1. Shrubs Vincent Mannino, County Extension Director Fort Bend County

2. Selecting Shrubs – Things to Consider Exposure - How much sun, how much shade? Exposure - How much sun, how much shade? Soil – texture, drainage, pH and nutrient level Soil – texture, drainage, pH and nutrient level Competition – from other landscape plants and from weeds Competition – from other landscape plants and from weeds Speed of growth – fast growing shrubs require more pruning, more fertility, more water….. Speed of growth – fast growing shrubs require more pruning, more fertility, more water….. Size of plant – dwarf versus standard Size of plant – dwarf versus standard Flower and fruit production – for beauty &/or food Flower and fruit production – for beauty &/or food

3. Abelia Dwarf and standard forms available Dwarf and standard forms available Very drought tolerant Very drought tolerant White to pink flowers White to pink flowers Full sun for compact growth, partial shade for open growth Full sun for compact growth, partial shade for open growth No major pest problems No major pest problems

4. Creech’s Dwarf, Prostrate Edward Goucher, Sherwoodii, Francis Mason (variegated)

5. Azalea REQUIRES acid soils REQUIRES acid soils Dwarf and standard forms available Dwarf and standard forms available Many colors Many colors Partial sun to shade Partial sun to shade Susceptible to lace bug and stem blights Susceptible to lace bug and stem blights Keep mulched Keep mulched

6. ‘Coral Bells’ Types: Indica Kurume Satsuki

7. Aucuba Excellent accent for shady situations Excellent accent for shady situations Broad-leaved evergreen Broad-leaved evergreen Bold upright stems Bold upright stems Partial to full shade Partial to full shade Slow-growing to 4 to 6 feet high and wide Slow-growing to 4 to 6 feet high and wide Moist soil NOT wet Moist soil NOT wet Some bacterial leafspot Some bacterial leafspot ‘Goldstrike’ ‘Serratfolia’

8. Barberry Excellent in full sun for full color Excellent in full sun for full color Sharp needles – keeps cats out! Sharp needles – keeps cats out! Can be pruned Can be pruned Moderate growth rate Moderate growth rate Few pests Few pests Very drought tolerant Very drought tolerant

9. ‘Crimson Pygmy,’ ‘Rose Glow,’ ‘Kobald,’ ‘Aurea’

10. Boxwood Sun or shade Sun or shade Evergreen Evergreen Good drainage Good drainage Sandy soil Sandy soil Drought tolerant Drought tolerant Easily pruned Easily pruned Nematode susceptible Nematode susceptible

11. Japanese BoxwoodEnglish Boxwood

13. Texas Sage or Ceniza Full sun Full sun Evergreen, Evergreen, Dwarf (4’), standard (15’) Dwarf (4’), standard (15’) Green and white leaf forms available Green and white leaf forms available Flowers colors - Pink and white Flowers colors - Pink and white Requires good drainage Requires good drainage

14. “The Barometer Plant” Dwarfs: ‘Silver Cloud’ & ‘Rain cloud,’ Standard: ‘Green Cloud’

15. Cleyera Sun to partial shade Sun to partial shade Standard or dwarf Standard or dwarf Replaces red-tip photinia Replaces red-tip photinia Will freeze back below 22 degrees Will freeze back below 22 degrees Small white flowers Small white flowers Needs good drainage Needs good drainage

17. Variegated forms are now becoming available!

18. Cotoneaster 4 inches to 10 feet 4 inches to 10 feet Full sun Full sun Good drainage Good drainage Very drought tolerant Very drought tolerant Aphids and scales may be a problem Aphids and scales may be a problem

19. Coral Beauty Bearberry ‘Chinese Rockspray’ ‘Franchets’ Cotoneaster grows to 20 feet Dwarf forms are as short as 4-6 inches

20. Gray Leaf Cotoneaster

21. Crape Myrtle Easy culture Easy culture Many forms & colors available Many forms & colors available Pruned as a specimen tree or shrub Pruned as a specimen tree or shrub Yellow, red or orange fall color Yellow, red or orange fall color Moderate to fast growth rate Moderate to fast growth rate Adapted to a wide variety of soils Adapted to a wide variety of soils

23. Some standard forms have beautiful bark

24. Crape “Murder” Remove seed heads below last flower branch.

25. Duranta (Golden Dewdrops) Verbena family w/30 species Verbena family w/30 species Easy to grow Easy to grow Propagate by seed, semi-ripe cuttings and layering Propagate by seed, semi-ripe cuttings and layering Few pests Few pests Freezes/comes back with protection Freezes/comes back with protection

26. ‘Gold Edge Sky’ Duranta ‘Cloudy Sky’ Duranta’ ‘Purple Sky Flower’

27. Esparanza ‘Golden Bells’ Full sun Full sun Deep yellow flowers to 3” Deep yellow flowers to 3” Fresh smell Fresh smell Up to 8’ by 6’ Up to 8’ by 6’ No known pests No known pests Propagates by seed or cuttings Propagates by seed or cuttings Blooms all season Blooms all season

28. 11 ft. 2-year versus 4-year growth

29. Euonymus Evergreen Evergreen 4 inches as a vine to 20 feet as a tree 4 inches as a vine to 20 feet as a tree Partial shade to full sun Partial shade to full sun Moist soil Moist soil pH 3-7 -7.0 pH 3-7 -7.0 Scale and whitefly a problem Scale and whitefly a problem

30. “Burning Bush” Euonymus

31. Elaeagnus Dwarf and standard forms are available Dwarf and standard forms are available Fruit are edible Fruit are edible Easily pruned for hedges or specimen plants Easily pruned for hedges or specimen plants Leaves w/ silvery undersides Leaves w/ silvery undersides No major pest problems No major pest problems

33. Yummy!

34. Variegated forms: ‘Maculata Aurea’ ‘Gilt Edge’

35. E. multiflora “Gumi Berry”

36. Forsythia (Golden Bells) Fast-growing Fast-growing Deciduous, hardy Deciduous, hardy Well-drained - moderate soil moisture Well-drained - moderate soil moisture Grows readily from root shoots Grows readily from root shoots Dwarf at 1ft. to standard at 10 Dwarf at 1ft. to standard at 10 Blooms early Blooms early

37. After the tulips are done, the forsythia blooms in mid March! Varieties: ‘Lynwood Gold’ - yellow-gold ‘Beatrix Farrand’ – gold-yellow ‘Spring Glory’ – primrose-yellow

38. Gardenia Many forms are now available Many forms are now available White and yellow White and yellow Prefers slightly acid soil Prefers slightly acid soil Afternoon shade is a plus Afternoon shade is a plus Whiteflies are a problem Whiteflies are a problem

39. Gardenia varieties: ‘August Beauty’ ‘Candle Light’ ‘Variegated Mystry’ ‘Radicans’ ‘Radicans Variegata’ ‘First Love’ ‘Ammee ’

40. Cape Jasmine Types ‘Mystery’ ‘Autumn Beauty’

41. Altheas & Hardy Hibiscus Up to 14 feet in height and 5 feet in width Up to 14 feet in height and 5 feet in width Deciduous Deciduous Moderate to fast growth Moderate to fast growth Many colors available Many colors available Single or double blooms Single or double blooms Sun or semi-shade Sun or semi-shade Althea have smaller flowers Althea have smaller flowers Whitefly a problem Whitefly a problem

42. CEMAP’S ‘Flare’ Hibiscus ‘Moy Grande’

43. The Altheas

45. Evergreen Hollies Includes: Yaupon, Chinese Horned Holly, Burford, Cassine, Needlepoint Holly and others. Includes: Yaupon, Chinese Horned Holly, Burford, Cassine, Needlepoint Holly and others. Dwarf or standard forms Dwarf or standard forms Good evergreen specimens Good evergreen specimens Slow to moderate growth Slow to moderate growth Long lived Long lived Female has red berries Female has red berries

46. Chinese Horned Holly Nellie R. Stephens

47. ‘Burford’ Dwarf form of ‘Burford’

48. ‘Dazzler Holly’ Ilex cornuta ‘Needlepoint’

49. ‘Foster Holly’ ‘Carrisa Holly’

50. Dwarf Yaupon Holly

51. Possumhaw Holly (Deciduous Holly) To 16 feet in height To 16 feet in height Attractive red or orange berries Attractive red or orange berries Easy culture Easy culture Native Native Very adaptable to our soils Very adaptable to our soils Sun or part shade Sun or part shade

53. Hydrangeas Hydra = water, ie. moist soil Hydra = water, ie. moist soil Shade to light sun Shade to light sun Prefers east and north exposure Prefers east and north exposure pH > 7 = pink bracts pH > 7 = pink bracts pH < 7 = blue bracts pH < 7 = blue bracts

55. double versus single flowers

56. ‘Oakleaf’ Hydrangea is an East Texas jewel!

57. Indian Hawthorn 3-6 feet tall and wide 3-6 feet tall and wide White to deep pink flower color White to deep pink flower color Full sun to partial shade Full sun to partial shade Drought tolerant Drought tolerant Easily pruned Easily pruned Fungal leaf spot susceptible Fungal leaf spot susceptible

59. Junipers From trailing to trees From trailing to trees Well-drained soils Well-drained soils Full sun Full sun Spider mites, blights and root rots a problem Spider mites, blights and root rots a problem

61. Ligustrum Readily available and inexpensive Readily available and inexpensive Use as a specimen or hedge Use as a specimen or hedge Easily pruned Easily pruned Solid green or variegated Solid green or variegated Susceptible to root rot Susceptible to root rot

63. Loropetalum (Chinese Fringe Flower) Prefers well-drained acidic soil. Will tolerate others Prefers well-drained acidic soil. Will tolerate others No major pests No major pests Replaces azaleas Replaces azaleas Drought tolerant Drought tolerant Partial sun Partial sun Long blooming Long blooming Attracts moths, butterflies and hummingbirds Attracts moths, butterflies and hummingbirds

64. ‘Sizzling Pink’ ‘Dazzling White’

65. French Mulberry 4-6 Feet in height and width 4-6 Feet in height and width Deciduous Deciduous Fast growth rate Fast growth rate Bright purple, pink or white fruit Bright purple, pink or white fruit Native, easy culture Native, easy culture Sun or shade Sun or shade Attracts birds Attracts birds Prefers acid soil Prefers acid soil

66. Nandina or Heavenly Bamboos Dwarf to 6 feet in height Dwarf to 6 feet in height Clusters of white blooms Clusters of white blooms Leading to cluster of red berries Leading to cluster of red berries Slow to moderate growth rate Slow to moderate growth rate Relatively pest free Relatively pest free Excellent source of fall color Excellent source of fall color

68. ‘Fire Power’ grows to 2 feet

69. Photinia Chinese and Fraser are popular types Chinese and Fraser are popular types New growth exhibits red color New growth exhibits red color Full sun for full color Full sun for full color Susceptible to leafspot and root rot Susceptible to leafspot and root rot White flower clusters White flower clusters

70. ‘ Fraser’s Red Tip’ Photinia

71. Pittorsporum Evergreen Evergreen Solid green and variegated Solid green and variegated Standards and dwarfs Standards and dwarfs Drought tolerant Drought tolerant Variety of soils Variety of soils Hardy to 22 degrees Hardy to 22 degrees Scale and root rot susceptible Scale and root rot susceptible ‘Wheeler’s Dwarf’

73. Pyracantha – Fire Thorn Easy to grow Easy to grow Easy to espalier Easy to espalier Hard to prune Hard to prune Attracts birds Attracts birds Fruit can be made into jelly Fruit can be made into jelly Leafspot susceptible Leafspot susceptible

74. Pyracantha is easily espaliered and does well for the first 3 years.

77. Roses Antiques and ‘Earthkind’ Roses are very pest resistant Antiques and ‘Earthkind’ Roses are very pest resistant Full sun Full sun Well-drained soil Well-drained soil Good spacing Good spacing Keep mulched Keep mulched ‘Cecile Bruner’ Cherokee Rose

78. ‘Lady Banks’ Rose’ White & Yellow

79. ‘Belinda’s Dream’ ‘Climbing Pinkie’ ‘Knockout’ ‘Climbing Pinkie’

80. ‘Mutabilis’ ‘Caldwell Pink’

81. ‘Marie Daly’

82. Serissa (S. foetida variegata) Dwarf Dwarf Full sun or shade Full sun or shade Small white flowers Small white flowers No pests No pests Drought tolerant Drought tolerant Easy to propagate Easy to propagate Use like dwarf yaupon Use like dwarf yaupon

84. Viburnum Well-drained to poorly-drained soils Well-drained to poorly-drained soils Semi-dwarf to tall forms Semi-dwarf to tall forms Sun to partial shade Sun to partial shade Burgundy leaves and colorful fruit in fall Burgundy leaves and colorful fruit in fall Few pest problems Few pest problems

85. ‘Snowball’ Viburnum ‘Arrowleaf’ Viburnum

86. Vitex or Chase Tree Moderate to fast growth Moderate to fast growth Blue, pink or white flowers Blue, pink or white flowers Resemble lilacs Resemble lilacs Totally pest resistant Totally pest resistant Wide variety of soils Wide variety of soils Responds well to pruning Responds well to pruning Religious significance Religious significance

87. Vitex ‘Common Blue’ ‘Pink Lavender’ Vitex

88. Southern Wax Myrtle Native Native Adapted to our heavy, poorly drained soils Adapted to our heavy, poorly drained soils Dwarf & standard forms Dwarf & standard forms Evergreen foliage with pine scent Evergreen foliage with pine scent Well adapted to pruning Well adapted to pruning Sun or shade adapted Sun or shade adapted Berries for wildlife Berries for wildlife

90. Cast Iron Plants Rugged semi-sun or shade Rugged semi-sun or shade To 2 feet tall To 2 feet tall Large coarse textured leaves Large coarse textured leaves Green or variegated varieties available Green or variegated varieties available Heat and moisture tolerant Heat and moisture tolerant

91. Shrubs For the Metroplex ?? Questions ?? THE END!