March usually begins the spring gardening season in Louisiana and is the time of year when many gardening activities include planting shrubs in the home landscape.
One of the most important considerations in landscaping with shrubs is selecting plants that are adaptable. In other words, placing the proper plant in the proper site. Adaptability relates to a plants ability to survive under the growing conditions to which it is exposed – such as temperature, soil moisture, soil texture, soil pH, exposure and many other factors.
In addition to selecting shrubs for specific sites based on adaptability, shrubs can be chosen for certain characteristics or landscape purposes. These may include growth habit, flowering, growth rate, foliage characteristics or ability to attract wildlife.
The following listing provides information on shrubs for selecting the proper plant, site, or purpose in the home landscape.
Shrubs for showy foliage in the shade: oakleaf hydrangea, Virginia willow, nandina, fatsia, mahonia, cleyera and acuba.
Shrubs for blooms in the shade: sweet olive, gardenia, oakleaf hydrangea, azaleas, nandina, camellia and sasanqua.
Shrubs for wet sites: buttonbush, wax myrtle, devilwood and Virginia willow.
Shrubs for dry sites: junipers, spireas, Chinese hollies, yaupon, oleander, sago palm, barberry, Indian hawthorn, nandina, butterfly bush and sumacs.
Shrubs with berries/fruit: beautyberry, nandina, pyracanthia, Burford holly, Indian cherry, mahonia, Oregon grape holly and strawberry euonymus.
Shrubs with long blooming periods: butterfly bush, swamp cyrilla, althea, Chinese hibiscus, sweet olive, sasanqua, and Indian hawthorn.
Shrubs for evergreen hedges/screens: Japanese yew, Japanese holly, Chinese holly, azaleas, cleyera, sasanqua, sweet olive, pittisporum, ligustrum, Florida anise and photinia.
Shrubs for fall foliage color: oakleaf hydrangea, blueberry, Chinese witch hazel, sumacs, Virginia willow and clethera.
Shrubs with fragrant blooms: native azaleas, spicebush, gardenia, sweet olive, Chinese witch hazel and winter honeysuckle.
Shrubs to attract butterflies: azaleas, ligustrum, buckeye, buttonbush, viburnum, butterfly bush and clethera.
To find the largest selection and availability of recommended shrubs for spring planting, visit your local retail garden center. Most garden centers begin stocking spring planting materials in March.