Evergreen Shrubs

Evergreens are some of the lowest maintenance plants for your landscape.  In addition, they provide year-round color and structure.  There are two types of evergreen shrubs for our area, broadleaf types (think ‘leafy’ such as boxwood and holly) and needled types (think pine and juniper).    Since both hold onto their foliage in winter—a drying, windy time in Colorado-- be sure to give them winter water for best results.  Also, make sure you site your shrub in the location it prefers.   Some prefer morning sun in protected locations while others can take exposed, sunny spots.

TIP:  Some evergreen shrubs respond well to an anti-transpirant spray (such as Wilt Pruf), to help protect agains winter dessication.

** Please Note:  In stock availability of specific varieties listed below will vary depending upon time of season and sales.

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Broadleaf Evergreen Shrubs

Boxwood (Buxus)

Green Mountain Boxwood

Height: 5’

Spread: 3’

Exposure: Shade or morning sun

Other Notes: Upright form. Glossy dark green leaves. May be pruned to maintain shape and/or used as a hedge. Protect from windy locations. Zone 5.

Boxwood (Buxus)
Green Velvet Boxwood

Height: 3’

Spread: 3’

Exposure: Shade or morning sun

Other Notes: Round, mounding form. Good winter color, may be used as a hedge. Protect from windy locations. Zone 5.

Green Velvet Boxwood
Winter Gem Boxwood (Korean Boxwood)

Height:  2'-3’

Spread:  2'-3’

Exposure:  Shade or morning sun

Other Notes:  Rounded shape and deep green leaves.    May be used as a low hedge.  Protect from windy locations.  Slow growing.

Winter Gem Boxwood (Korean Boxwood)
Broom, Spanish Types (Cytisus)

Spanish Gold Broom

Height:  3’-5’

Spread:  4’-6’

Exposure:  Sun to Part Sun

Other Notes:  Leafless shrub with slender green branches and a rounded shape.  One of the hardiest brooms for our area.  Bright yellow flowers appear in Spring.  Zone 4

Broom, Spanish Types (Cytisus)

Euonymus

Although adaptable to full sun, all appreciate protection from winter sun and winds.

Emerald Gaiety

Height: 4’-5’

Spread:  4’-5’

Exposure:  Prefers light shade location but will also adapt to full shade or full sun.

Other Notes:  Green leaves with white margins.  Slow growing.  Irregular spreading habit is easily shaped with light pruning.  Leaves tinge pink in Fall.

Emerald Gaiety
Manhattan

Height:  3’-5’

Spread:  3’-5’

Exposure:   Shade or morning sun is best

Other Notes:  Glossy, dark green leaves.  Ideal for an informal hedge or specimen plant.  Protect from winter wind.

Manhattan

Gold Leaf Varieties:

Emerald 'N Gold

Height:  2’

Spread: Up to 5’

Exposure:  Prefers light shade but will also adapt to full shade to full sun.

Other Notes:  Dark green leaves with a bright gold margin.  Slow growing.  Low, spreading branches make a good evergreen groundcover.  Easily shaped with light pruning.  Leaves tinge pink in Fall.

Emerald 'N Gold
Moonshadow

Height:  2'-3'

Spread: 3'-4'

Exposure:  Prefers light shade but will also adapt to full shade to full sun.

Other Notes: Variegation of deep green leaves with a deep gold margin. Slow growing. Low, spreading branches make a good evergreen groundcover. Easily shaped with light pruning.

Moonshadow

Grape Holly (Mahonia)

Oregon Grape Holly (aquifolium)

Height:    5’-6’

Spread:  5’-6’

Exposure: Shade to morning sun

Other Notes:  Medium green holly-like leaves turn bronze red in the Fall.  Yellow flowers in spring are followed by blue berries in mid-summer.

Oregon Grape Holly (aquifolium)
Compact Oregon Grape Holly

Height:    3’-3’

Spread:  3’-3’

Exposure: Shade to morning sun

Other Notes:  A dwarf version of standard Oregon Grape Holley.  All the same wonderful qualities in a smaller package.

Compact Oregon Grape Holly
Creeping Mahonia (repens)

Height:  12”-18”

Spread: up to 4’

Exposure:  Shade, morning sun, or full sun.

Other Notes:  Low spreading type of grape holly.  Makes a wonderful groundcover with pretty fall colors of purple-red tones.  Yellow flowers in spring followed by blue berries in mid-summer.

Creeping Mahonia (repens)

Holly (Ilex)

Combo Pots (Male) / (Female)

Height:  4’-6’

Spread: 4’-6’

Exposure:  Shade to LIGHT morning sun

Other Notes:  Deep green leaves.  Extremely slow growing.  Very pretty holly berries are produced only on female shrubs and require pollination from a male.  (can plant multiple female shrubs to one male shrub)  Prefers a moist location.

Combo Pots (Male) / (Female)
Sky Pencil Holly

Height: 8'-10'

Spread: 2'

Exposure: Shade to LIGHT morning sun

Other Notes: Great as a tall and narrow vertical accent for shade. Prefers a moist location. Zone 5.

Sky Pencil Holly
Kinnikinnick a.k.a. Bearberry (Arctostyphylos)

Height: 4"-12"

Spread: 3' and up to 6'

Bloom Color: White tinged with pink bell-shaped dainty flowers

Season of Bloom: Spring

Other Notes: A low growing woody groundcover. Flowers are followed by small red fruit. Glossy bright green foliage turns reddish in winter. Evergreen, shrubby ground cover. Can planted in shade, part sun, or sun.

Kinnikinnick a.k.a. Bearberry (Arctostyphylos)
Manzanita (Arctostyphylos x coloradoensis)

Variety: 'Panchito'

Height: 10"-15"

Spread: 3' and up to 6'

Bloom Color: Tiny white bell-shaped flowers

Season of Bloom: Spring

Fall Foliage: Red-purplish in good light

Other Notes: A low growing woody groundcover. Outstanding selection of a native, broadleaf evergreen from the Uncompaghre Plateau in western Colorado. Tiny, waxy, white, urn-shaped flowers are very appealing. Small red berries can be produced on established plants. Plant in well-drained soil. Drought tolerant once established. Can also be grown in part sun.

Manzanita (Arctostyphylos x coloradoensis)
Pyracantha / Fireweed

Gnome

Height:  4’-6’

Spread:  3’-4’

Exposure:  Shade, morning sun, full sun

Other Notes:  White spring flowers are followed by showy clusters of bright orange berries that hold through winter.  Plant in a place where it won’t receive drying winter winds.  A good candidate for espalier against a wall or fence.

Pyracantha / Fireweed
Yucca

Yucca filimentosa (Adam's Needle Yucca)

Height: 3'

Spread: 3’-4'

Exposure: Full sun.

Other Notes:  Traditional drought tolerant yucca. Creamy yellow flower spikes in summer. Drought tolerant.

** Photo Courtesy Fisher Farms

Yucca
Yucca 'Bright Edge'

Height: 3'

Spread: 3’-4'

Exposure: Full sun.

Other Notes: A decorative variegated yucca. Leaves are edged in bright yellow. Drought tolerant.  Creamy flower spikes in summer.

Yucca 'Bright Edge'

Needled Evergreen Shrubs

Arborvitae (Thuja)

Woodward Globe

Height: 3’-5’

Spread:  3’-5’

Exposure:  Does best in shady or morning sun locations.

Other Notes:   Deep green in summer.  Takes on a bronze color in winter.  Rounded form.  Plant in a place where it will not receive a lot of wind exposure as this causes browning.  Prefers a moist spot.

Arborvitae (Thuja)

Juniper

Junipers are a versatile group of evergreens.  Some stay very low to provide a wide groundcover while others are tall and can be used as evergreen screens.   Some have a silvery blue cast while others are deep green.  They all do well here and are quite drought tolerant once established.   However, Colorado has very drying winter winds that can be tough on evergreens.   Although they do well in a windy, exposed spot—it is essential to give them winter water for best performance.

Low Creeping Type Junipers

Blue, green, and golden foliage types.  Note: Some WILL change color in winter.

Blue Chip

Height:  8"-12”

Spread: 4’-6’

Exposure:  Sun

Other Notes:  Very low growing with a moderate spread.  Silvery blue foliage has an arching habit.  Turns a plum color in the winter.

Blue Chip
Blue Star

Height: 18”-24”

Spread: 3’-4’

Exposure: Sun to Part Sun

Other Notes: Dwarf form with silvery-blue needles that are shorter than other types of juniper. They cluster into a star-like shape. Does best when planted in a location that is protected from winter wind.

Blue Star
Buffalo

Height:  12”-18”

Spread: 6’-8’

Exposure:  Sun

Other Notes:  Low growing with a large spread.  Bright foliage gives a blast of green especially in the height of winter.  Juniper berries are blue.

Buffalo
Gold Strike

Height: 6" low groundcover type

Spread: Up to 3'

Exposure: Part sun is best

Other Notes: Striking yellow foliage creates a cheerful glow in the garden. This type will do best in well-drained soil with consistent moisture. Grow in a part sun location for best color.

Gold Strike
Hughes

Height: 12”-18”

Spread: 6’-8’

Exposure:  Sun

Other Notes:  Low growing variety with a large spread.  Steel-blue foliage during warm months.  Takes on a purple tinge in winter.

Hughes

Taller Hedge Type Spreading Junipers

Old Gold

Height: 3’-4’

Spread: 4’-6’

Exposure: Sun

Other Notes: New growth is a bright yellow. Good shrub for contrast.

Old Gold
Sea Green

Height: 6’-8’

Spread: 6’-8’

Exposure: Sun

Other Notes: Lush green foliage with a dense, vase-shaped habit. This variety is sometimes offered as a trained 'pom pom' style juniper.

Sea Green

Pine (Pinus)

Mugo Pine Varieties

Big Tuna Mugo Pine

Height: 6’-15’

Spread: 6’-10’

Exposure: Sun

Other Notes: A large shrub or small tree. Deep, dark green, and DENSE! Very nice selection for a smaller space. Upright, broad shape at maturity. Showy buds in winter stand out against deep green foliage. Plant in well drained soil.

Big Tuna Mugo Pine
Mops

Height:3'Spread:3'Exposure:SunOther Notes:Grows in a low dense dome shape. Dwarf in habit. Stays compact even without annual pruning. Plant in well drained soil.

Pumilio (P. mugo pumilio)

Height:3'-5'

Spread:3'-6'

Exposure:Sun

Other Notes:Dwarf, bright green color in all seasons. Attractive mounded shape that can be maintained by pruning. Especially nice in early summer when new candles of growth appear. Very hardy and rugged.

Valley Cushion Mugo Pine

Height: 1’

Spread: 4’

Exposure: Sun

Other Notes: While most Mugo pines can get large, this unique dwarf mugo spreads wide but stays short.  A slower grower at only 3"-5" per year, this small evergreen would fit in most gardens.  It is also very hardy, down to -40 degrees.

Valley Cushion Mugo Pine
White Bud Mugo Pine

Height: 3’

Spread: 4’

Exposure: Sun

Other Notes: Dark green needles with a short, broad form. Derives its name from the fact that, in winter, each terminal bud is covered in white resin. Against the green needles, this trait gives it a ‘frosted’ effect. Plant in well drained soil.

White Bud Mugo Pine

Spruce (Picea)

Globe Blue Spruce

Height:  3’-5’

Spread: 4’-5’

Exposure:  Sun to Part Sun

Other Notes:  Beautiful round shrub form of blue spruce.  Requires winter water and likes consistent moisture during the growing season.

Globe Blue Spruce

Yew (Taxus)

Upright Yew / Hick's Yew

Height:  10'-12'

Spread:  3'-4'

Exposure:  Shade or morning sun.

Other Notes:  This is an upright type of yew.  Dense growth can provide a shade-loving screen. Foliage and yew seeds within the bright red berries are poisonous.  Keep away from children.

Upright Yew / Hick's Yew
Spreading Yew / Densiformis

Height:  4’-6’

Spread:  4’-6’

Exposure:  Shade or morning sun.

Other Notes:  Dense rounded form.  Provide consistent moisture and site in a location that is protected from drying winter winds.  Caution:  Foliage and yew seeds within the bright red berries are poisonous.  Keep away from children.

Spreading Yew / Densiformis
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