Looking for an evergreen shrub to put in that shady spot in your yard? Here is the list for you! We are here to make your life a little easier with plants that offer year-round beauty even in shady spots. Read on to learn all about Evergreen Shrubs for Shade!
We have a selection of evergreen shrubs that will tolerate full shade. Everything else will need at least a couple hours of sun, but keep in mind even dappled sun shooting through tree canopies qualifies as part shade so don’t fret. Your shady spot probably isn’t as hopeless as you think! Explore the top choices in our online plant nursery for shade loving shrubs.
American Boxwood
Growing Zones: 5-9
The popular American Boxwood is sure to transform your home and garden. This trusted landscape standard provides year-round color, texture, and beauty. Reaching over 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide at maturity this is one of the few large boxwoods. Plant about 6 feet apart for a superb privacy screen.
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Baby Gem™ Boxwood
Growing Zones: 5-9
The Baby Gem Boxwood is a dwarf evergreen shrub with huge appeal. This boxwood is disease resistant and perfect for containers.
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Blue Cascade Distylium
Growing Zones: 7-10
The distylium is an exciting, new broadleaf evergreen that flowers throughout winter. Reaching about 4 feet tall and wide at maturity the Blue Cascade makes an excellent choice for foundation plantings.
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Carissa Holly
Growing Zones: 6-9
This holly is a small no maintenance evergreen shrub that can be used anywhere in the landscape. With a mature size of 2-3 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide, Carissa hollies make an excellent low growing hedge.
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Dwarf Burford Holly
Growing Zones: 5-9
The Dwarf Burfordi Holly is perfect for coastal areas and warmer regions of the country. This hardy holly is pest, disease, deer, and rabbit resistant as well as pollution and salt tolerant. With a naturally rounded shape and moderate size of 5 to 6 feet wide and tall at maturity this evergreen works in just about any type of landscape. The Dwarf Burford Holly make gorgeous evergreen bushes.
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Nandina Flirt
Growing Zones: 6-10
The Flirt Nandina is the smallest nandina out there. At only 1 to 2 feet tall and wide this nandina can fit anywhere and is even great for containers. You'll love this plant as a vibrant border. With red, purples, and greens the dwarf Flirt Nandina offers a color punch that is hard to beat.
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Green Velvet Boxwood
Growing Zones: 5-9
The Green Velvet Boxwood is a dream come true for urban yards! Sculpt away or leave this evergreen shrub alone depending on the look you want. These evergreen shrubs are disease resistant.
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Variegated Boxwood
Growing Zones: 6-9
The Variegated Boxwood has creamy white and green leaves. These make great small shrubs for shade adding color to borders and layering the landscape.
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Vintage Jade Distylium
Growing Zones: 7-9
The evergreen Vintage Jade® Distylium is new to the plant scene and it is already a huge hit! This hardy, yet graceful evergreen shrub will transform your landscape with its lush texture, outstanding color, and unsurpassed year-round interest. This distylium is a low growing spreader that grows to 2 to 3 feet tall and 5 feet wide at maturity.
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Wintergreen Boxwood
Growing Zones: 5-8
Its year-round, bright green foliage and compact size and shape make the Wintergreen Boxwood a great option for adding some pizazz to any size yard. This evergreen shrubs are stunners in containers too. We like the Wintergreen because it is able to stand up to extremes better than the more common boxwood varieties that tend to turn yellow and brown throughout winter.
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The Following Shrubs Tolerate Full Shade
Gold Dust Acuba
Growing Zones: 7-10
With golden yellow spots on shiny green leaves these shade loving evergreen shrubs are quite unique. This heat lover gives an almost tropical feel and even works well in containers as a houseplant. These evergreen shrubs reach up to 8 feet tall at maturity and 5 to 6 feet wide.
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Green Mountain Boxwood
Growing Zones: 5-9
This boxwood has a unique conical shape. In addition to tolerating heavy shade, the Green Mountain boxwood is pest, disease, and deer resistant.
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Hicks Yew
Growing Zones: 3-7
Hick's Yews are a perfect privacy screen or hedge for cooler regions. Dense foliage and attractive, red berries welcome birds. This unique evergreen shrub is extremely low maintenance and among top choices when considering what are the best bushes for shade.
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Japanese Plum Yew
Growing Zones: 6-9
The Japanese Plum Yew has lush, evergreen foliage that looks like miniature palm fronds. This low maintenance shrub is lovely as a specimen. The Plum Yew is a great hedge plant. This yew is deer resistant and heat tolerant.
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