In climates with harsh winters, bushes are normally planted in the late fall or early spring. This allows the bush time to establish a strong root system before the freezing winter weather hits. If the winters are mild and freezing temperatures rarely occur, certain types of shrubs survive winter planting. Winter dormant shrubs perform best when planted in the winter. However, do not work with the soil when the ground is wet and sticky with mud.
Coniferous shrubs do not produce showy flower displays, but offer year round color with a variety of needles and forms. These trees are in a dormant state during the winter, so it is a good time to plant them in areas without freezing temperatures. “Armstrong” junipers (Juniperus chinensis “Armstrongii”) produce light green lacy needles covering arching branches in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. These deer-resistant shrubs reach 4 to 5 feet tall and wide. “Korean Gold” plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia “Korean Gold”) grows best in USDA zones 6 through 9, slowly growing to 10 feet tall with 3-inch-long needles with gold tips aging to green by winter. This evergreen conifer spreads up to 6 feet wide, taking 15 years to reach half size.
Several evergreen bushes produce broad leaves year round, so choose the ones that do not produce winter flowers to plant in the winter. “Golden Triumph” boxwood (Buxus microphylla “Golden Triumph”) is a low-growing compact variety of Japanese boxwood which reaches 3 feet tall in ten years. White flowers bloom in spring and shiny green leaves with yellow edges stay on the shrub all year in USDA zones 5 through 9. Yaupon holly bushes (Ilex vomitoria), growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 through 11, reach 15 feet tall with oval toothed shiny dark green leaves on gray branches. The ornamental red fruit lasts throughout the winter attracting birds to the shrub.
Deciduous shrubs lose their leaves during the winter when they go dormant. “Java Red” Weigela florida (Weigela florida “Java Red”) reaches 3 to 6 feet tall in USDA zones 4 through 9 with arching branches covered in pink tubular blossoms appearing against burgundy-tinted leaves from spring until the end of summer. The showy flowers attract hummingbirds to the shrub. Show Off starlet forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia “Minfor6”) stays 2 to 3 feet tall, spreading 3 to 4 feet wide, with masses of yellow blossoms covering the entire bush in the early spring. Dark green leaves appear after the flowers in USDA zones 4 through 8.
Winter is the time to install summer-bearing fruit bushes when they are available as bare root plants. Golden currant bushes (Ribes odoratum) are native to North America in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 8, with clove-scented yellow spring blossoms followed by black edible fruit on 6-foot-tall shrubs. This berry bush attracts birds and butterflies. “Thunderbird” evergreen huckleberry bushes (Vaccinium ovatum “Thunderbird”) produce reddish-colored new leaves, which mature to deep green color, and offer pink and white spring flowers. Edible crops of tasty dark blue berries follow the flowers on this upright 6-foot-tall bush, which grows best in USDA zones 6 through 8.
- Monrovia: Armstrong Juniper
- Fine Gardening Plant Guide: Cephalotaxus Harringtonia “Korean Gold” (Plum Yew)
- Monrovia: Golden Triumph Boxwood
- Fine Gardening Plant Guide: Ilex Vomitoria (Yaupon Holly)
- Fine Gardening Plant Guide: Weigela Florida
- Monrovia: Show Off Starlet Forsythia
- Fine Gardening Plant Guide: Ribes Odoratum (Buffalo Currant, Clove Currant, Golden Currant)
- Monrovia: Thunderbird Evergreen Huckleberry
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