Up to 35% off Raised Beds

31 Beautiful White Flowering Shrubs For Your Garden

Thinking of adding some bushes with white flowers to your home or garden space, but aren't sure where to start? There are many different types of white flowering shrubs that will grow in a variety of hardiness zones. In this article, we take a look at our favorite shrubs with white flowers to help you find the perfect fit for your garden space!

Contents

So you’ve already added some white flowers to your raised garden bed. But once you see how subtle they can be, you might realize you need more impact, like white flowering shrubs around the edges of your garden or lining the walkway to your home. But where do you start? Which white-flowered bushes are the right choice?

The good news is that there are many different white flowering shrubs that thrive across a variety of hardiness zones. Finding the perfect match for your garden will come down to appearance and, of course, your local climate. Do you go with the classic hydrangeas? Or perhaps some beautiful azaleas?

Whether you’re a new gardener or an experienced horticulturist looking for a fresh challenge, there are plenty of options to explore. The contrast of crisp white blooms against rich green foliage is refreshing and timeless. No matter where you plan to grow them, here are some of our favorite white flowering shrubs for your home or garden space.

Azaleas

A shot of several ruffled snowy flowers of the Rhododendron Spp
Azaleas prefer cool temps with high humidity.
botanical-name botanical name Rhododendron spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 1-10 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 3-9

There’s so much to be said about azaleas! Whether you live in a warm or cooler climate, you can probably find an azalea for your garden. There are hundreds of types of azaleas, including both evergreen and deciduous varieties. They tend to have funnel- or tube-shaped flower heads that come in many single- or double-layer combinations.

Choose from several breathtaking solid-white azaleas, like ‘Weston’s Innocence’ or ‘Alabama’ azaleas. Depending on the type, they bloom from late winter, all summer, or even into fall. These perennial shrubs have delicate roots that prefer loose, sandy soil that’s moist and well-drained.

Button Bush

A close-up shot of several globular flowers and green leaves of the Cephalanthus occidentalis
Button Bush grows in swamps, mangrove forests and river banks.
botanical-name botanical name Cephalanthus occidentalis
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 5-8 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 5-9

If you’re looking for white flowering shrubs that will work as a loose, casual hedge, check out buttonbush. Also called honey balls, it has spherical clusters of tiny white tubular flowers with long stamens that make the clusters look fuzzy! The flowers have a sweet fragrance that attracts all kinds of pollinators. The white, misty-looking balls are offset by long glossy green leaves.

You’ll have blooms all summer into fall when the leaves turn reddish-brown into winter. This shrub loves wet, loamy soil (the wetter the better). It’s even known to grow in a few feet of standing water. Plant it as a hedge along a pond, river, or areas of your property with poor drainage.

Chokeberry

A close-up shot of a cluster small snowy flowers and dark-green leaves of the Aronia arbutifolia
Chokeberry is a fruit tree or shrub from the Rosaceae family.
botanical-name botanical name Aronia arbutifolia
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 5-12 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 3-9

Chokeberry adds year-round interest to your garden! In spring and summer, it produces clusters of fragrant white, five-petal flowers. As the seasons shift, glossy red berries appear and persist from late summer through winter, adding a pop of color when little else is blooming.

Don’t worry: these white flowering shrubs are safe for pets and children. The berries are edible, though the name “Chokeberry” comes from their notably tart flavor.

The green foliage turns a striking bright red in the fall, adding even more seasonal beauty. Chokeberry isn’t fussy about soil and will thrive in most conditions, especially moist, loamy soil. In spring and summer, the flowers attract pollinators, while the berries become a food source for migrating birds later in the year.

Common Myrtle

A shot of a composition of fluffy milky flowers and flower buds and green leaves of theMyrtus communis
Common Myrtle is an evergreen tree or shrub, up to 3 meters high.
botanical-name botanical name Myrtus communis
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 3-12 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 8-9

You’ll find several white flowering bushes that are evergreen in tropical zones. This includes the common myrtle, a popular choice for its beautiful spring and summer blooms. Enjoy the fancy little white blooms among glossy dark green leaves. They eventually give way to clusters of deep purple berries.

Keep soil loamy, moist, and well-drained. Don’t overwater or let the soil get too acidic, or common myrtle can get sick. You can get creative with pruning this shrub. It naturally grows loose and tall like a tree, but accepts shaping well.

Crape Myrtle ‘Natchez’

 A close-up shot of several clusters of snowy flowers and oblong leaves of the Lagerstroemia x Natchez
Crape Myrtle ‘Natchez’ is a shrub that produces showy flowers ranging from soft pink to deep purple to stunning red, depending on the variety.
botanical-name botanical name Lagerstroemia ‘Natchez’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 4-20 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 6-9

Common crape myrtles are shrubs with flowers only found in shades of pink. However, hybrids like Natchez have beautiful showy white blooms. There are a few white hybrids besides Nachez, like Early Bird White and Delta Moon.

Each hybrid variety has specific features, but all of them present decadent clusters of papery flowers and leaves that change colors in the fall. They also all have colorful tree bark that peels like birch bark.

You’ll especially love Natchez crape myrtle for its large flowers that bloom later in the summer. Give this shrub full sun and well-drained, loamy soil, and it will be happy. Pile on the mulch, but skip fertilizer.

Daphne

A close-up shot of several clusters of snowy flowers and dark-green colored lanceolate leaves of the Daphne spp
Daphne is a beautiful shrub with beautiful and fragrant flowers that will surely give you great pleasure.
botanical-name botanical name Daphne spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 3 inches-5 feet tall, depending on the variety
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 4-9

Evergreen in warmer climates, daphne puts on a show all year. From spring through summer, you can enjoy rounded clusters of small, white 4-petal flowers surrounded by elongated, glossy leaves. They give way to bunches of shiny red berries. In cooler climates, most varieties will lose their leaves by the first frost.

While daphne takes several years to fully mature, it blooms pretty fast in the spring once it’s established. They don’t transplant well, but are pretty low-maintenance to grow. Try planting them in a large planter with loamy, well-drained soil.

Deutzia

A shot of several delicate milky flowers and green leaves on branches of the Deutzia spp.
Deutzia has white blooms without any type of fragrance.
botanical-name botanical name Deutzia spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 1-13 feet
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 5-8

Deutzia is an old garden favorite that’s starting to become popular again. Deutzia bushes have weeping branches with cascading groups of petite white or pink flowers. The flowers tend to be bell-shaped or open. It has bright green leaves that turn orange in the fall.

You’ll find a wide variety in deutzia with over 60 species, ranging from ground cover to large mounding shrubs. There are both evergreen and deciduous varieties. Deutzia isn’t picky about soil, as long as it’s moist and well-draining. Prune the shrub once a year after the flowers fade.

Elderberry

A shot of a composition of yellow and milky colored clusters of small flowers of the Sambucus canadensis
In nature, Elderberry grows in North America, mainly in Canada.
botanical-name botanical name Sambucus canadensis
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 5-12 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 4-8

Elderberry has become very popular in recent years for its edible and medicinal fruit. It has small white lemon-scented flowers that grow in large flat sprays. They grow wide, bright green leaves all summer long before giving way in the fall. Then, it’s time for the shrub’s dark purple berries to bring texture and beauty to this plant!

Among white flowering shrubs, elderberry has an impressive zone range. You can grow it as far north as the Queen Elizabeth Islands in northern Canada! The shrub is pretty easy to grow, and it’s not picky about soil as long as it’s well-drained. Just make sure to water it regularly.

Hydrangea

A close-up shot of several mounds of clusters of milky flowers of the Hydrangea
In total, there are more than 80 different types of Hydrangea: from shrubs and vines to small trees.
botanical-name botanical name Hydrangea spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 1-20 feet, depending on the species
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 5-9

Hydrangeas are versatile white flowering shrubs. You’ll love their petite flowers in large ornamental clusters among wide, flat green leaves. Some varieties produce blooms in shades of blue, purple, pink, white, and even green. Some species can have their color manipulated by changing the pH level of the soil. Most hydrangeas grow quickly, and with minimal maintenance outside of regular pruning.

There are several species of hydrangeas. The most common is Hydrangea macrophylla, called bigleaf or mophead for the large size of its flower clusters and foliage. This shrub is pretty easygoing, adapting well to all kinds of conditions. Just make sure to fertilize them at the start of spring, and water them regularly.

Japanese Camellia

A close-up and overhead shot of several delicate snowy flowers with a yellow center called Camellia japonica
Japanese Camellia – each flower stays on the branch for almost a month.
botanical-name botanical name Camellia japonica
sun-requirements sun requirements Partial shade
height height 3-20 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 7-9

For the fans of symmetry, this one’s for you! There are over 250 species of the Camellia genus, but the showy Japanese camellia is the most popular. The flowers look almost like peonies or roses. While it blooms fall through spring, the glossy, dark green leaves are evergreen. You can find several varieties in pure white, with blooms ranging from 2 to 5 inches wide.

Camellia shrubs are sensitive to the sun, preferring the shade. They take some time to establish themselves. Once they do, they grow slowly. Plant them in the spring or fall, when the weather is mild. They prefer moist and slightly acidic soil.

Japanese Pieris

A close-up shot of several delicate, bell-shaped and drooping flowers of the Pieris japonica
Japanese Pieris have an exotic and attractive look.
botanical-name botanical name Pieris japonica
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 5-8 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 5-8

A unique addition to my list of white flowering bushes, consider the Japanese pieris. In late winter, dainty teardrop-shaped flowers make an appearance. Add it to your landscape for color and fill. This evergreen bush also has glossy green leaves that turn bronze for the fall and winter!

Go with Japanese peiris if your area has mild weather conditions. Just be aware that it has a very strong fragrance that people either love or strongly dislike! Give it acidic, nutrient-rich, well-drained soil and deadhead flowers regularly for a healthy-looking plant.

Laurel Cherry

A composition of milkyand orange colored spikes of small flowers and green leaves of the Prunus laurocerasus
Laurel Cherry is a poisonous plant, except for the edible fruit pulp.
botanical-name botanical name Prunus laurocerasus
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to full shade
height height 15-30 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 6-8

Laurel cherry offers an elegant display throughout all 4 seasons. All year round, this large shrub features large, deep green leaves. By midsummer, it explodes with flower stalks, or racemes, of tiny plum-scented flowers. Then, in the fall and winter, clusters of deep red cherry-like fruit slowly turn to a striking black color.

Laurel cherry is a good choice for coastal regions as it tolerates salt spray well. It also grows fast and adapts to all kinds of growing conditions. While there are dwarf species out there, traditional laurel cherry makes a great security hedge. Prune it into shape if you prefer less of a tree look.

Lilac

A base-angle shot of a cluster of pure snowy clusters of flowers of the Syringa vulgaris
The main decorative feature of the Lilac is its abundant flowering, which blooms in May-June.
botanical-name botanical name Syringa vulgaris
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 8-16 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 3-7

One of the classic white flowering shrubs, it’s commonly seen in purple. When the white variety blooms in the spring, you’ll love the effect! Lilac is known for its small, 4-petal fragrant flowers. They grow at the end of stems in cone-shaped clusters. The heart-shaped leaves are bluish-green and don’t change colors in the fall.

This low-maintenance plant just needs pruning and fertilization in the spring. It does best in mild summers and winters. Water it sparingly, and give it neutral, loamy soil that’s more on the sandy side.

Magnolia

A shot of several delicate flowers growing on branches of the Magnolia
Magnolia flowers are large, cream or white, and very fragrant.
botanical-name botanical name Magnolia spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 10-30 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 5-8

Traditionally loved for its fragrant blooms, you can find a variety of magnolias where you live. There are both evergreen and deciduous types that work in all kinds of climates. You’ll find both flowering tree and shrub types with blooms in a variety of styles. Popular white versions include star magnolia and the stunning yulan magnolia.

Magnolias are white-flowering shrubs that adapt well to all kinds of conditions. Just water them consistently, keeping the soil drained and on the acidic side. They thrive when pruned regularly.

Mountain Laurel

A close-up shot of a cluster of pinkish-cream colored flowers and green leaves of the Kalmia latifolia
Mountain Laurel is poisonous to humans and many animals: horses, goats, cows, deer and monkeys.
botanical-name botanical name Kalmia latifolia
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 5-15 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 4-9

While mountain laurel tends to demand careful maintenance, the work pays off. It explodes with clusters of bowl-shaped blooms in late spring through the summer. Flowers are white or pink and fade into a deep pink center. The glossy elongated leaves grow from knobby branches.

This slow-growing bush is best for the experienced gardener. Mountain laurel is picky about soil, preferring it to be cool, moist, and acidic. It also needs just the right amount of shade. Make sure to plant it with the crown exposed above the soil. Deadhead flowers regularly to keep unseemly brown fruits from appearing.

Mock Orange

A shot of green leaves and delicate snowy flowers on branches of the Philadelphus coronarius
Mock Orange is frost-resistant and tolerates temperatures down to -25°C.
botanical-name botanical name Philadelphus coronarius
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 10-12 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 4-8

If you’re looking for white flowering shrubs that attract spring pollinators, go with mock orange. Named for its similar appearance to orange blossoms, it also puts off a strong orange fragrance. Throughout springtime, you can enjoy arching branches covered in beautiful clusters of 4-petal flowers and veiny elliptical leaves.

By summer, the flowers are gone. However, mock orange is a fast-growing, dense shrub that is great for a privacy hedge. It’s easy to grow. Just give it nutrient-rich soil and water sparingly. Fertilize at the beginning of the growing season and prune after the last blooms die off.

New Jersey Tea

A composition of clusters of creamy-pink colored flowers on woody stems and green foliage of the Ceanothus americanus
New Jersey Tea is a shrub up to 150 cm in height, sensitive to cold. Its leaves and stems are covered with down.
botanical-name botanical name Ceanothus americanus
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 3-4 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 4-8

This New England native played its role in history! It gets its name from the Revolutionary War era. Patriots used its broad green leaves to make tea during tea tariff boycotts. New Jersey Tea is lovely, growing upwards with clusters of small, fragrant flowers at the end of long reddish-brown stems.

Butterflies and hummingbirds love this low-lying shrub. It adapts to all kinds of conditions. Just make sure to water it regularly. It tolerates both heat and freezing temperatures but will go dormant.

Ninebark

A close-up and overhead shot of fuzzy, delicate, creamy cluster of flowers of the Physocarpus opulifolius, growing alongside toothed leaves
Ninebark bushes have white or pink flowers with red stamens up to 12 mm in diameter.
botanical-name botanical name Physocarpus opulifolius
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 5-8 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 2-8

Another New England native on my list of white flowering plants, ninebark makes an impact from spring through fall. Even before it fully blooms in the spring, the closed buds are beautiful, round, and tinged pink.

Ninebark’s flowers have 5 white, round petals with a bright yellow center. Wispy, red-tipped stamens give the domed flower clusters a fuzzy appearance. Common ninebark has lovely chartreuse leaves, but some varieties have stunning bronze or gold foliage.

As a low-maintenance plant, ninebark grows in wet and dry conditions and all soil types. It just doesn’t tolerate heat well. Shape it up occasionally and add mulch at the end of the season.

Oleander

A composition of creamy flowers with yellow centers alongside thin green leaves of the Nerium oleander
All parts of the Oleander plant are poisonous due to their content of oleandrin, cornerin and other cardiac Glycosides.
botanical-name botanical name Nerium oleander
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 3-20 feet, depending on the variety
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 8-10

Don’t shy away from this heat-loving plant called oleander if you live in the northern United States. It blooms from spring through fall in zone 8, and it grows evergreen in zones 8-10. It has long green leaves that grow thick and frilly vase-shaped flowers in small clusters. You’ll find it in several shades of pink, red, and white.

Common in the Mediterranean, oleander tolerates salt spray well and prefers full sun. It’s used to alkaline, sandy soil but adapts to different soil conditions. Just water it when the topsoil gets dry.

Orange Jasmine

A shot of a small cluster of dainty milky flowers and buds of the Murraya paniculata
Orange Jasmine is not too demanding to care for.
botanical-name botanical name Murraya paniculata
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 8-12 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

While mock orange handles cool climates well, go with orange jasmine if you live in warmer climates. It’s not true jasmine, but it is a fragrant shrub with leathery oval leaves and small 5-petal flowers. After the flowers bloom, they cycle out to produce vibrant reddish-orange berries.

Outside zones 9-11, grow it in a container and bring it in for the winter. It loves loamy, well-drained soil. Water it once a week. Plan on pruning it once in the spring and again in the fall.

Pearlbush

A shot of several developing delicate milky flowers and green leaves of the Exochorda x macrantha
Pearlbush is an exceptionally beautiful and compact shrub, that blooms with snow-white blooms in early spring.
botanical-name botanical name Exochorda x macrantha ‘The Bride’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 5-10 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 5-9

When it comes to show-stopping white flowering bushes, pearlbush does the trick! From spring through fall, abundant blooms weigh down the long arching branches. Short racemes of pearl-like buds give way to small, bright white blooms.

Bright green leaves make this dense shrub a great border hedge. It grows easily in all kinds of soil but blooms best with full sun and moist, well-drained soil on the acidic side. Pearlbush should be pruned as soon as flowers die off.

Potentilla

A shot of several delicate creamy flowers with yellow centers and brown-green foliage of the Potentilla fruticosa
Potentilla refers to slow-growing plants.
botanical-name botanical name Dasiphora fruticosa
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 1-4 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 2-7

Potentilla is also called shrubby cinquefoil. Each flower has 5 rounded petals with a yellow center. It also has herbaceous foliage featuring 5-finger green leaves. White varieties of potentilla are often called barren strawberry for the way they mimic the look without the fruit!

This is an ideal addition for newer gardeners looking for white flowering shrubs. It grows generously from spring to fall. Give it full sun and loamy, moist soil, and leave it alone. It blooms so well that you may have to prune it just to keep the flowers from choking out the plant! Potentilla is very drought- and salt-resistant and doesn’t mind the cold.

Rose of Sharon

A close-up show of a delicate papery milky flower alongside dark green leaves of the Hibiscus syriacus
Rose of Sharon prefers a lot of light, heat and moisture.
botanical-name botanical name Hibiscus syriacus
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 8-12 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 8-12

Rose of Sharon loves to make a statement with large showy flowers with papery petals and 1 prominent stamen. You can find it in every color of the rainbow except green. The leaves are decorative with 3 fingers and go from light to dark green during the year.

You might be surprised to learn that this is a great flower for newer gardeners. It’s a low-maintenance shrub. Just water it enough to keep the soil moist, but make sure that it has well-drained soil with a neutral pH. Prune it before the first blooms and then occasionally to keep it shaped up.

Serviceberry

A shot of several upright snowy flowers, green round leaves, growing along a branch of the Amelanchier spp
Serviceberry fruits ripen in August. Small berries contribute to the decorative effect.
botanical-name botanical name Amelanchier spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 4-40 feet, depending on the variety
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 3-9, depending on the variety

Also called juneberry or sugar plum, serviceberry is known for its edible red or purple berries. There are about 2 dozen species that produce shrubs and tree varieties. Among them, the shape and size of the flowers vary a little. However, they all feature white blooms and small elliptical leaves that turn bright orange in the fall.

Serviceberry is one of the white flowering shrubs that grow fast and easily. While it adapts well to many conditions, it blooms best in acidic, nutrient-rich soil. Be sure to prune after the last flowers.

Spiraea

An overhead shot of a cluster of dainty milky flowers with yellow center of the Spiraea spp
To maintain a beautiful Spiraea crown shape, spring pruning is necessary.
botanical-name botanical name Spiraea spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 1-20 feet tall, depending on the species
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 4-8

There are almost 100 species of spiraea in every shade of purple, pink, red, orange, yellow, and white. They have round, flat, or cone-shaped clusters of small 5-petal flowers with long stamens. Most types have green oval leaves that turn orange in the fall. Most also explode with flower clusters in the spring through the summer.

When it comes to white flowering shrubs, they’re a great plant for new gardeners. Spiraea shrubs like full sun and neutral, well-drained soil. Water when the topsoil is dry. After the first freeze, prune back, water, and mulch Spiraea.

Snowflake Euphorbia

A close-up shot of a composition of delicate milky flowers on thin stems of the Euphorbia leucocephala
Snowflake Euphorbia has small white blooms, with a pleasant aroma.
botanical-name botanical name Euphorbia leucocephala
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 6-12 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-13

If you live in a warm climate, check out snowflake euphoria. The unique flowers are perennial, but the leaves are evergreen. It blooms for a few weeks in the winter, giving it the name white Christmas bush. When it blooms in white florets, the rounded, low-mound shrub might look like it’s covered in snow!

Known to be a hardy species that is very tolerant to drought and humidity, it does well in many soil types but does best with slightly moist, well-drained soil. For the best appearance, prune well in the spring and again before the fall.

Summersweet

A shot of a cluster of small creamy flower on spikes of the Clethra alnifolia
Most varieties of Clethra alnifolia grow to 2–2.5 m in height.
botanical-name botanical name Clethra alnifolia
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 3-10 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 3-9

Next on the list of white flowering shrubs is a US native with a striking appearance. Summersweet features long bottlebrush clusters of tiny white blooms that last from late spring through midsummer. It also has dark green leaves with serrated edges that turn orange in the fall.

You’ll often find it in coastal regions. It does well tolerating heat and salt spray. It likes acidic, sandy soil. Plant it along a creek or pond, and it won’t need much maintenance. Just water it in drought conditions and deadhead if you prefer.

Tea Olive

A shot of several branches adorned with small clusters of creamy flowers and green leaves of the Osmanthus fragrans
Tea Olive is quite a slow-growing plant but easy to grow.
botanical-name botanical name Osmanthus fragrans
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 8-20 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 7-12

Tea olive, or fragrant olive, is known for its highly fruity-scented flowers. The shiny green leaves show all year-round. They’re a lovely contrast to tight round flower clusters of 4-petal flowers. Enjoy the blooms from spring through fall.

This plant loves humidity and tolerates heat and drought well. Just water it once a week, keeping the soil well-drained but moist.

Seven Son Flower

A close-up shot of small clusters of milky flowers of the Heptacodium miconioides
The flowering of Seven Son Flower attracts butterflies to the garden.
botanical-name botanical name Heptacodium miconioides
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 10-20 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 5-9

If you’re looking for unique white flowering bushes to add to your garden, check out seven son flower. This tall-reaching shrub blooms in late summer through the fall. It features circular clusters of 7 flowers at the end of drooping stems. They die off in the fall, giving way to bright purple fruit.

The large, veined leaves die in the fall, but the show doesn’t end. The old bark fades in the winter, peeling and revealing dark brown bark underneath! This is a low-maintenance plant that handles all kinds of conditions well. Just water it regularly.

Viburnum

A shot of several green leaves 
with creamy lower clusters of the Viburnum spp all basking in bright sunlight outdoors
Viburnum is a shade tolerant plant but grows best in well-lit areas. Prefers abundant watering, especially in the hot heat.
botanical-name botanical name Viburnum spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 2-20 feet tall, depending on the variety
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 2-10

A popular addition for gardeners over the years, there are over 100 varieties of viburnum. You’ll find all kinds of evergreen and deciduous types. They all have different types of leaves and flower cluster shapes. However, they tend to all feature tight flower bunches and bright berries.

Viburnum makes the list of flowering white shrubs for the stunning look of its fragrant white blooms. They look a little like hydrangeas. All varieties prefer rich, well-drained soil and weekly watering.

Virginia Sweetspire

A close-up and overhead shot of red-copper colored leaves of the Itea virginica
The scent of Virginia Sweetspire flowers attracts butterflies, bringing the garden to life.
botanical-name botanical name Itea virginica
sun-requirements sun requirements Partial shade
height height 3-10 feet tall
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 5-9

The narrow bottlebrush spikes of tiny flowers make Virginia sweetspire a lovely addition to your collection. The summer blooms attract all kinds of pollinators. In the fall through winter, the visually appealing arched branches have elliptical leaves that turn burning red!

Virginia sweetspire prefers loamy, moist soil that’s acidic. Water twice a week until it’s established and then only when there’s a drought. You can prune it if you want to shape it up, but otherwise, it’s unnecessary.

Share This Post
A shot of a composition of several low-growing plants in a garden area that showcases short perennials

Shrubs

59 Low Growing Perennial Plants For Garden Edges and Borders

Are you thinking of adding some shorter perennial plants to your garden edges or borders? In this article, we examine 61 of our favorite perennial plants that are smaller in stature. These plants will return year after year, and give your garden a great look with the foliage that's closer to the ground.

Hydrangea Variety in Full Sun

Shrubs

21 Different Hydrangea Varieties That Love Full Sun

Thinking of planting some hydrangeas but aren't sure if they can take full sun? Well the good news is, there's actually plenty of different hydrangea varieties that are sun tolerant! In this article, gardening expert Jill Drago takes a deeper look at her favorite full sun hydrangea varieties.

Shrubs for Shade Gardens

Shrubs

31 Shrubs For Shade Gardens and Shady Areas

Do you need some shrubs for shady areas of your garden? Perhaps you are creating an entire shade garden but aren't sure which shrubs to plant? The good news is, there are plenty of shade loving options, no matter your hardiness zone or geographic location. In this article, we look at our favorite shade-loving shrubs.

Perennial Shrub in Garden

Shrubs

61 Perennial Shrubs For Your Home and Garden

Thinking of planting some perennial shrubs but aren't sure which ones will best fit your home or garden space? There are many different options for perennial shrubs, so picking the right one can be a bit confusing. In the following article, we examine over 60 of our favorites, to help you find the perfect match for your garden this season.

lilac varieties

Shrubs

Lilac Varieties: 25 Different Types of Lilac Cultivars

Trying to decide what lilac variety to plant this season, but can't pick without a little help? Lilacs have over 25 species, with thousands of cultivars, so it can be hard to settle in and pick the perfect shrub. In this article, certified master gardener Liz Jarosz shares her favorite lilac cultivars you can plant in your garden this season.

hydrangea varieties

Shrubs

71 Different Types of Hydrangea To Plant This Season

Thinking of planting some hydrangeas this season, but don't know where to start? There are many different types of hydrangea varieties you can plant in your garden. In this article, we take a look at some of our favotite hydrangea varieties, as well as the hardiness zones that they do the best in.