The Best Low-Maintenance Shrubs

A low-maintenance yard frees up your valuable time, and may also have environmental and cost-saving benefits. A low maintenance bush should have slow to moderate growth rate to reduce how often you need to prune, low fertilizer needs, low disease susceptibility and few pest problems. Native shrubs often make some of the best shrubs for a low-maintenance yard.

Eliminate some maintenance by carefully choosing the planting site for your shrub. When you provide the proper sun exposure, soil conditions, proper spacing so crowding doesn't occur requiring extra pruning and exposure to elements such as wind, you’ll have less maintenance to do.

A dwarf shrub that reaches only 3 feet tall and grows in a mounded form, Red Sprite winterberry (Ilex verticillata ‘Nana’ Red Sprite) makes a smart choice for a low-maintenance garden. The North American native prefers average to acidic soils, tolerates wet and clay soils, and grows in full sun to partial shade. Red Sprite winterberry grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. It blooms in summer and provides winter color with its bright red berries. With few disease and pest problems, minimal pruning and adaptability, the winterberry doesn't need much care.

Ilex verticillata 'Jim Dandy' is a suitable pollinator for Red Sprite. It is hardy within the same USDA zones as Red Sprite.

If you want berries on your winterberry shrubs, you need to plant both male and female plants. The female plants bear the berries, but require a male plant for pollination. One male plant is enough to pollinate approximately 10 female winterberry shrubs.

'Miss Kim' Manchurian lilac (Syringa pubescens subsp. patula 'Miss Kim') grows in USDA zones 3 through 8. The highly fragrant lilac flowers burst into bloom in May and attract hummingbirds and butterflies. This lilac has resistance to powdery mildew and deer. It has few problems with diseases and pests. ‘Miss Kim’ grows up to 9 feet tall and 7 feet wide in average soil as long as it has adequate drainage, but performs best in rich and moist soils. While it performs best in full sun, it will tolerate some shade.

Prune after flowering to prevent seed formation, which improves the amount of flowers produced the following season.

Another deciduous North American native, ‘Alice’ oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia 'Alice') grows in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9. While the oakleaf hydrangea reaches up to 8 feet tall and wide, it requires little pruning to maintain its rounded habit. New flowers form on old wood so any pruning should take place immediately after flowering occurs. The slow-growing shrub doesn’t have any known susceptibility to disease or pests. This variety of hydrangea requires less moisture than others, average to rich soil and thrives in full sun to full shade. The showy, foot-long flower panicles provide a dramatic display for almost two months in summer. Flowers start off white, changing to pink and then end their flowering stage brownish in color. The leaves turn shades of red and purple in fall.

Mountain laurel ‘Sarah’ (Kalmia latifolia 'Sarah') makes an excellent choice for both its flowers and evergreen leaves. Mountain laurel grows in USDA zones 4 through 9 and originates in eastern North America. ‘Sarah’ reaches only 4 to 5 feet tall and wide. The evergreen shrub grows best in cool, acidic soil that has good drainage. Applying a 3-inch layer of mulch helps keep the soil cool. Mountain laurel tolerates almost any amount of sun, but performs best in partial shade. Clusters of red buds form in midspring and open into an abundance of pinkish red, 1-inch blossoms that last for weeks.

Prune after flowering to maintain a bushy structure. Deadheading mountain laurel prevents the plant from forming its somewhat unattractive fruits.

So you do not transfer pests or disease problems to healthy plants, always disinfect your pruning tool blades before pruning. It's as easy as wiping the blades off with alcohol and allowing them to dry before using.

All parts of mountain laurel are poisonous.