Best Full Sun Shrub Plants of 2025

Steven Taylor Avatar
Steven Taylor
Last Updated: Jan 8, 2025

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Full sun shrub plants are a great addition to any garden or landscape. These plants thrive in direct sunlight and require minimal maintenance, making them perfect for busy gardeners or those new to gardening. Some popular full sun shrub plants include the Butterfly Bush, which produces beautiful purple flowers and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, and the Crape Myrtle, which produces stunning pink, red, or white flowers and can grow up to 20 feet tall. Other options include the Rose of Sharon, the Spirea, and the Hydrangea. With so many options to choose from, there is a full sun shrub plant for every garden.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Encore Azalea Autumn Embers Shrub Cover #TOP 1
Encore Azalea Autumn Embers Shrub
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Encore Azalea Autumn Embers Shrub Cover #TOP 2
Encore Azalea Autumn Embers Shrub
ftb score rating icon 9.7
Wintergreen Boxwood (2.5 Gallon) - Low-Maintenance Evergreen Hedge Shrub Cover #TOP 3
Wintergreen Boxwood (2.5 Gallon) - Low-Maintenance Evergreen Hedge Shrub
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 10 Full Sun Shrub Plants

#TOP 1

Encore Azalea Autumn Embers Shrub

Red,Orange
1 Gallon
Encore Azalea Autumn Embers Shrub Cover
Encore Azalea Autumn Embers (1 Gallon) Red - Orange Flowering Shrub - Full Sun Live Outdoor Plant

The Encore Azalea Shrub is a stunning addition to your outdoor space, featuring vibrant red-orange flowers that bloom beautifully. Thriving in full sun to partial shade, this plant requires just 4-6 hours of sunlight each day, making it easy to care for. Minimal pruning is needed, allowing you to maintain its shape and promote more blooms effortlessly. It is hardy in USDA zones 6 through 9, adapting well to various climates. With consistent watering, especially during dry spells, it will flourish in well-drained soil, providing you with a colorful landscape year-round.

What We Like
Vibrant red-orange flowers
Minimal pruning required
Thrives in various sunlight
Hardy in multiple USDA zones
#TOP 2

Encore Azalea Autumn Embers Shrub

EA-511
1 gal
Encore Azalea Autumn Embers Shrub Cover
Encore Azalea Autumn Embers (1 Gallon) Orange - Red Flowering Shrub - Full Sun Live Outdoor Plant

The Encore Azalea Shrub is a vibrant addition to your garden, featuring stunning deep red-orange flowers that bloom in spring, summer, and fall. This plant thrives in full sun, offering a more sun-loving option compared to traditional azaleas. With a mature size of 3 feet in height and 3.5 feet in width, it fits well in various outdoor spaces. Additionally, it is designed to ship in its pot with soil, making it easy for you to plant and enjoy right away. Note that this variety is not available for shipping to Hawaii and Alaska.

What We Like
Vibrant red-orange blooms
Thrives in full sun
Easy to plant and care for
Reblooms in multiple seasons
#TOP 3

Wintergreen Boxwood (2.5 Gallon) - Low-Maintenance Evergreen Hedge Shrub

BP-173FL
Green
2.5 gal
Wintergreen Boxwood (2.5 Gallon) - Low-Maintenance Evergreen Hedge Shrub Cover
Wintergreen Boxwood (2.5 Gallon) Low-Maintenance Evergreen Hedge Shrub - Full Sun Live Outdoor Plant

Wintergreen Boxwood is a low-maintenance evergreen hedge shrub providing deep and rich hedge protection for privacy screening and noise barrier. It has a mature size of 3-5' H x 3-5' W with petite leaves that require little pruning. It can survive in the coldest of boxwood collections with the ability to withstand temperature -20 to -10°F once established. It is not available to ship in Hawaii, Tennessee or Alaska and is hardy in zones 5-9.

What We Like
Low-maintenance
Provides deep and rich hedge protection for privacy screening and noise barrier
Petite leaves require little pruning
Can withstand temperature -20 to -10°F once established

Southern Living Plant Collection Daydream Dwarf Loropetalum

SL-99Q
Purple
2.5 qt
Southern Living Plant Collection Daydream Dwarf Loropetalum Cover
Southern Living Plant Collection Purple Daydream Loropetalum (2.5 Quart) Compact Evergreen Shrub Pink Blooms - Full Sun to Part Sun Live Outdoor Plant

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.

What We Like
Compact evergreen shrub with pink blooms
Suitable for USDA zones 7-10
Comes in a pot with soil
#TOP 5

2 Gal. Obsession Nandina Shrub

Obsession
Bright Red Foliage
2 Gal.
2 Gal. Obsession Nandina Shrub Cover
2 Gal. Obsession Nandina Shrub

The 2 Gal. Obsession Nandina Shrub is a low-maintenance shrub that features stunning leaf color throughout all seasons. It is suitable for USDA zones 6-10 and can be planted in sun to part shade. This shrub requires watering twice per week until established, then once per week. It blooms in winter and requires full sun exposure.

What We Like
Stunning leaf color throughout all seasons
Low maintenance
USDA zones 6-10
Can be planted in sun to part shade
Blooms in winter
#TOP 6

Shrub August Beauty Gardenia

August Beauty
1 Gallon
Shrub August Beauty Gardenia Cover
Shrub August Beauty Gardenia, 1 Gallon, Lustrous Green Foliage

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.

What We Like
Year-round interest with lustrous green foliage and white blooms
Easy to care for and maintain in full sun to part shade
Suitable for USDA Zones 7-9

Perfect Plants Frostproof Gardenia Live Plant

Frostproof
Frostproof Gardenia
1 Gallon Pot
Perfect Plants Frostproof Gardenia Live Plant Cover
Perfect Plants Frostproof Gardenia Live Plant, 1 Gallon Pot

The Perfect Plants Frostproof Gardenia is a 1 gallon live plant that comes with easy to use plant food. It features deep green spindle leaves with fragrant white flowers appearing every spring-summer. This gardenia shrub has a pleasant aroma during its blooming season which is refreshing and inviting. It prefers full sun exposure and partial shade throughout the day, making it perfect for planting in mulch beds along the front entryway or in fragrant gardens. It is easy to maintain in the landscape and no pruning is necessary to keep its shape. This gardenia is also deer resistant and will rely on rainfall for hydration.

What We Like
Comes with easy to use plant food
Pleasant aroma during blooming season
Easy to maintain in landscape, no pruning necessary
Deer resistant
Relies on rainfall for hydration
#TOP 8

Fire Chief Arborvitae by Southern Living

Green-Orange
2.5 Quart
Fire Chief Arborvitae by Southern Living Cover
Fire Chief Arborvitae (2.5 Quart) Evergreen Thuja Shrub with Orange-Green Foliage - Full Sun Live Outdoor Plant - Southern Living Plants

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.

What We Like
Colorful year-round foliage
No pruning required
Attracts wildlife
Compact size
#TOP 9

Bigfoot Cleyera Shrub by Southern Living

Green
3 Gallon
Bigfoot Cleyera Shrub by Southern Living Cover
Bigfoot Cleyera (3 Gallon) Large Evergreen Shrub with Glossy Foliage - Full Sun to Part Shade Live Outdoor Plant - Southern Living Plants

The Bigfoot Cleyera Shrub by Southern Living is a stunning evergreen plant that thrives in USDA Zones 7-10. Standing at a mature height of 15-20 feet and spreading 5-6 feet wide, this shrub adds a lush, glossy foliage to your outdoor space. It is perfect for both full sun and partial shade, giving you flexibility in placement. This live plant ships with soil in a pot, ensuring convenience as you can easily set it up in your garden. However, please note that it is not available for shipping to Hawaii and Alaska.

What We Like
Evergreen foliage
Flexible sunlight requirements
Convenient shipping in pot
Large mature size
#TOP 10

Blush Pink Nandina Shrub - Southern Living

SL-07Q
Pink
2.5 qt
Blush Pink Nandina Shrub - Southern Living Cover
Blush Pink Nandina (2.5 Qt) - Southern Living Plant Collection - Evergeen Shrub with Rosy Hues - Full Sun Live Plant

The Blush Pink Nandina is a stunning evergreen shrub that adds a touch of elegance to your garden. Its beautiful pink-tinged leaves create a serene focal point that sways gently in the breeze. This plant is low maintenance, allowing you to enjoy its beauty without the stress of constant care. Thriving in full sun to partial shade, it can adapt to various locations in your garden, making it perfect for busy individuals. With its year-round foliage, you can appreciate its unique charm in every season, enhancing your outdoor space effortlessly.

What We Like
Year-round color
Low maintenance care
Adaptable to sunlight
Unique pink foliage
Buying Guide Image
Editor's Notes

During our full sun shrub plant research, we found 24 full sun shrub plant products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 19,313 customer reviews through our big data system to write the full sun shrub plants list. We found that most customers choose full sun shrub plants with an average price of $26.03.

The full sun shrub plants are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of full sun shrub plants, including Encore Azalea, Plants by Mail, Southern Living, Shrub, PERFECT PLANTS. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 215 consumers with an average rating of 4.6.

Written by
Steven Taylor Avatar

Steven Taylor grew up in a small town called Beaufort in South Carolina and his passion for building and woodworking has led him to master the latest garden gadgets. He always holds every chance to patch up or sand down his beloved garden. There are various novel technologies in his articles.