:strip_icc()/spirea-japonica-double-play-doozie-d3a65f03582644f082eb31c1376e76d8.jpg "11 fast-growing shrubs that will fill your garden in no time")
11 fast-growing shrubs that will fill your garden in no time
Fast-growing shrubs can screen a patio or form a hedge along a property line in just a few growing seasons. However, just because a shrub grows quickly doesn’t mean it’s suitable for landscaping. Some of the fastest-growing shrubs have weak wood and are susceptible to disease. Although they provide almost instant joy in the garden, they collapse during the next storm or succumb to disease in a short period of time.
The following fast-growing shrubs feature strong structure and disease resistance. Count on these plants to grow quickly and remain beautiful in your garden for years.
Tree of Life
Tree of Life (Thuja occidentalis) is an evergreen native to North America with soft, flat foliage. Upright varieties such as ‘Techny’ grow 20 to 30 feet tall in about 10 years, while globe-shaped varieties such as ‘Tater Tot’ and ‘Little Giant’ retain their round shape and quickly provide structure around a foundation or patio.
Growth conditions: Full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil
Size: Up to 30 feet high and 10 feet wide
Zones: 3-8
Deer and rabbits often damage arborvitae, so do not plant them in areas where they are common.
Arrowwood Snowball
Fragrant white flowers in spring and small blue-black fruits in late summer make the snowball a (Snowball) popular with butterflies, bees and songbirds. Add this North American native shrub to a foundation planting or plant several together to form a hedge. ‘Chicago Luster’ has exceptional flowers and beautiful fall color. ‘Moonglow’ is prized for its glossy leaves and large flowers.
Growth conditions: Full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil
Size: Up to 10 feet tall and 6 feet wide
Zones: 2–8
Bush honeysuckle
7HlHpwU0q3s97YBOtkuWAo
A hardy plant for hot, dry locations where other shrubs struggle to survive, Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla sessilifolia) has clean green foliage and yellow flowers that bloom sporadically throughout the summer. Its foliage turns red in the fall. Some cultivars have variegated foliage, such as ‘Cool Splash’ (pictured here) with variegated leaves and ‘Kodiak Black’ with deep purple foliage.
Growth conditions: Full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil
Size: Up to 5 feet tall and wide
Zones: 4–8
Don’t confuse bush honeysuckle with invasive honeysuckle – bush honeysuckle is a good-natured native shrub.
Glossy Abelia
Small white and pink fragrant flowers cover this easy-to-grow shrub from late spring through fall. Glossy Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora) has a rounded, dense habit and is a fast-growing solution for empty spots in a perennial bed, foundation planting or shrub bed. It is deer resistant and drought tolerant. In zones 6 and 7, it typically dies back to the ground in winter but quickly regrows in spring.
Growth conditions: Full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil
Size: Up to 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide
Zones: 6–9
Cotoneaster
Denny Schrock
Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster spp.), also called ‘Red Dynamo’, is an evergreen with glossy green foliage that emerges in bright red. ‘Red Dynamo’ is an easy-care shrub that tolerates heat well and rarely needs pruning. It makes an excellent hedge and grows about three feet a year until it reaches its final size. Look for ‘Red Dynamo’, which has good disease resistance.
Growth conditions: Full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil
Size: Up to 10 feet tall and 7 feet wide
Zones: 7–11
Shrub Spiraea
A fast-growing shrub with colourful leaves and flowers in early summer, shrubby spirea (Physocarpus sylvestris) forms a dense hedge or can be used as a foundation plant or mixed border. ‘Ginger Wine’ has burgundy foliage and ‘Festivus Gold’ has light green leaves in full sun. The shrubby spirea tolerates pruning well.
Growth conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Size: Up to 2.44 m high and wide
Zones: 2–8
Smokebush
Smokebush (Cotinus coggygria) gets its name from its airy clusters of smoky pink flowers that bloom in early summer. The flowers give this upright, rounded shrub an informal look. Use it to block views or serve as a backdrop in the landscape. ‘Royal Purple’ has nearly black foliage, while ‘Winecraft Gold’ has yellow-green leaves.
Growth conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Size: Up to 15 feet tall and wide
Zones: 4–8
Spirea
Grant Webster
An extremely easy to grow deciduous shrub that forms a low hedge or quickly provides color and form in a landscape bed, Spirea (Spirea spp.) is available in many unique varieties. Grow a birch leaf variety such as ‘Tor’ for brilliant fall color on a plant 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. Bridal wreath spirea ‘Renaissance’ has arching stems covered with fragrant white flowers in spring.
Growth conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Size: Up to 7 feet tall and 5 feet wide
Zones: 4–8
Virginia Sweetspire
Rely on Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) to brighten the fall garden with reds and purples. This native shrub has graceful arching branches and fragrant flowers in early summer. Virginia sweetspire thrives in partial shade. Plant it where it will receive four to six hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth. ‘Henry’s Garnet’ and ‘Little Henry’ are excellent varieties.
Growth conditions: Partial shade and moist, well-drained soil
Size: Up to 2.44 m high and 1.80 m wide
Zones: 5–9
Wax myrtle
Denny Schrock
A robust shrub that is very popular with wild animals: the wax myrtle (Myrica spp.), also known as Southern Myrtle, has glossy, leathery foliage. Use it as a hedge or privacy screen and enjoy the pollinators and birds it attracts. Water the wax myrtle regularly after planting to help it develop a robust root system. Once established, it can tolerate long periods of drought.
Growth conditions: Full sun to partial shade and average to moist soil
Size: Up to 15 feet high and 10 feet wide
Zones: 7–11
Weigela
Weigela (Florida Weigela) blooms profusely in late spring and continues to produce pink or white flowers sporadically until frost. The plant has an upright habit with arched branches that give it a fountain-like appearance. Butterflies and hummingbirds are frequent visitors thanks to the lush flowers.
Growth conditions: Full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil
Size: Up to 2.44 m high and 1.22 m wide
Zones: 4–8
