Evergreen Shrubs for Hedges

Banana Shrub

• The deep green foliage, size, distinctive flowers and banana scent make banana shrub the best choice for an evergreen hedge, according to Floridata. This full-sun shrub grows 10 to 15 feet high and is compact with yellow-green foliage. It has a more open, loose shape when grown in partial to full shade. Banana shrub prefers a fertile, acidic, well-drained soil in hardiness zones 7 to 10. The cupped, yellowish, off-white flowers have six spreading petals lined around the edge with dark-red. Enjoy the blossoms from late spring through summer every year.

Camellia

• Small to large, glossy, deep green foliage serves as the backdrop for 5-inch-wide, single, semi-double or double flowers. They come in white, deep red to bright red and various shades of pink. Camellias are slow growing, reaching a height of 20 feet at maturity, making a tall, colorful hedge year-round. They an acidic soil with a pH between 5.0 and 6.5 in zones 6 to 9. Grow a camellia hedge in an area with partial shade, preferably shaded from the morning sun to avoid brown, limp petals. Camellias prefer a lot of organic matter in well-drained, fertile soil. Mulch around them well to help protect their shallow roots.

Prague Viburnum

• Upright, slender branches and fast growth make Prague viburnum the ideal choice for a hedge when you don't want to wait. It can reach heights of 6 to 10 feet in zones 5 to 8 given full sun to light shade. Prague viburnum can reach its full potential in well-drained, fertile, moist soil that has a low acidic pH. The 2- to 4-inch-long, dark green, shiny leaves have a rough, puckered texture, bringing year-round interest to the landscape. Large, round clusters of spicy-scented flowers bloom at the ends of the branches in March and April. Each cluster measures 2 to 4 inches in diameter and is loaded with light pink buds that open to reveal tiny, white, star-shaped flowers.

Wintergreen Barberry

• Wintergreen barberry is a versatile evergreen shrub. Barberry prefers a moist, fertile, slightly acidic soil, but readily adapts to almost any type of well-drained soil in full sun or dappled shade. It blooms in April and May with a profusion of small, yellow, cupped flowers growing along the length of the stems. It stands up to 8 feet tall with a spread of 4 to 6 feet in hardiness zones 6 to 9A. For most of the year, the dense, spiny, leathery foliage is dark green and glossy, growing in clusters at the nodes of the stems. Unlike other evergreen shrubs, the leaves turn purple-bronze, wine or bronze in the fall, lasting through the winter.