Evergreen shrubs
Compared side by side
| Plant | Foliage | Cats | Dogs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herb of GraceBacopa monnieri | Evergreen | Not documented | Not documented |
| Hollyleaved BarberryBerberis aquifolium | Evergreen | Non-toxic | Non-toxic |
| PaperflowerBougainvillea glabra | Evergreen | Not documented | Not documented |
| Madagascar PeriwinkleCatharanthus roseus | Evergreen | Toxic (1 source) | Toxic (1 source) |
| Parlor PalmChamaedorea elegans | Evergreen | Non-toxic | Non-toxic |
| Mexican MintColeus amboinicus | Evergreen | Toxic (1 source) | Toxic (1 source) |
| Common ColeusColeus scutellarioides | Evergreen | Not documented | Not documented |
| Sago PalmCycas revoluta | Evergreen | Toxic | Toxic |
| Cape JasmineGardenia jasminoides | Evergreen | Toxic (1 source) | Toxic (1 source) |
| ShoeblackplantHibiscus × rosa-sinensis | Evergreen | Not documented | Not documented |
| YauponIlex vomitoria | Evergreen | Not documented | Not documented |
| Mountain LaurelKalmia latifolia | Evergreen | Toxic (1 source) | Toxic (1 source) |
| LantanaLantana camara | Evergreen | Toxic | Toxic |
| Creosote BushLarrea tridentata | Evergreen | Non-toxic | Non-toxic |
| English LavenderLavandula angustifolia | Evergreen | Toxic (1 source) | Toxic (1 source) |
| Lion's EarLeonotis leonurus | Evergreen | Not documented | Not documented |
| Cape LeadwortPlumbago auriculata | Evergreen | Not documented | Not documented |
| Kitchen SageSalvia officinalis | Evergreen | Non-toxic | Non-toxic |
| RosemarySalvia rosmarinus | Evergreen | Non-toxic | Non-toxic |
| LingonberryVaccinium vitis-idaea | Evergreen | Not documented | Not documented |
This collection gathers evergreen shrubs you can rely on for structure all year. An evergreen shrub keeps its leaves through winter instead of dropping them each fall. That trait is what ties this list together, not one genus or one growth habit. The group spans flowering shrubs, broadleaf hedge plants, and low woody groundcovers. A shrub that holds its leaves when deciduous plants go bare adds something a summer-only bloomer cannot. Right now the list holds 13 shrubs. Each one earned its place the same way. It keeps its foliage year-round. And it is grown, at least in part, for structure rather than as a short-lived bedding plant. That is a shared trait, not a shared look. Some of these shrubs stay low and spreading, while others grow upright and dense enough to anchor a hedge line. This list is not ranked, and it is not a claim that these are the only evergreen shrubs worth growing. It is a starting point for comparing shrubs that share one useful property: you will not be looking at bare stems for half the year. Each shrub's own page covers its light, water, and hardiness needs in more depth, since those needs vary even within a group that all happens to stay green. Some of these shrubs tolerate hard frost, while others need a mild winter to keep their leaves at all. Check each entry's own details before you decide where a shrub will go in your yard. Use this page to narrow down your options, then read the full entry for the shrub that fits your space.
The 20 plants
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Herb of Grace
Bacopa monnieri
Evergreen
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Paperflower
Bougainvillea glabra
Evergreen
You'll find Bougainvillea glabra here because it holds its leaves right through the colder months instead of dropping them. That year-round cover is the one trait every shrub on this page has in common.
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Mexican Mint
Coleus amboinicus
Evergreen
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Cape Jasmine
Gardenia jasminoides
Evergreen
Gardenia jasminoides is included in this group because it keeps its leaves year-round, holding its shape in the garden through every season. That year-round cover is the trait this list is built around, not a single bloom or scent.
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Shoeblackplant
Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis
Evergreen
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Yaupon
Ilex vomitoria
Evergreen
Ilex vomitoria sits on this list for the reason every entry does: it holds its leaves straight through winter rather than going bare. A shrub that keeps its structure in the coldest months is exactly what this collection was built to gather.
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Mountain Laurel
Kalmia latifolia
Evergreen
Kalmia latifolia qualifies for this list on the same basis as the rest: it does not lose its leaves when the weather turns cold. Keeping that cover through winter is the single trait that earns a shrub a spot here.
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Lantana
Lantana camara
Evergreen
Lantana camara earns a spot on this list the same way every member does: it stays green and holds its form through the colder months rather than dying back. That year-round presence is what the list is tracking, not any single flower color.
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English Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
Evergreen
Lavandula angustifolia belongs on this list because it keeps its foliage through winter instead of dying back to bare stems. That quality of year-round cover is the whole reason this page groups shrubs together in the first place.
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Cape Leadwort
Plumbago auriculata
Evergreen
Plumbago auriculata appears here because it holds onto its leaves across the cold season rather than going dormant and bare. This page exists to group shrubs with exactly that habit, so it belongs among them.
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Lingonberry
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Evergreen
Vaccinium vitis-idaea made this list the same way its neighbors did, by keeping its leaves on through the winter months instead of shedding them. That is the one requirement every shrub on this page shares, regardless of size or shape.
How we chose
Evergreen
Photo credits
- Herb of Grace photo by Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Hollyleaved Barberry photo by Jason Hollinger, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Paperflower photo by পাপৰি বৰা, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Madagascar Periwinkle photo by Tanvir Rahat, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Parlor Palm photo by Yercaud-elango, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Mexican Mint photo by Aathavan jaffna, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Common Coleus photo by colorishappiness from New York, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Sago Palm photo by Fawaz.tairou, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Cape Jasmine photo by 阿橋 HQ, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Yaupon photo by PumpkinSky, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Mountain Laurel photo by Juliancolton, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Lantana photo by Petro Stelte, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Creosote Bush photo by Adbar, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- English Lavender photo by Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Lion's Ear photo by Hatem moushir, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Cape Leadwort photo by Vengolis, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Kitchen Sage photo by Flocci Nivis, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Rosemary photo by Roger Culos, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Lingonberry photo by Patafisik, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
How this page was made
- Written with AI assistance from the sources listed on this page. AI is never the source of a fact.