Evergreen Hedge Plants

Boxwood

• The second part of the Latin name of boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) means always green. A native of Europe and Asia, boxwood serves as a hedge in addition to being suitable as a foundation plant and specimen species. Boxwood grown in full sun has more branches and is thicker than when planted in the shade. Boxwood withstands pruning, but pruning is best after any threat of frost passes in spring, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden. The nearly 200 hybrids of boxwood include many that are appropriate for hedges.

Chinese Hibiscus

• Only in the warmth found in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11 is the Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) suitable for a hedge. The species grows to 10 feet in tropical portions of Asia. It makes an interesting hedge because it features shiny evergreen foliage and produces large flowers -- up to 8 inches wide -- throughout the year. Chinese hibiscus is sensitive to cold and drought and requires a site with some protection from the wind. Chinese hibiscus flowers attract different kinds of butterflies as well as species of hummingbirds.

Colorado Spruce Glauca Globosa

• The blue-green needles of the Colorado spruce (Picea pungens) cultivar Glauca Globosa are the same color as the parent species. Colorado spruce grows to tree size in the wild, but this dwarf hybrid attains heights of just 3 to 4 feet, making it ideal for a hedge. Glauca Globosa prefers acidic, damp soil in full sun. The cultivar is a cool-climate species, growing best from U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 2 through 7. This hedge evergreen has a natural rounded shape, but its top is flat.

Anglojap Yew Taunton

• Pruning does not faze the Taunton cultivar of Anglojap yew (Taxus x media), an evergreen species suitable for hedges. The hybrid grows to 4 feet tall but has a width of up to 6 feet. The evergreen needles are dark green and have a flattened appearance. Taunton has the ability to grow in the shade, which allows you to create a hedge despite the sun conditions. One of its advantages is that it stands up to weather as cold as that found in U.S. Department of Agriculture zone 4. Taunton is low maintenance and has few serious insect pests.