Best Evergreen Shrub Plants of 2025

The Japanese Sky Pencil Holly, also known as Plants by Mail Holly, is a female-only cultivar of Ilex Crenata. It features dense evergreen foliage that retains its natural shape without pruning, making it incredibly easy to care for. This plant is versatile and can be used as a container plant, tall hedge, or privacy screen, thanks to its unique appearance. To ensure the production of berries, both male and female plants must be present for pollination. The Sky Pencil Holly is low-maintenance and only requires light trimming while young. It is hardy in USDA zones 6-9 and should be watered frequently until the roots are well established. With a 2.5 Quart potted plant, this Sky Pencil Holly is a beautiful addition to any garden or landscape.

The Emerald Green Arborvitae (Thuja Occidentalis) by Plants by Mail is a large evergreen shrub/tree that adds beauty and elegance to any garden or landscape. With a mature size of 15' H x 3-4' W, this shrub/tree is perfect for creating privacy or adding a touch of greenery to your outdoor space. It is hardy down to -30 to -20 °F once established, making it suitable for USDA zones 4-8. The Emerald Green Arborvitae ships in a pot with soil, ensuring that it arrives in great condition. With care instructions that advise planting in well-conditioned soil, providing direct access to sunlight, mulching the bed, and watering 3-4 times a week, this shrub/tree is easy to maintain. Its full sun exposure requirement ensures that it thrives in bright and sunny locations. Enhance your garden with the Emerald Green Arborvitae and enjoy its beauty for years to come.

The Southern Living Plant Collection 2.5 Qt - Red Diamond Compact Loropetalum is a compact evergreen shrub with deep purple foliage and red ribbon blooms, perfect for USDA Zones 7-10. This shrub thrives in full sun to part shade, with blooms expected during spring to fall. Care instructions are simple, just plant in well-conditioned soil, provide direct access to sunlight, mulch bed, and water 3-4 times a week.

This evergreen shrub is a great addition to your garden with its year-round interest. It grows up to 8ft tall and 5ft wide, thriving in USDA zones 2-8 with full sun to partial shade. With low maintenance, you can enjoy the beauty of this shrub without much effort.

The August Beauty Gardenia is a shrub plant that features lustrous green foliage and white blooms, adding year-round interest to your garden. It grows to a mature size of 36-48 inches wide and 48-72 inches tall, making it suitable for USDA Zones 7-9. This evergreen plant thrives in full sun to part shade, making it easy to care for and maintain.

The Southern Living Plant Collection Daydream Dwarf Loropetalum is a compact evergreen shrub with pink blooms. It is suitable for USDA zones 7-10 and has a mature size of 2-3' H x 3-4' W. It comes in a pot with soil and requires direct access to sunlight, well-conditioned soil, mulch bed, and watering 3-4 times a week. It is not available in Hawaii and Alaska.

The Fire Chief Arborvitae is an eye-catching evergreen that adds vibrant color to your garden year-round. Its unique needle-like foliage transforms from bright gold in spring to a stunning deep red in fall, making it a perfect focal point in your landscape. This compact shrub thrives in full sun and requires no pruning, offering a low-maintenance option for busy gardeners. Additionally, it attracts birds and wildlife, enhancing your outdoor space's natural charm. Whether used as a decorative container plant or a privacy hedge, this shrub is sure to impress visitors and brighten your home.

The Tater Tot Arborvitae from Proven Winners is an excellent choice for your garden, thriving in USDA zones 3a to 8b. This evergreen shrub maintains a compact size, reaching 3-4 feet wide and 2-3 feet tall, making it perfect for smaller spaces. It flourishes in both full sun and partial shade, giving you flexibility in your planting options. With its year-round greenery, you'll enjoy continuous visual interest in your landscape, enhancing your outdoor aesthetics throughout the seasons.

The Southern Living Snow Pieris is a stunning evergreen shrub known for its beautiful clusters of white bell-shaped flowers. This plant not only adds charm to your garden but also retains its glossy dark green leaves year-round, ensuring it looks appealing in any season. It thrives best in partial sunlight and requires acidic, well-draining soil, making it a great choice for mixed borders or woodland gardens. Additionally, with a height of 6-8 feet, it can create an elegant focal point in your landscape. Regular trimming after flowering helps maintain its shape and encourages fresh growth.

This slow growing broadleaf evergreen shrub is perfect for hedges or foundation plants. It requires watering twice per week until established, then once per week. It is best to plant in sun to part shade and is suitable for USDA zones 4-9. Its green foliage is great for full sun exposure, but it does not bloom.