Shrubs For Sun

Height: 4'-6'Spread: 4-6'Flowers: Deep velvety purpleFall Color: NoOther Notes: Upright spreading shrub. Deadhead for best flower display. Butterfly magnet!

Height:1.5’ x 2.5’Spread:2’-2.5’Flowers:Lavender-blue flowers bloom mid-summer to frostFall Color:NoOther Notes:Dwarf butterfly bush. No deadheading required! (A Proven Winners shrub). Zone 5.

Blue Chip Junior

Height: 4'-6'Spread: 2'-3'Flowers: Fragrant blue flowers with an orange eyeFall Color: NoOther Notes: Blooms in summer.  Can use as a cutflower.

Height:5'-6'Spread:4'-6'Flowers:Lavender pink blooms mid-summer to frostFall Color:NoOther Notes:Upright spreading shrub. Deadhead for best flower display. Butterfly magnet!

Pink Charm

Height:4'-6'

Spread: 4-6'
Flowers: Pink-red blooms mid-summer to frost
Fall Color: No
Other Notes: Upright spreading shrub. Deadhead for best flower display. Butterfly magnet!

** PCO Chelsea Nursery

Royal Red

Height:8'-10'Spread:6'-8'Flowers:LavenderFall Color:NoOther Notes:This is a vase-shaped mounding shrub with silver blue gray leaves. This shrub has lilac flowers in June on previous year’s wood. It is great for attracting butterflies. Zone 4.

Silver Fountain

Height:8'-10'

Spread: 10'-12'

Flowers: Pinkish-white in spring followed by red1/3" berries.

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Tough—moist or dry site. Birds love this shrub!

** Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries

Cherry, Nanking (Prunus)

Autumn Magic Chokeberry (Aronia melancarpa)

Height: 4'-6'

Spread: 4'-5'

Flowers: Profuse white flowers in spring followed by edible black berries

Fall Color: Purple-red fall color

Other Notes: Upright shrub that adapts well to poor soil (moist or dry)

Chokeberry (Aronia)

Hancock Coralberry

Height:2'-3'

Spread: 6'+

Flowers: Insignificant.

Fall Color: No color to leaves but rose pink berries persist into winter.

Other Notes: A good low spreading shrub for groundcover or hillsides.

** Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries

Coralberry (Symphoricarpos)

Cranberry Cotoneaster (C. Apiculatus)

Height:2'-3'

Spread: 3'-6'

Flowers: Small pink blooms in summer

Fall Color: Bright red berries that persist through winter. Bronze-red leaves.

Cotoneaster

Height: 8'-10'

Spread: 4'-6'

Flowers: Small pink flowers in summer.

Fall Color: Yes! Black fruit stands out against bright fall leaves of orange and red.

Other Notes: A tall upright shrub that makes a great screen. Tough, drought tolerant. Attracts birds.

Hedge Cotoneaster (C. lucidus)

Height: 8"-12"

Spread: 4'-6'

Flowers: Small pink blooms in summer

Fall Color: Red leaves (rarely has berries)

Other Notes: Low spreading shrub with small, glossy green leaves.  Makes a great groundcover.

Tom Thumb Cotoneaster (C. adpressus)

Red Twig Dogwood

Height: 6'-8'

Spread: 6'-8'

Flowers: White flowers in Spring

Fall Color: Red purple

Other Notes: Bright red stems in winter! Can also be planted in morning/part sun locations.

Dogwood (Cornus)

Height: 5'-6' 

Spread: 5'-6'

Flowers: White in spring

Fall Color: Insignificant

Other Notes: Bright red stems in winter. Leaves are white and green during season. Compact, rounded shape. Can also be planted in morning/part sun locations.

Ivory Halo Dogwood

Height: 6'-8'

Spread: 6'-8'

Flowers: White in Spring

Fall Color: Red purple

Other Notes: Bright yellow stems in winter! Can also be planted in morning/part sun locations.

Yellow Twig Dogwood

'Black Lace' European Elderberry (Sambucus nigra)

Height: 8'-10'

Spread: 8'-10'

Flowers: Pink, lacy blossoms in early summer

Fall Color: Deep purple all season. Has deep blackish-red fruit in Fall.

Other Notes: Large rounded shrub with lovely deep purple lacy foliage. Can also be planted in part sun. Does best in a moist spot. A great alternative to a Japanese Maple. The light flowers are particularly striking against the dark foliage. This variety is mostly used as an ornamental. Deer resistant but NOT pet friendly.

Elderberry (Sambucus)

Red Elderberry 'Lemony Lace' (Sambucus racemosa)

Height:4'-6'

Spread: 4'-6'

Flowers: Large clusters of white flowers in spring followed by bright red berries.

Fall Color: Yellow

Other Notes: A Proven Winners elder.  Does best in a moist spot.  Brightly colored yellow leaves all season.  Deer resistant but NOT pet friendly.

** Photo Courtesy Proven Winners

Elderberry (Sambucus)

Height: 4'-6'

Spread: 3'-8'

Flower: Yellow (Small insignificant)

Fall Color:  Blue-green

Other Notes:  A drought tolerant, dryland plant.  Plant in well drained soil.

Other Ephedra varieties we often carry:

Dwarf Mormon Tea (Ephedra minima)
Torrey's Ephedra (Ephedra torreyana)

Ephedra/ Blue Stem Joint Fir (Ephedra)

Height: 6'-8'

Spread: 4'-6'

Flowers:  Creamy white in Summer

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: This is a tall semi-evergreen, dryland shrub with fragrant fern like leaves. They produce creamy white flowers in late summer. Plant them near a window to enjoy the fragrance.  Native plant. Zone 4.

Fernbush (Chamaebatiaria)

Lynwood Gold Forsythia

Height:5'-7'

Spread: 7'

Flower: Deep yellow flowers in early Spring

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Deep golden yellow flowers of this forsythia cover the branches in early Spring. A dense plant with an upright habit, it tolerates city conditions well. Performs well in both sun or light shade.

** Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries

Forsythia

Lydia Genista

Height: 18"-24"

Spread: 2'-4'

Flower: Yellow flowers cover this shrub in mid-Summer.

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Very drought tolerant once established.  Grows well in poor dry soil.  Compact, low growing shrub with bright green foliage. Zone 4.

Genista

Arnold's Red Honeysuckle

Height: 6'-8'

Spread: 6'-8

Flowers: Deep pink-red blooms in late spring followed by large red berries in June and July.

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: A shrub form of honeysuckle. Upright habit. Blue-green leaves.

Can also be grown in part sun. Requires well-drained soil. Zone 3.

Honeysuckle (Lonicera)

Varieties Not Listed Below:   Blue Bird, Fiji, Minerva, Pink Chiffon, Purple Pillar, Red Heart, Tahiti

Aphrodite

Height:8'-12'

Spread: 6'-10'
Flowers: Dark pink flowers with dark red eye bloom in late summer
Fall Color: No
Other Notes:  Upright shrub with large saucer shaped flowers that bloom from July until frost. Has dark pink flowers with a dark red eye. Valuable as a specimen plant. Prefers well-drained soil.

** Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries

Hibiscus, Hardy / Rose-Of-Sharon (Hibiscus)

Height:8'-12'Spread:8'-12'Flowers:Single blue with red eyeFall Color:NoOther Notes:A large striking shrub that will bloom late providing end of season color

Azurri Blue Satin

Height:8'-10'

Spread:6'-8'

Flowers: Double dusty rose flowers late in the season

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Can be trained as a small tree or used as a hedge.

Height:8'-10'

Spread:6'-8'

Flowers:Spectacular bi-color blooms of white tipped with pink shades. Blooms in late summer

Fall Color:No

Other Notes:Large upright shrub. Makes a good cutflower.

Height:8'-12'

Spread: 6'-10'

Flowers: Large, single white flowers in late summer

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Large upright shrub. (A Proven Winners shrub)

** Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries Inc

White Chiffon

Height: 2'-4'

Spread: 2'-4'

Flowers: Purple flowers late summer

Fall Color: No.

Other Notes: This is a medium sized dryland shrub with delicate lacy leaves and purple flowers in late summer. Be forewarned it is the last plant to leaf out in the spring. This beautiful plant is native throughout the plains states. Zone 3.

Leadplant/False Indigo (Amorpha canescens)

Beauty of Moscow (Krasavitsa Moskvy)

Height: up to 15'

Spread: 8'-12'

Flowers: White with a tinge of light pink in spring.

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Extremely fragrant flowers are large and showy. Will sucker and have a more open habit than many lilacs.

Lilac (Syringa)

Height: 4'-5'

Spread: 4'-5'

Flowers: Fragrant plum purple buds open to light purple flowers in Spring. Repeat blooming throughout season.

Fall Color: No.

Other Notes: Good choice for smaller spaces.. Can also be planted in part sun. Plant in well-drained soil.

Bloomerang Lilac

Height:10'-12'

Spread: 8'-10'

Flowers: Purple flowers in Spring.

Fall Color: No.

Other Notes:  One of the earlier French hybrids, this lilac is still popular. It bears smaller panicles of purple buds that turn to magenta double flowers as they open for a fabulous show!

** Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries

Charles Joly Lilac

Height: 12'-15'

Spread: 8'-12'

Flower: Lilac of course! And VERY fragrant.  Cut some in spring for a vase inside and they will quickly fill your house with old-fashioned lilac fragrance.

Fall Color: No

Other Notes:  Very hardy. Upright vase-shaped habit.

Common Purple Lilac

Height: 4'-5'

Spread: 5'-6'

Flowers: Red-purple buds open to fragrant lilac flowers in Spring.

Fall Color: No.

Other Notes: Good choice for smaller spaces. Nice deep green leaves. Plant in well-drained soil.

Dwarf Korean Lilac

Height: 10'-12'

Spread: 6'-8'

Flowers: Red, purple blossoms in spring (fragrant).

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Large, upright shape. An old cultivar developed in 1883. Plant in well-drained soil.

** Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries

Ludwig Spaeth Lilac

Height:10’-15’

Spread:8’-10’

Flowers: Pure double white fragrant flowers in Spring (fragrant)

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Attractive to birds and butterflies. Deer resistant. Use for beds, borders, cutting garden, foundation, hedge, privacy screen, windbreak, woodland garden, or as a specimen. Zone 3.

Height: 6'-7'

Spread: 5'-6'

Flowers: Lavender flowers in spring (fragrant)

Fall Color: Burgundy red fall foliage.

Other Notes: Dark green glossy leaves.

** Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries

Miss Kim Lilac

Height: 10-12'

Spread: 8'

Flowers: Double lilac blue flowers in spring.

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Large upright form.

President Grevy Lilac

Height: 8'-10'

Spread: 8'-12

Flowers: Bi-color blue flowers edged in white appear in spring.

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: A truly unique variety with an upright habit.

Sensation Lilac

Height:5'-6'

Spread: 4'-5'

Flowers: Wine red flower buds open to pink

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Very similar to Dwarf Korean in appearance but with a spicy fragrance

** PCO Bailey Nurseries Inc

Tinkerbelle

Height: 8'-10'

Spread: 8'-10'

Flower: pink buds open to 3"-4" double white fragrant flowers in Spring

Fall Color: Yellow to bronze

Other Notes: A hardy Japanese magnolia. Large deciduous shrub. Upright habit. Zone 4

Magnolia 'Royal Star'

Blizzard

Height: 4'-5'

Spread: 3'

Flowers: Single, white, fragrant flowers bloom in clusters in Summer

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: A selection from a seedling population of Philadelphus lewisii collected in Alberta, Canada, that has proven hardy to zone 3. It blooms up to 4 weeks.  It forms a medium sized upright shrub that is tolerant of full sun. The name 'Blizzard' was chosen for both the profuse amount of spring bloom and the extreme winter hardiness of this fine plant.

Mockorange (Philadelphus)

Curl Leaf Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius)

Height: Highly variable--10'-15'
Spread: 10'-15'
Flowers: Small inconspicuous flowers turn into attractive feathery seedpods
Fall Color: No
Other Notes: Drought tolerant large shrub or small tree. Named so because its leaves curl during drought. Good for a dry, sunny spot. Native.

Height: up to 20’ but frequently browsed by deer so will likely stay much shorter.

Spread:4'-6'Flowers:Small inconspicuous flowers turn into attractive feathery seedpods

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Drought tolerant. Good for dry sunny spot. Native to the foothills of Colorado.

Amber Jubilee

Height: 5'-6'

Spread: 4'

Flowers: White flowers in spring

Fall Color: Red-purple fall colored leaves

Other Notes: Foliage tones in orange, yellow, and golds.  Rounded, dense habit.

Ninebark (Physocarpus)

Height:4'-5'

Spread: 4'-5

Flowers: Creamy white flowers in Spring.

Fall Color: Red fruit in fall.

Other Notes: Bright yellow leaves during the growing season. Compact rounded shape. Great shrub to use for color contrast.

** Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries Inc

Dart's Gold Ninebark

Height: 8'-10'

Spread: 8'-10'

Flowers: Pink buds open to creamy white flowers in spring

Fall Color: Bronze/Maroon

Other Notes: Beautiful red-purple foliage on long arching canes. Forms a beautiful rounded mound of foliage and, even though it gets quite tall, can be controlled by cutting branches back each spring. Spring flowers contrast nicely against the dark foliage. Plant in full sun for best foliage color.

Diablo Ninebark

Height:3'-4'

Spread: 3'-4'

Flowers: White/pink flowers in early summer

Fall Color: Red-purple leaves all season

Other Notes: This cute and compact ninebark offers low maintenance for the homeowner with a small garden. Burgundy foliage makes for a nice contrast. Upright mounded. habit. No pruning needed.

** Photos Courtesy Bailey Nurseries Inc.

Little Devil Ninebark

Height:5'-6'

Spread: 5'-6'

Flowers: Pink flowers in early summer make a nice show against the darker leaves

Fall Color: Burgundy leaves

Other Notes: Upright rounded habit. Great shrub to use for color contrast.

** Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries

Summer Wine

Height: Generally 12'-15' (variable—can grow up to 20')

Spread: 8'-15'

Flowers: No

Fall Color: Yellow, Orange, Red.

Oak, Gambel/Scrub Oak (Quercus gambelii)

Height: 10'-12'

Spread: 10'-12'

Flowers: 1" double light pink flowers in early Spring

Fall Color: Yellow-bronze

Other Notes: A handsome large shrub or small airy tree. Prefers rich well-drained soils. Zone 3. If you like the look of this shrub but need something smaller, try Flowering Almond (Prunus glandulosa). It is very similar in appearance but is about a 1/3 of the size of the Double Flowering Plum.

** Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries

Plum, Double Flowering (Prunus triloba)

Potentillas are a small shrub popular for their profuse summer blooms and easy care.  They have a rounded shape that looks best with some pruning as they age.  Flower colors can be yellow, pink or white.  Though there are a few differences by variety, most follow the specs below.  In general the leaves doe not change color in Fall.

General Height: 2'-3'
General Spread: 2'-3'

Potentilla AKA Cinquefoil

Height: 4'-6'

Spread: 4'-6'

Flowers: Fragrant SMALL white flowers

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Compact vase-shape. Yellow leaves make it a nice shrub for color contrast.

Golden Vicary Privet

Height: 3'-4'

Spread: 3'-4'

Flowers: Small white flowers in summer

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Compact shrub with dense green leaves. Often used as a hedge. Zone 4.

Lodense

Height: 6'-8'

Spread: 6'-8'

Flowers: Small light yellow flowers in spring

Fall Color: Bright yellow leaves and blue black berries.

Other Notes: Erect, arching shrub with olive-green leaves. Very drought tolerant.
Great for a sunny, hot spot.

Privet, New Mexico A.K.A Desert Olive (Forestiera)

Texas Scarlet Flowering Quince

Height: 3'-4'

Spread: 3'-4'

Flower:  Scarlet flowers appear before foliage in early Spring. (makes a great cutflower)

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Compact, thornless variety.  Does not produce fruit.  Very drought tolerant once established.  May also be grown in part sun.

Quince, Flowering (Chaenomeles)

Height:2'-6' (very variable)

Spread: 2'-4'

Flowers: Yellow flowers late summer to early fall.

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: Rounded shrub, very drought tolerant. Fluffy seed clusters add winter interest. Plant this is the hottest, driest spot you have. Can be cut back to within a foot in Spring.

Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus / Ericameria nauseosus)

Height: 16"-28"

Spread:  20"-30"

Flowers:  Yellow flowers late summer to early fall

Fall Color:  No

Other Notes:  A Colorado Plant Select that much like it's larger cousin, loves the sun and tolerate wind, cold, and drought once established.

** Photo Courtesy Plant Select

Dwarf Rabbitbrush

Western Sagebrush

Height: 5'-10'

Spread: 5'-10'

Flowers: Small inconspicuous yellow flowers

Fall Color: No

Other Notes: This is a tall fragrant shrub with rugged silver foliage. It is a great accent plant and excellent for wildlife habitat. It is extremely drought tolerant and soil tolerant.

Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)

Purple-leaf Sand Cherry / Cistena Plum (Prunus)

Height:6'- 8'

Spread: 5'- 6'

Flowers: Small pink, fragrant flowers in Spring

Fall Color: Maroon

Other Notes: Maroon foliage throughout the season make this a nice contrast plant.

Sand Cherry (Prunus)

Height:15"- 18"

Spread: 4'- 6'

Flowers: Creamy white flowers in spring followed by black berries in summer.

Fall Color: Yes! Red-purple leaves.

Other Notes: Low and spreading groundcover type. A Colorado Plant Select shrub.

Western Sand Cherry 'Pawnee Buttes'

Height: 12'-15'+

Spread: 12’-15’

Flowers: Bright yellow pea-like flowers in spring

Fall Color: Yellowish

Other Notes: Upright rounded habit. Very drought tolerant once established. Useful as a windbreak, hedge or screen. Deer and Drought tolerant.  Zone 2.

Siberian Peashrub (Caragana)

Royal Purple Smokebush

Height: 8'-10'

Spread: 8'-10'

Flowers: Dusty rose 'flowers' look like smoke.

Fall Color: Deep purple w/ pink 'smoke.'

Other Notes: Deep purple foliage. Zone 5. Does best in full sun.

Smokebush (Cotinus)

Anthony Waterer

Height: 2'-3

Spread: 4'-5

Flowers: Rose pink in summer

Fall Color: Red-purple

Other Notes: Upright rounded shrub. Can be grown in part sun.

Spirea (Spiraea)

Height: 2'-3'

Spread: 3'-4'

Flowers: Crimson blooms in summer.

Fall Color: Red-bronze

Other Notes: Leaves are ever-changing color. Bright red new growth changing to yellow and then to green. Low, mounded shrub. Can be grown in part sun.

Goldflame