A great way to add color to any garden or small space is to plant a variety of dwarf flowering shrubs. These plants are suitable for various environments, including patios, alleyways, and front yards. They can also be used as planters, which can help you to add color to any space. In fact, they can even be grown in containers! Read on to learn more about the best dwarf flowering shrubs for full sun!
Escallonia
When it comes to flowering shrubs for full sun, Escallonias are an excellent choice. They are drought-tolerant and have glossy, evergreen foliage. A dwarf form of the plant will only grow about 2 feet high and 3 feet wide in seven years. In early summer, clusters of small, red-pink flowers will bloom on the shrub. They are drought-tolerant and have low water requirements, though they are vulnerable to fire in subfreezing winds. This plant can be pruned to promote greater air circulation.
Compact Escallonia is a compact, mounded, multi-stemmed plant that is excellent for low hedges, rock gardens, and containers. This shrub also grows easily in most soils and is drought-tolerant. It is a great choice for full sun because it will tolerate drought and heat. This plant is easy to grow, requires minimal pruning, and is a great accent plant.
Japanese Pieris
There are many reasons to choose Japanese Pieris as a garden plant. They have interesting winter buds, a large clump of flowers in early spring, and beautiful foliage that changes colors from gray to green. You may also like their unique bark and interesting foliage patterns. These flowering shrubs thrive in full sun and partial shade and should be watered regularly. They grow best in a well-drained soil and like regular mulching.
Aside from being deer-resistant, Japanese Pieris are easy to grow in zones five to eight. These flowering shrubs are deer-resistant and low-maintenance. They grow slowly, eventually reaching a height of 10 feet. Their compact growth habit makes them great for pots and containers. If you have limited space, you can plant several of them in a small container until they get large enough to grow on their own.
Chinese fringe flower
Loropetalum chinense, also called the Chinese fringe flower, is a perennial shrub with ruffled flowers. Its name is derived from the Greek words “loro” and “petal” and it’s hardy in USDA zones seven through ten. Its foliage is green and resembles small Chinese leaves. The flowers are tiny, about 2.5 to 4 inches long, and they are surrounded by a thin strip of papery white or pink petals.
Once established, Chinese fringe flowers require little supplemental fertilizer. However, they may benefit from fertilizing once a year in early spring. You can use either a slow-release all-purpose fertilizer or a specialized shrub fertilizer. It is also best to plant the shrub in a well-drained location. Plant in full sun or partial shade and keep in mind that it will require some supplemental feeding.
Bluebeard
The striking deep blue flowers of the Bluebeard dwarf flowering shrub can brighten up your garden for months on end. These flowers open from indigo-blue buds, and will attract a variety of beneficial insects. It’s a great plant for containers or small gardens, but you should be sure to choose a location that gets plenty of sunlight. Bluebeard will grow in most soils, but it’s best to avoid moist areas. This flowering shrub is drought-tolerant and can tolerate average soil conditions.
Despite their tiny size, the bluebeard thrives in full sun. The full-sun exposure allows them to be as dense as possible, while avoiding the harsh winter sun makes the flowering display a little less impressive. In addition to being deer resistant, the bluebeard will add color and fragrance to your garden. They are also attractive massed or in containers and will be a great addition to any flower bed or border.
Virginia sweetspire
Despite its small size, Virginia sweetspire is an attractive dwarf flowering shrub that can make a lovely accent in your garden. Unlike most flowering shrubs, it does not require much maintenance once it is established. Pruning is required only to maintain an attractive shape and to remove damaged or dead branches. Because the sweetspire flowers on old wood, you do not need to prune the plant in spring, as this would remove the flower buds for the following year.
This shrub is native to eastern North America. Its arching stems and simple, dark green leaves make it an excellent ground cover, and its blooms last into winter. It can grow to heights of eight feet, with arching branches. In the wild, Virginia sweetspire can grow much taller and leggier. The flowering shrubs are excellent for erosion control, and they have long periods of color in autumn.
Virginia sweetspire ‘Jazz Hands’
Known as a ‘Jazz Hands’ dwarf, this plant is a good choice for landscapes that require little maintenance. It prefers a slightly acidic soil, and needs regular watering. ‘Jazz Hands’ is a PP#27,750 cultivar, and it grows 12 to 26 inches tall. Its foliage is a dark burgundy color.
This plant is native to the south-east US, but it can be grown in other areas. It is a semi-evergreen native to wet pine barrens. It grows up to 8 feet high, with gracefully arching branches. In the early summer, it blooms with fragrant white flowers, held on terminal arching racemes. After blooming, it turns a rich red-purple, lasting until the winter.
Cranberry Cotoneaster
If you’re planning to add a dwarf flowering shrub to your garden, consider the Cranberry Cotoneaster. The shrub has a low, sprawling habit that makes a great groundcover. In addition to its rich, deep green foliage, it produces colorful berries. You’ll be glad you did! Here are some of the other benefits of this flowering shrub:
The Cranberry Cotoneaster is a deciduous, low-growing shrub. It produces pink blooms in late spring, which turn to red in the fall. The shrub also bears small, greenish-white leaves that turn maroon in the winter and early autumn. It grows only two to three feet tall and spreads out to about six feet. It does not like full shade, but it does well in partial shade or woods.
Tea Olive
You can plant this fragrant tea olive in a pot, and move it inside during the winter to protect it from the elements. If you are planting it outdoors, you can cover the container with mulch to improve the hardiness of the plant. This holly tree olive will grow to be up to 30 feet tall, so it can even survive in USDA Hardiness Zone 6.
The flowers of the Tea Olive are very fragrant, and are compared to orange blossoms, peaches, and jasmine. The flowers are small, and grow in dense clusters. The foliage is leathery and toothed. Most species are upright, and their foliage is dark evergreen, making them perfect for screens, hedges, and individual specimen plants. The flowers will last for three seasons. And, they are easy to care for and will look beautiful no matter where they are planted.
Azaleas
Native to southern regions, Azaleas are ideal for gardens, patios and landscapes. Dwarf varieties, such as ‘Disneyland Encore’, grow just two to three feet high. They look beautiful when layered with taller varieties in the background or front. Azaleas are also suitable as ground covers for decks, walkways and foundations.
Midnite Flare is one of the ARS winner, featuring fiery red flowers in early spring. Its foliage turns a bronze hue in fall. This dwarf shrub is hardy in zones 6 to nine and requires little care. It is available from local plant nurseries and garden centers. This shrub’s showy performance and low-maintenance requirements make it an ideal choice for gardens in full sun.
Spirea
When choosing a spirea to plant in your yard, consider its preferred location: full sun to partial shade. Planting the spring-flowering spirea in partial shade will result in a smaller plant, which will then require more regular watering throughout the summer. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball. Once the roots are in the ground, plant the spirea loosely in the hole, filling in with soil and water regularly. Although the plants require a fair amount of water, they are drought-tolerant once established.
If you are looking for a dwarf flowering shrub with the same look as the spirea you have at home, consider a spirea that grows in partial shade. Most spireas thrive in full sun, but will tolerate a little shade in the summer. Full-sun spireas will grow up to 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide. They need full sun, six hours of direct sunlight per day, and a neutral or slightly acidic soil. Plant spireas in the spring or early fall for beautiful spring and summer blooms. Also, spirea shrubs are deer resistant and attract bees and other insects.
