If you look long and hard enough, you can find hundreds of shrubs that fit the description of “low maintenance.” However, the best options will be self-sufficient, look nice, and provide multi-season interest.
To ensure you get one of these high-performing shrubs, be sure to select from the list found below.
Weigela
A China native, the weigela shrub is considered a “stand out” in the garden, thanks to the prolific production of blooms and easy growing nature.
The shrub can withstand up to negative 30 degrees Fahrenheit and will reach six to 10 feet tall when fully grown, with a spread of 12 feet. It produces pink tubular blooms between April and June that are great for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.
While it grows best in full sun, it can tolerate partial shade for some of the days.
Candy Oh! Rose
“Candy Oh!” is the trademarked version of Rosa Zlemartinicipar hybrid that David Charles Zlesak created.
While it may seem like a surprising choice for a list of low-maintenance shrubs since roses are very well known for taking up a lot of time and effort, that’s not the case here. This version of the classic rose is much easier to take care of.
The Candy Oh! Variety is disease and deer-resistant, and it can be pruned as often or as little as you like. It will bloom most of the summer months and produce beautiful, vibrant flowers.
Dwarf Korean Lilac
The Dwarf Korean Lilac is a deciduous shrub that can withstand freezing temperatures and is easy to care for. It will have a max height of four to five feet with a spread of between five and seven feet when fully grown.
You will see purple and pink flower clusters appear between May and June, which attract butterflies and hummingbirds. For best flowering conditions, give the shrub full sun.
Gold Mound Spirea
Most years, you will need just one shearing for your Gold Mound spirea. For this minimal care, you get a beautiful, hardy bush that offers color in the fall and spring and that will grow between four and six feet tall.
You will see clusters of pretty pink flowers during the summer, and the shrub has an overall dense appearance. It grows best in full sun where there is well-drained soil.
Smokebush
Another distinctive deciduous shrub, this bush remains hardy in colder weather and will grow to a height of 10 to 15 feet with the same approximate spread.
Blooms appear between May and July and are yellow in color that turns into fluff when done. The fluff looks smoke-like, which is why the shrub is often called smokebush.
The bush will do best in full to partial sun and needs well-drained soil.
Common Witch Hazel
Another low-maintenance shrub is Witch Hazel. This plant provides a gorgeous backdrop for your yard in the spring and fall. During the spring months, this flowering bush is one of the first plants in your garden to bloom, which is something most Northerners can appreciate.
Also, the bush is a standout for beautiful fall foliage if it spends most of the year in full sun.
Virginia Sweetspire
Another deciduous shrub, the Virginia Sweetspire, is found growing in Eastern North America. Even though it’s native to the East, it can thrive almost anywhere in the country.
The Sweetspire will bloom between May and June, and the flowers are white in color. It’s best to plant the shrub in the sun or partial shade, and minimal maintenance is required once it is planted.
Summerific Hardy Hibiscus
There are two reasons why the Summerific hibiscus is prized – it produces beautiful pink or red flowers and is a late-summer bloomer. Along with these two factors, it also requires minimal maintenance and care.
If you want a pop of color in your garden, this shrub will deliver.
Japanese Spirea
From Asia, the Japanese spirea reaches four to six feet tall with a slightly larger spread. It produces clusters of pink blooms in June and July. The plant grows best in full sun.
This low-maintenance shrub attracts all types of pollinators and only requires pruning after it blooms. If you do this, you will get a second set of beautiful flowers to enjoy.
“Sugar Tip” Rose of Sharon
The Sugar Tip is a type of the America Irene Scott cultivator of the rose of Sharon. It can be grown in cold regions and withstand salty and drought conditions.
It will flower later in the summer and grow to be five to six feet tall. This rose is loved for the beautiful blooms and the variegated leaves.
Oakleaf Hydrangea
This shrub is one of the lowest maintenance and easy-to-care-for options available today. It produces larger, cone-shaped clusters of white flowers during early summer, and as the days progress, the flowers will fade into a pretty pink.
It will grow to be six to eight feet tall and have the same spread. The oakleaf hydrangea thrives in full shade or full sun and is considered a very “showy” plant, thanks to the beautiful colors it produces.
Blue Star Juniper
You can consider most needled evergreen bushes as low maintenance. However, Blue Star juniper is regarded as a standout option. The main reason for this includes its easy care and beautiful blue needles.
It is considered a dwarf shrub and stays low to the ground. Spreading takes several years, but pruning isn’t necessary unless you want to ensure it remains compact.
Finding the Best Low Maintenance Shrubs
As you can see from the information above, you can find all types of low-maintenance shrubs to purchase and plant in your landscape. Each of these offers unique features and will add an easy-to-care-for plant to your garden.
If you want a beautiful landscape and to avoid spending a lot of time, money, and effort on care, then the shrubs on the list above offer a good starting point. Be sure to keep this in mind to find the shrubs that best fit the vision you have for your landscape.
