
-does not require severe pruning
| -fast growing deciduous shrub
-small, dainty white flowers in March-April
-fine textured
| . |
| Texas Sage, Cenizo
| Leucophyllum frutescens
| 4-6 ft. x 4-6 ft.
| -sun
-good drainage
| -medium growing evergreen
-red-wine blooms after rain during spring-fall
-graceful, fine textured plant
-will form a low, dense hedge or border
-attractive blue-gray foliage
| . |
| Viburnum
| Viburnum odoratissimum
| 12-15 ft. x 12-15 ft.
| -sun or shade
-good drainage
| -medium-fast evergreen
-white flower clusters in March
| -requires ample growing room |
| Viburnum
| Viburnum suspensum
| 6-8 ft. x 6-8 ft.
| -sun or shade
-good drainage
| -medium-fast growing evergreen
-small white flowers in spring
-lowest growing of the viburnums
| . |
| Viburnum
| Viburnum tinus
| 8-10 ft. x 4-6 ft.
| -sun or shade
-good drainage
| -medium growing evergreen
-pale white or pinkish flowers in spring
-good for narrow upright hedge
| . |
| Wax Myrtle
| Myrica cerifera
| 12-15 ft. x 12-15 ft.
| -sun or shade
-moist loose soil
-requires careful pruning so it will not be leggy for screening
purposes
| -fast growing evergreen
-native to East Texas
| -must have ample growing room
-tends to become leggy at base or trunk |
| Texas Mountain Laurel, Mescalbean
| Sophora secundiflora
| 8-12 ft.
| -sun or semi-shade
-alkaline soil
| -slow-fast growing evergreen
-fragrant lilac-purple blooms in late spring-early summer
-attractive foliage
-rugged
| -poisonous seed pod in late summer-fall |
| Pampus Grass
| Cortaderia selloana
| 5-6 ft. x 5-6 ft.
| -sun
| -fast growing semi-evergreen
-tall plumes of silver in early summer-winter
| -becomes messy with age, not neat looking |
| Banana
| Musa
| 6-10 ft. x 6-8 ft.
| -sun or shade
| -fast growing tropical evergreen
-pale pink blooms hidden among coarse foliage
-attractive foliage
| -not winter hardy but returns in southern
areas
-needs protection from wind and cold |
| French Mulberry
| Callicarpa americana
| 4-6 ft. x 4-6 ft.
| -sun or shade
-easy culture
| -fast growing deciduous shrub
-bright purple clusters of berries in fall
-attracts birds
-native to North and East Texas
| . |
| Hydrangea
| Hydrangea macrophylla
| 4-6 ft. x 4-6 ft.
| -best in shade in northern exposure
-moisture and well-drained soil
| -medium-fast growing deciduous shrub
-large blue or pink flower clusters in summer
-prune when flowers fade
-acid soil-blue blooms; alkaline soil-pink blooms
| . |
| Chinese Holly
| Ilex cornuta
| 6-8 ft. x 6-8 ft.
| -sun
| -medium growing evergreen
-red orange berries on female plants on old wood in fall and
winter
-continual pruning will reduce berries
-dense plant
| -more spiny foliage than Burford Holly |
| Forsythia
| Forsythia intermedia
| 4-6 ft. x 4-6 ft.
| -sun or semi-shade
| -fast growing deciduous shrub
-yellow trumpet blooms in early spring on bare stems
-long, arching, graceful branches
| . |
| Yucca, Spanish Dagger
| Yucca aloifolia and others
| 6-8 ft. x 6-8 ft.
| -sun or shade
-easy culture
| -fast growing evergreen
-large terminal stalks of creamy white waxy blooms from early
summer-fall
-good accent plant or tub planting
| -has needle like foliage which stick
-may need support
-severe cold may freeze back |
| Chinese Rice Paper Plant
| Tetrapanax papyriferus
| 6-12 ft.
| -sun or shade in protected areas
-moisture
| -very fast growing tropical evergreen
-large panicles of creamy white blooms in late summer
-very attractive
-large foliage
-gives lush, tropical effect
| -susceptible to cold but returns in spring in
mild areas
-may be difficult to control due to underground runners |